Department for the Economy Board minutes 2021 - 30 September 2021

Agenda Item 1:Declaration of Interests

Fiona Keenan advised that she has been engaged by (redacted) to conduct a review of the diversity of their recruitment and selection policy. She will also be delivering interview skills training to their interview team. This was not considered a conflict of interest.

Agenda Item 2:Minutes 26/8/21 Board meeting

Agreed without amendment. There were 3 action points which have been progressed.

Agenda Item 3: Strategic Issues

There was discussion on a number of areas:

• High Street Voucher Scheme – numbers of applications, exception applications requiring manual scrutiny and technical issues. The Board acknowledged and gave thanks for the work undertaken.
• DfE Accounts – Audit Office position regarding some covid grant schemes within the DfE Accounts.
• Energy Strategy – timing and plans to take this forward.
• Draft Budget Paper from DoF Minister – savings, commitments, priorities and funding of interventions.

Agenda Item 4: Monitoring Round and Finance Update

(name redacted) updated:-

3-Year Budget Exercise

• Minister will be taking part in 6^th October meeting.
• The DfE position is that supporting the economy must be a priority.
• Pressures with DoH were acknowledged and additional information is required from them and assurances of transformation.
• The DfI request to extend the subsidy to NI Water was discussed.

Monitoring Round

• 3 bids to DoF are to be made, most significantly re depreciation.
• There are 4 ring fenced reduced requirements.
• There is an overall manageable over commitment of resource. The majority of this is with staff vacancies.
• Contingency is being held for the demand of the High Street Scheme
• There is unallocated capital but a number of emerging pressures which are expected to use this.

Agenda Item 5:
City Deals Update

(name redacted) gave an update.

• There has been a significant increase in pace by Departments, Councils and Promoters in delivery.
• 4 innovation projects have received DoF approval.
• The Digital Programme has received Ministerial approval
• 3 Tourism projects are in the final stages of appraisal.
• SIB has been formally engaged.
• There is a new DfE Project Assurance Group.
• Invest NI have committed additional resources.
• There is increasing recognition of 10X alignment.
• Developing a new City Deal appraisal framework.
• Skills Council subcommittee on City Deals.
• Ciaran discussed challenges and risks including resourcing constraints which has impacted on comms amongst other things.

Actions: a further update will be requested in several months.

Agenda Item 6:

Further Education Review

Heather Cousins presented on the Further Education Review.

• This is at the very early stages of scoping.
• Significant reform is necessary.
• Increased annual costs due to pay and delivery pressures. Most significant cost is staff salaries.
• FE Colleges being within public service as NDPBs is an advantage.
• Constraints, the planned approach and timescales were discussed.

Agenda Item 7:

AOB

Comments were invited on the papers to note.

HR Update

• (name redacted) advised the Board on dates for assessment of SO/DP candidates and when supply of staff from EO2 to DP can be expected. Supply of SO/DP will not meet demand. DfE is considered a priority Department for recruitment.

AOB

• A review of DfE Board Effectiveness will be carried out by Business Consultancy Service. They will give a brief introduction at the next Departmental Board.
• Feedback from the Pause and Reflect event was mentioned.
• Return to office working is being planned by end of December. Arrangements are currently being made for offices to be cleared. There will be another inform you session in the coming weeks.