94th GLAA Board Meeting
Below are the minutes for the 94th GLAA Board meeting.
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1 |
Welcome and apologies |
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The Chair welcomed all attendees to the meeting. The Board noted this was HM’s last meeting and thanked her for her work assisting the GLAA. Apologies noted as above. KR appointed as Board Conscience. |
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2 |
Declarations of interest |
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None.
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3 |
Minutes of the previous meeting |
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a) 20th November 2024 No further comments.
b) 29th January 2025 No further comments.
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Decision |
It was agreed the minutes from 20th November 2024 and 29th January 2025 are an accurate record of the meetings. |
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4 |
Outstanding Actions |
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BM89(1) – Content to close. BM89(2) – Content to close. BM91(2) – In progress. BM91(3), BM91(5), BM91(6), BM92(2), BM93(1) – To be addressed at the NED Risk workshop on 17/04/2025. BM93(2) – Content to close. BM93(4) – Content to close. BM93(5) – Content to close.
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Action BM94(1) |
For the NED Risk Workshop agenda on the 17th April 2025, to be sent to JM and KR for agreement ahead of the meeting. |
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5 |
CEO Update, Elysia McCaffrey |
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[Official and Sensitive information has been redacted from this section]
Loxley House: The Board discussed the impact of the power outage. The Board asked whether the GLAA will remain at Loxley House following the move to the FWA. It was confirmed that no decisions have yet been made.
Annual Reports and Accounts (ARA): The ARA has now been laid in Parliament. Work is underway with the NAO to agree lessons learnt and terms of reference for the next audit. It is expected that the GLAA will be required to lay an ARA for 2025/26.
GLAA Live: DBT colleagues delivered a presentation at GLAA Live. They explained the policy and ministerial aims for the FWA.
20 year anniversary: The 1st of April 2025 marks the 20 year anniversary of the GLAA.
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6 |
Ministerial Update – Elysia McCaffrey |
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[Official and Sensitive information has been redacted from this section]
The Minister for Safeguarding has written her annual delegation letter to the GLAA Chair highlighting the following priorities:
The Board discussed the challenges a machinery of government move can have on an organisation. The Board discussed the line in the minister’s letter, ‘Ensuring full Board level cooperation and engagement with the work to establish the Fair Work Agency (FWA).’ This allows the Board to input on the creation of FWA and empowers them to highlight and escalate risks as appropriate, as well as supporting the GLAA in the move to FWA.
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7 |
Home Office Update – Hannah McCarthy |
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a) Home Office Sponsorship Unit Fee review: All products ahead of submission and sign off for the fee review have been finalised. The next step is for JM to sign the statutory instrument. This will be laid on the 31st March 2025, and operationalised on the 28th April 2025. The GLAA is currently in a four week engagement period with stakeholders. Communications have been working with the HO to ensure consistent messaging. The Board asked to see the FAQs.
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Action BM94(2) |
FAQs to be shared with the Board |
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The Board asked if there has been an increase in renewal applications before the fee increase. Due to an outage of the GLAA’s licencing system (GLASS) this is not currently known.
Spending Review Commission: The Home Office thanked the GLAA for their effort to complete commissions on time, recognising the pressures this placed on the team. These commissions have come directly from HMT and are important to aid future discussions.
HO Framework Document: The HO will soon finalise the document. Next steps are for SI to review latest version and send to JM for final approval.
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Action BM94(3) |
Framework document to be finalised and sent to JM for approval. |
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Co-Pilot: Noting the potential for efficiencies, the Board asked whether the GLAA would be offered Co-Pilot on an on-going basis. Both HOSU and the GLAA are continuing to push for this, but it is not confirmed.
New Permanent Secretary The new HO Permanent Secretary will start on the 4th April.
a) HO Policy Team: Modern Slavery Action Plan: In the coming weeks, the GLAA should receive a copy of the Modern Slavery Action Plan. This sets out the actions the Government will deliver within the next 12 months. MSU will work with the GLAA on relevant actions, particularly on business engagement, along with those we are already collaborating on, e.g. setting up the Fair Work Agency.
