SCoSS Board Meeting
Date: 29 January 2026
Time: 13:30
Venue: Microsoft Teams
Minutes
Present—
- Ed Pybus (Chair)
- Adam Bennett (Member)
- Dr Marilyn Howard (Member)
- Judith Paterson (Member)
- Dr Mark Simpson (Member)
Apologies: None
In attendance (SCoSS Secretariat)—
- Stephen Herbert, Secretary
- Andrew Strong, Head of Policy and Scrutiny
- Keith Rae, Senior Policy Manager
- Christopher Galloway, Analysis and Participation Support Officer
- Lisa Kinnear, Governance and Engagement Officer
1. Welcome and declaration of interests.
The Chair welcomed the Commissioners to the meeting and no interests were declared.
2. Draft Minutes of previous meeting.
The minutes of the December Board meeting were agreed.
3. Board appointments.
The Board considered the criteria, skills and experience that they wish to see prioritised during the recruitment process for the appointment of two new Board members in January 2027. The recruitment round follows the upcoming end of term for two Board members in January 2027.
The Board noted that the Secretariat, Sponsor Unit and Public Appointments team have agreed a timetable for the recruitment and appointment of two new Board members in January 2027.
4. Membership of the External Expert Panel.
The Board considered and agreed on potential members of the external expert panel. Stephen Herbert provided an update on the remuneration arrangements for panel members.
5. Business plan.
The Board reviewed progress against the objectives and priorities in the 2025-26 Business Plan. The Board discussed the potential objectives and priorities for the next iteration of the business plan and agreed a timetable for the development and publication of the plan.
6. Charter Sub-Committee.
The Board considered the recent Social Security Scotland response to the Commissions’ previous charter report ahead of the Chair’s upcoming meeting with the Chief Executive of Social Security Scotland.
Andrew Strong provided the Board with a progress update on the two charter research contracts currently being undertaken by ‘The Lines Between Limited’. The Board also agreed the minutes of recent Charter Sub-Committee meetings.
7. Up-rating regulations.
The Board considered the recent scrutiny process for the Up-rating regulations. It was noted that the report was laid in Parliament on Monday 19 January 2026.
8. Care Leaver Payment (Scotland) Regulations 2026.
The Board considered the Scottish Government’s response to the Commission’s report on the draft Care Leaver Payment regulations. The Board noted the Scottish Government response.
9. Chair’s update.
The Chair provided the Board with an update on a meeting with the SSAC Chair and members of SSAC representing ‘devolved nations’ and also on a meeting with Audit Scotland regarding future work by Audit Scotland. The Chair also noted that he will be meeting with David Wallace, Chief Executive, Social Security Scotland and presenting at the Scottish Government’s Social Security Policy Division huddle.
9. Any Other Business.
Lisa Kinnear provided the Board with an update on the website with regard to the transition of the website to a new hosting environment. The Board also discussed the approach to the live editing of documents.
The Board also discussed arrangements for the forthcoming Scottish Parliament election and it was agreed that guidance for public bodies on the election would be circulated to Board members.
Meeting closed at 17:00
Date of next Board meeting: 26 February 2026