Board Champions
Purpose
Agency board report number: SEPA 24-25/010 - 22 May 2024
This paper presents the background to the Board Champions initiative, the proposed Board Champions for Board approval and next steps.
The Board is asked to approve the Board Champions and discuss and note the proposed next steps.
Kirsty-Louise Campbell, Chief Officer Governance, Performance and Engagement
Jenny Faichney and Jennifer McWhirter
Introduction
The Chair advised the Board on 16 April 2024 that a paper on Board Champions will be put forward for the 28 May 2024 Board meeting following a review of the former Board Buddy register and expressions of interest raised with the Chair from Board members during recent 1to1 meetings. This paper presents the background to the Board Champions initiative, the proposed Board Champions for Board approval and next steps.
Background to Board Champions
At the Board meeting on 27 February 2024, the Board approved the Board Champions initiative to reflect the role of Board members in adding value and engaging at strategic level to work with SEPA’s Executive team and colleagues on priority areas of work. As highlighted at the Board induction day on 22 February 2024, Board members would be given the opportunity to volunteer for areas where Board Champions are required.
The Board noted at the February Board meeting that there were five active groups (formerly called Board Buddy groups) on: Environmental Performance Assessment Scheme; Finfish Aquaculture; Flood Services; Water Scarcity; and a new one set up to support the VIBES Awards. The Clerk to the Board advised that work was ongoing with the Executive team on new topics. The Chair asked for expressions of interest to be raised with her if members wanted to be involved as a Board Champion. A brief verbal update was provided by the Chair on this at the Board meeting on 16 April 2024.
Topics proposed for Board Champions were discussed by the CLT on 15 May 2024, agreed with the Chair on 17 May 2024, and formally agreed at the CLT meeting on 22 May 2024. Four of the five former groups were agreed to continue, and the Finfish Aquaculture group was closed as it was no longer required following the conclusion of the sea lice consultation in 2023. The Water Scarcity group was renamed to Water Resilience. To reflect SEPA’s priorities for 2024-2025 the following new groups were proposed: Digital, Communications/PR, Regulation (with a focus on the Outcome Based Collaborative Regulation (OBCR) pilot), Risk, and Transformation.
Proposed Board Champions
The following Board Champions are proposed for Board approval:
| Topic | CLT Lead(s) | Board Champion(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Communications/PR | Kirsty-Louise Campbell | Craig Hume |
| Digital | Angela Milloy | Lorraine McMillan and David Hunter |
| Environmental Performance Assessment Scheme (EPAS) | Lin Bunten | Harpreet Kohli |
| Flood services | Alex Flucker | Harpreet Kohli and Carol Evans |
| Regulation OBCR pilot | Lin Bunten | Sue Paterson |
| Risk | Kirsty-Louise Campbell | Lindsay MacDonald |
| Transformation | Nicole Paterson / CLT | Carol Evans, Nicola Gordon, Keith Rosser |
| VIBES Awards | Lin Bunten and Kirsty-Louise Campbell | Craig Hume |
| Water resilience | Lin Bunten | Lindsay MacDonald |
Next steps - process
Once the Board Champions list is approved at the Board meeting on 28 May 2024, the CLT and management leads for each topic will work up Terms of Reference (ToRs) which they will discuss and agree with their Champions so that it is clear what the expectations, anticipated outcomes, and timescales for the work are. All ToRs will be shared with the full Board for information and awareness. High level updates on activity under each area will be presented at Board meetings with board members having the opportunity to contribute to updates either in advance in writing or verbally at the meeting. The Agency Board Chair will also feed insights into discussions with board members and record alongside members appraisals
Recommendations
The Board is asked to approve the list of Board Champions in section 3 and discuss and note the next steps in section 4, including that an update on Board Champions activity will be provided at Agency Board meetings