Parliamentary Interest in Modern Slavery: There continues to be a high level of parliamentary interest in modern slavery. There will be a debate on modern slavery in the Commons on 27th March and in the Lords on 28th March. Various amendments relating to modern slavery have been tabled on the Great British Energy Bill, the Border Security, Asylum & Immigration Bill, Crime and Policing Bill and one on the Employment Rights Bill (which was not put to a vote).
Transparency in Supply Chains: The Home Office is hosting an event in London on 24th March to launch the new Transparency in Supply Chains guidance for businesses. The team would be grateful for any support GLAA can provide in promoting this guidance, particularly to larger businesses (those in scope of the transparency legislation). It was noted that engagement with the GLAA on some of these key policy developments had been limited, which was disappointing. Assurances were provided by the HO that this was not intended and will be considered in the future. |
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Fair Work Agency (FWA) – James Stevens |
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[Official and Sensitive information has been redacted from this section]
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9 |
Spotlight on Operations – Andy Brown |
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Andrew Brown gave a presentation on Operation Brewer, which took two years and ten months from start to prosecution.
Result: Alexandru GORAN was given a 3.5 year custodial sentence for acting as an unlicensed Gangmaster, as well as 2 years (concurrent) for fraud by abuse of position. Ana Maria GORAN was sentenced to 15 months custody for aiding and abetting an unlicensed Gangmaster. Josh BEESLEY received a 2.5 year sentence for conspiring to commit fraud by abuse of position and aiding and abetting an unlicensed gangmaster. The Board noted that all the victims were Romanian, there were few if any consequences for the management of the hiring company and that initial disclosures of the abuse were made by a victim who came forward. The Board questioned how the positive impact of such an operation could be effectively measured noting that KPIs would only focus on numbers and not impact or outcomes.
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Action BM94(5) |
Further work to be undertaken on how the impact of successful operations can be measured |
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10 |
Finance and Performance |
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a) Financial Position, Justin Rumball The finance team was thanked for their hard work, which has resulted in a more positive position than first forecasted. However, the main reason behind the positive financial position is staff vacancies. The GLAA has received positive feedback from the HO on the team’s financial forecasting.
b) Budget 2025/26, Justin Rumball The GLAA has been granted a one-off budget increase of £250k to support the GLAAs pressures in advance of transition to the FWA. The licencing fee rise will be reabsorbed into Home Office central budgets. The Board urged DBT to consider a full cost recovery model from the outset as part of the FWA, and consider the potential for fines, penalties and inflationary rises without the need for legislative change. The Board highlighted the current position that, as it stands, the GLAA would transfer into the FWA with a significant budget deficit, which could undermine operations and effectiveness, as well as fail to meet ministerial expectations. The GLAA already loses staff to other organisations who pay more, and often candidates turn down roles in favour of others with better pay. All staff are very conscious and understanding of the GLAA’s current financial position and the continued pressures.
c) Strategic Performance, Sam Ireland
Regulation and compliance performance has been positive despite financial and resource pressures. The target is to inspect 70 licence holders each quarter and this has been exceeded with 102 inspections completed in the year to date. The Board commented on the impressive increase in diversity and noted this has been a positive step forward for the organisation. There are currently four KPIs off track: 1. Increase in Compliance officers attending PiP1 training. 2. Internally generated intelligence linked to control strategy priorities. 3. GLAA led investigations which result in a criminal or civil disruption order. 4. Average working days of sickness absence lost (per person over a rolling 12 months) to not exceed 6.5 days.
The Board noted these results which would be followed up at the Finance and Performance (F&P) Committee. The data analysts have taken feedback from the last F&P meeting and created infographics to better present the finance data. The May Board and F&P will receive a full end of year report. The Board agreed the next deep dive at the F&P committee is to be on Operational KPIs that did not hit target in the 2024/25 financial year. |
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Action BM94(6) |
A deep dive to be brought to the next F&P committee, on the Operational KPIs that did not hit target in the 2024/25 financial year. |
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The positive performance in licencing is likely to slow due to vacancies. It is expected to take approximately three months to recruit a replacement. The Board expressed concern regarding staff retention rates. It was noted that this was partially due to people delaying their departure until after the completion and implementation of the TOM. Exit interviews have identified the primary reasons for leaving as impending organisational changes, pursuit of higher salaries and retirement. The Board requested that this matter be closely monitored. The Board discussed the risk of key colleagues leaving due to uncertainty, causing potential significant resourcing gaps. The Board agreed to remit this discussion to the NED Risk Workshop on 17th April 2025. The Board discussed the need for job advertisements to reference the FWA.
