AGENDA ITEM: A1
[Min.nos. RSSB.15/58 -73]
RSSB: MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
12 November 2015
th
15:00 Royal Scot, The Helicon, 4 Floor, 1 South Place, London, EC2M 2RB
Attendees:
Anna Bradley (AB) Chairman
Chris Fenton (CF) Chief Executive
Alan Emery (AE)
Charles Horton (CH)
Dolores Byrne (DB)
Geoff Spencer (GS)
Graham Hopkins (GH)
Jeremy Candfield (JC)
Paul Kirk (PK)
Apologies:
Malcolm Brown (MB)
Robin Groth (RG)
Steve Murphy (SM)
Observers:
Ian Prosser (IP) ORR
In attendance:
Eileen Pevreall (EP) RSSB
George Bearfield (GB) RSSB
Helen Hasse (HH) RSSB - Secretary
John Abbott (JA) RSSB
Mark Phillips (MP) RSSB
Liz Nuttall (LN) RSSB
Jo Bird (JB) RSSB (Agenda Item C1)
Penny Turner (PT) RSSB (Agenda Section D)
MINUTES
The chairman noted apologies from Steve Murphy, Malcolm Brown and Robin Groth.
RSSB.15/58 A1 Draft Minutes for Approval: 03 September 2015
The circulated draft minutes of the board meeting held on 03 September 2015 were
approved for signature by the chairman.
RSSB.15/59 A2 Actions and matters arising
All actions were reviewed and it was noted that all were either done or in hand.
RSSB.15/60 A3 Chairman’s Report
The chair asked the board if they were content for more workshops to be carried out
on days of the board. The board agreed and it was confirmed that future workshops
will be set up.
RSSB.15/61 A4 Chief Executive’s Report
The paper was taken as read and the chief executive flagged the following items for
the board’s attention:
- Industry Reviews: That the Shaw Review had been published earlier in the day and
responses were required by 24 December 2015.
- RSSB ‘People update’: David Clarke, Director Innovation, would be leaving RSSB with
effect from 15 November 2015.
- Recruitment for the Technical Director position has commenced.
- Suicide Prevention Duty Holders Group (SPDHG): created by the industry becoming
the industry ‘guiding mind’ for suicide prevention which reports in to SSRG.
Proposals for the new working arrangements will be discussed at SSRG on 03
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[Min.nos. RSSB.15/58 - 15/73]
December 2015 and an update will be presented to the board at its January
meeting.
CF
The chief executive asked the board to note the items raised above and confirmed that
they would be kept informed of further developments.
RSSB.15/62 B1 SMIS+ Business Case for Approval
The paper was taken as read and the board were asked to approve the contract award
to the preferred supplier on the basis of the business case presented and the outcome
of the procurement process.
The Director of IT (EP) confirmed that a thorough procurement process had been
followed and provided a brief overview of the preferred supplier.
The directors requested that it was made absolutely clear what was included in the
costs and what wasn’t. EP confirmed that the cost for the close-call section of the
system would be payable by all users.
The board were advised that the call centre was not covered and that a separate
stream of funding was required. A proposal was currently being prepared and this
would run as a separate piece of work along-side the SMIS+ project.
REDACTED FOR PUBLICATION
The Chief Executive wished to acknowledge the substantial contribution both EP and
GB had made to the project date.
RSSB.15/63 B2 Rail Health and Safety Strategy
The paper which updated the board on the progress of the new Rail Health and Safety
Strategy and completion timescales was taken as read.
JA advised the board that the strategy would be complete for individual company
endorsement by mid-December.
It was confirmed that a whole suite of communication materials would be used to
ensure an effective campaign was established and that a launch plan would be
brought back to the board in January.
As part of this work stream the board were asked to consider the review of SSRG’s
terms of reference to ensure suitable alignment with the strategy. It was agreed that
the board would consider the role of groups in RSSB at the board workshop on 03
December.
RSSB.15/64 B3 An Industry Strategy for Standards, 2016 - 2019
The paper was taken as read and the directors were asked to consider the approval of
an industry-wide strategy for standards for the period 2016 - 2019 following a
recommendation from the Industry Standards Co-ordination Committee (ISCC).
The Director of Research and Standards (MP) presented the Standards Strategy plan
which included:
- An outline of why a wider strategy would be useful,
- The direction of travel for standards,
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JA
CF
[Min.nos. RSSB.15/58 - 15/73]
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RSSBs role in the development of standards,
7 proposed modules of the strategy,
Strategy implementation stages progress reporting levels,
Risks and mitigations and;
A communications plan.
