Agency Management Board Minutes 02 September 2008

Mr Davis (Chair)
Mr Boyle
Miss Bill
Mr Adair
Dr Wallace
Miss Conway (Minutes)

 

Mr Davis welcomed everyone to the meeting in particular Miss Bill the new Director of Finance who was attending her first Board meeting.  The Board also wished to record their thanks to both Mr Boyd and Mr Sinnamon for their contribution to the Board and to wish them well in their new posts.

 

The minutes of the previous meeting were agreed.

 

Mr Davis referred to the status of action points in AMB 86/08 and noted the items that had been cleared since the previous meeting or were being taken forward through specific Business Areas.  It was agreed following updates that action points; 99/07, 09/08, 40/08, 43/08, 45/08, 50/08 and 51/08 would also be treated as cleared.
Action Point 49/08 Mr Boyle agreed to confirm the timescale for clearance.  

 

4.1 Financial Report - (AMB 88/08)
Miss Bill presented the Financial Report and provided an overview of the current easements and pressures across all budgets.  Following a general discussion it was agreed that future finance reports would include comparative analysis on easements.  Miss Bill also advised the Board that she would liaise with the Core on handling easements.
(Action Point 58/08): Miss Bill

Annual Report and Accounts
Miss Bill advised that the Agency Annual Report and Accounts would be laid at the Assembly at the same time as the Department’s.  She advised that the NIAO had applied the same methodology in qualifying the accounts as used by the NAO and were now looking at each benefit separately; State Pension had been removed from the qualification for this year.  

Account NI
Miss Bill advised that a decision on ‘go live’ for Account NI would be made on the 31 October with the potential date being 3 November 2008. She explained that work was ongoing on the DOI interface.  She also provided the Board with details of the linkage between HR Connect and Account NI and the issues that may arise in respect of this.  Mr Boyle updated the Board regarding plans for Microsoft to resolve the connectivity problems jointly with Account NI and HR-Connect.

Business Cases with DFP
Miss Bill updated the Board on the Business Cases currently with DFP.  Mr Davis asked that the future finance reports contained a summary in respect of each business area.  
(Action Point 59/08):Miss Bill

HMT Meeting/Efficiency Plan
Miss Bill advised the Board that she had attended a presentation made by HMT and DFP, on the current public and future expenditure position and related pressures from HMT perspective over the current and future CSR periods.  Miss Bill updated the Board on the efficiency plan.  She advised that currently no guidance was available, for CSR07; but that the Department had agreed to raise the issue with DFP and that she was continuing to work on the Agency’s efficiency plan and would continue to push for guidance.

Other Matter
It was also agreed that Miss Bill would provide the Board with an update on the implementation of the Recovery Plan for the Debt Centre.
(Action Point 60/08):Miss Bill

The Board noted the recommendations, approved the additional overtime allocation for the Jobs & Benefits Directorate and approved the paper.

4.2 Manpower Update – (AMB 89/08)
Mr Boyle presented the Manpower paper.  He updated the Board on the staffing position at the end of July advising that vacancies at AO and EOII grades are decreasing as new staff join the Agency.  He highlighted the information contained in paragraph 5 and raised concerns at the business impact of the high % of vacancies in Personnel Branch, the Finance Branches and State Pension. It was agreed that Personnel would continue to work to ensure that vacancies are filled.  

Mr Adair highlighted the difficulties experienced across the Operations Directorate due to the number of vacancies at the AA grade and also with the number of temporary SGB11s.  Mr Boyle agreed to provide the Board with details of the plans in place to address the concerns around SGB11s.  
(Action Point 61/08):Mr Boyle

The Board noted and approved the paper.