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Action BM94(7) |
Job advertisements to be reviewed to accommodate transfer to FWA |
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DBT and GLAA agreed to discuss recruitment and retention of critical personnel prior to the NED Risk Workshop. |
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Action BM94(8) |
For the risk of key colleagues leaving due to uncertainty, causing potential significant resourcing gaps to be discussed further at the NED Risk Workshop and the outcomes of the NED Risk Workshop to come to the May board.
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a) Closure of Business Plan 2024/25, Sam Ireland The GLAA has 60 deliverables in total (across the 14 objectives) of which:
The Board will be presented with the full results for 2024/25 at the May F&P meeting. The Board also requested a document covering what has changed and what has been transitioning between this business plan (2024/25) and the next business plan (2025/26). |
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Accommodation Lessons Learnt – Sam Ireland |
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A meeting was held between the GLAA and the GPA to discuss the problems arising from the office move. The conversation was open and constructive with the GPA taking full ownership of the lack of basic project governance and change management which were due to personnel changes early in the project. As the project progressed, communication improved, but there have been continued issues with Loxley House. |
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Action BM94(9) |
The Board asked for further assurance that the results from GPA lessons learnt will be embedded and for learnings to be shared with the HO.
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12 |
Business Plan 2025/26 Sign Off – Sam Ireland |
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This will be the final business plan of the GLAA’s of the current three-year strategy. The Board asked for the foreword to be amended and agreed that any further feedback should be sent after the meeting to MB via e-mail. The Board queried when their tenure would end date and how this will be affected by the FWA. EM offered to take these concerns away and to write back to NEDs. |
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Action BM94(10) |
EM to escalate NEDs concerns around an end date for NED responsibilities and write back to NEDs when an answer is known. |
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Corporate Governance Framework – Sam Ireland |
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Previously sub-committee terms of reference have been looked at in isolation, however the latest review looked at the corporate governance framework and all sub-committee as a whole to ensure consistency.
The main changes include:
The Board discussed the different lines of assurance and how they align with the current governance structures, including third line assurance and how it sits relative to the Board and Sub-committees.
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Action BM94(11) |
The definition of each assurance level to be reviewed, having liaised with GIAA. |
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Decision |
Approval of the Framework to be delegated to ARAC. |
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14 |
Board Effectiveness Review – Sam Ireland |
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HO has agreed to the GLAA taking a pragmatic view on the Board Effectiveness Review given it the transition to the FWA in 2026.
The Board agreed a hybrid approach, which combines internal self-assessment with external chair facilitator input.
The Chair agreed to ask another ALB Chair to facilitate.
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Decision |
The Board agreed a hybrid approach, which combines internal self-assessment with external chair facilitator input. |
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Action BM94(12) |
JM to contact another ALB Chair to ask them to oversee the GLAA Board Effectiveness Review. |
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Action BM94(13) |
The Terms of Reference for the Board Effectiveness Review to be circulated out of committee to the Board. |
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15 |
Board Conscience Feedback – Keith Rosser |
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Noted that the Chair extended a warm welcome to all attendees. Everyone had the opportunity to provide input early on and throughout the meeting. The Board demonstrated flexibility, adapting the agenda and addressing items in a slightly different order than initially planned. There was substantial input throughout the meeting, with comments being supportive and constructive. It was suggested that in future, the seating arrangement should mix Executive and Non-Executive members to foster transparency and enhance discussion. It was acknowledged that there is a balance to be had between maintaining a strong working relationship with DBT and challenging assumptions whilst seeking assurance on the impact of the FWA on the GLAA. Nonetheless, the Board was appropriate and respectful.
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16 |
AOB |
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The Board emphasised that the organisation must stay focused and uphold the values of the GLAA, especially as it may gain greater external attention. They highlighted the importance of ensuring strategic thinking and the need for effective communication to maintain a positive image, publicly and internally.
The Chair and CEO engage with ministers and will write back to Jess Phillips to thank her for her letter and will follow up with HO colleagues surrounding the Board’s concerns. Next Meeting: 19th May 2025 |