GH asked if RSSB could provide assistance with derogations to TSI’s. It was confirmed
that the company could provide some technical assistance however any derogations
to TSI’s need to be addressed with the DfT.
DB queried if the industry would move to environmental standards. The chief
executive suggested that a sustainable environmental principles refresher might be
something worth considering for the board. A cross industry sustainable development
group including TOCs and the DfT was already in place. CF concluded that this would
be brought back to the board for further consideration.
MP confirmed that the implementation will be complete by the end of CP5 and the
ISCC will provide a progress to board on a 6 monthly basis. GH asked if the
implementation could be done within a year with enough industry engagement and
resource.
CF
MP
The board approved the industry wide standards strategy 2016-19 and supported the
implementation and communications proposal as set out in the paper.
RSSB.15/65 B4 Development of a cross-industry cyber security strategy
The paper was taken as read and in response to a request from the board to supply
further information on the scope of a cross-industry cyber security strategy, including
delivery costs, and risks involved. Following a thorough consultation with the industry,
RSSB developed a plan to facilitate the creation of a strategy.
The scope of the strategy was set out in the paper and the board were asked to
consider the development of the strategy and to remit the executive to identify
appropriate funding options for this and approve the governance of the strategy to be
remitted to the Data and Risk Strategy Group (DRSG).
Consideration was given to the composition of the DRSG and whether the group should
be the guardian of this strategy.
The board resolved to approve the development of a cross-industry cyber security
strategy on the premise that:
-
The RSSB board is the guardian of the governance of the strategy until further
consideration is given to the composition of the DRSG and its role in this work.
All existing strategies such as the Cabinet Office Cyber Security Strategy are linked
to the strategy.
That the scope of the strategy is clearly defined
A paper would be back to the board in due course.
MP
RSSB.15/66 B5 DfT Grant / Innovation 15/16
REDACTED FOR PUBLICATION
RSSB.15/67 C1 Company Communications Strategy
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The Head of Communications (JB) joined the meeting and provided a presentation on
the proposal to develop an RSSB Communications Strategy and it was confirmed that
a series of recommendations would be brought back to the board in March 2016.
JA
RSSB.15/68 Section D Business Review
The directors noted the contents of the Business Review section of the agenda which
included the Corporate dashboard, a finance update, Human Resource dashboard,
industry safety performance information and pension papers.
The board requested that a corporate safety update was included in the business
review section on a regular basis.
The chief executive agreed to talk to 2/3 directors individually to get further advice
of what they would like to see in the Corporate dashboard going forward.
The chief executive confirmed that the section would be further developed taking on
board all comments received.
RSSB.15/69 E1 Feedback from sub-committees
All except the directors and secretary left the room.
Remuneration Committee Meetings
The chair of the Remuneration Committee (AE) provided an update on the following
Remuneration Committee meetings:
REDACTED FOR PUBLICATION
Audit Committee Meeting
The chair of the Audit Committee provided an update following the meeting held
earlier in the day.
He wished to record appreciation to CH and JC for their valuable contribution on the
committee over the years.
Items covered at the meeting included:
-
An updated version of the risk register following a ‘clean-sheet’ exercise, which
would be brought to the board at the January meeting.
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An updated from the Head of Finance which included:
- The updated PPL insurance cover at £10m
- Accounting changes associated with transitioning the 14/15 financial
statements to FRS102. These would be used as comparatives for the 15/16
financial statements
- Analysis on contractor and agency staff
- Confirmation that the scheme of Delegated Authorities would be issued to the
committee for review and recommendation for board approval at its next
meeting.
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CF
CF
[Min.nos. RSSB.15/58 - 15/73]
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A report from the Programme Director (AR), Innovation providing assurance that
appropriate governance was in place.
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An annual whistle-blowing report.
RSSB.15/70 E2 Feedback from the RSSB Annual General Meeting
The chair advised that all resolutions were unanimously approved at the Annual
General Meeting of Members held earlier in the day.
RSSB.15/71 E3 Approval Requests and Noting Items
Noting the contents of the paper the directors APPROVED the following items:
- The membership application for RTS Rail Transport Service GmbH with immediate
effect.
REDACTED FOR PUBLICATION
RSSB.15/72 E4 Forward Agenda
The directors noted the forward agenda.
RSSB.15/73 AOB
There being no further items, the chairman concluded the meeting.
Date of next meeting: Thursday 14 January 2016 at 15:00hrs, to be held at The Helicon.
Signed………………………………….. Date………..……
Chairman
RSSB Board Meeting: 12 November 2015 – for signing
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