 

4.3 Operational Division Performance Report – (AMB 94/08)
Mr Adair presented the paper explaining that the report reflected the results for July.  He advised that it was disappointing to report that Financial Accuracy targets for State Pension Credit (SPC) and Income Support had not been met for the rolling year ending March 2008.  He advised that SPC had achieved 93.6% with an upper confidence interval of 94.7% a decrease of 0.7%.  High value errors were continuing to be targeted and it was hoped the Assessed Income Period exercise would also contribute to an improvement in performance.

Mr Adair advised that whilst the target for Income Support had been reported as not met this was as a consequence of deemed errors not being cleared; the subsequent clearance has resulted in a result of 98.6% with an upper confidence interval of 99.2%.

Mr Adair also reported that the clearance time target for both State Pension and State Pension Credit had been missed for July, he provided the Board with an overview of the reasons contributing to this, in particular the increase in the number of claims received.  A report on the impact of any increases in claims received against forecasts is to be prepared for AMB.
(Action Point 62/08):Mr Adair

Belfast Benefit Delivery Centre (BBDC)
Mr Adair advised that the Belfast Benefit Delivery Centre had met all their targets bar JSA clearance time again this was due to an increase in the number of claims received.

The Board noted and approved the paper.

4.4 Progress Against Additional Key Targets – (AMB 87/08)
The Board noted performance against the additional key targets and discussed the relevant areas.  It was agreed that the following actions be taken forward: In light of the DWP’s PTP going red/amber the Board to be provided with a report on any impact on the NI rollout and the Board to be advised of where the lead for sustainability sits.
(Action Point 63/08):Mr Adair
(Action Point 64/08):Miss Bill

 

4.5 Risk Register Update - (AMB 90/08)
Miss Bill presented the paper advising that there had been a number of changes to the risks.  She proceeded to detail each risk and the proposed changes; each was discussed by the Board.  Following the discussion a number of amendments were agreed.  

The Board approved the paper subject to the agreed changes.

4.6 Assessed Income Period - (AMB 91/08)
Mr Adair presented the paper and updated the Board on the previous updates.  He referred the Board to paragraph 11 and Annex 1 which provided details of the required funding; he also explained that as part of the exercise data cleansing of the cases would also be carried out.  A general discussion on funding followed and the Board approved funding of £866k for the work to be carried out over a three year period.  

The Board approved the paper.

4.7 Attendance Management: Update Report – April 2008 to June 2008 – (AMB 93/08)  
It was agreed by the Board that in addition to discussing the AMB paper (93/08) the Board would at the same time discuss the Monthly update report for July 2008.  

Mr Boyle presented both papers, highlighting areas of particular interest.  A general discussion on the contents followed, the Board agreed that the information provided in Annex 9 was particularly helpful.  It was agreed that Mr Boyle would consider the procedural issues highlighted in the paper. It was also agreed in light of the issues discussed and the information contained within both reports to have the Managing Attendance Action Plan updated and approved by the Board.
(Action Point 65/08):Mr Boyle
(Action Point 66/08):Mr Boyle

The Board approved the paper.

 

Ongoing Assembly business discussed.

 

The monthly update report on managing attendance was discussed as detailed in paragraph 4.7.

 

7.Update on Projects

(nearing/during implementation)

Updates were provided on Account NI, HR Connect, PTP, ESA and SBR.

8.1 Mr Davis asked that an update be provided to the Board on IB non attendance at medical interviews.
(Action Point 67/08):Mr Adair

8.2 Retained Finance Functions
Miss Bill updated the Board on progress being made within the Finance Directorate to address the Directorates functions both post Account NI and going forward.  She advised that meetings are ongoing with DSD Core to address outstanding issues.

8.3 Medical Support Services
Dr Wallace updated the Board on performance within MSS and advised the Board of the potential impact due to decreased staffing levels.  Mr Davis advised the Board that he would be addressing the issues raised with Dr Wallace.

 

The next AMB meeting will take place on 30 September 2008 in Knockbreda Jobs & Benefit Office at 13.30pm.

 

The Board noted the above papers.

 

Anne Conway
AMB Secretary