Agenda: Forest Services board meeting 23 May 2024
Published 17 April 2026
© Crown copyright 2026
This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.
Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.
This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/forest-services-board-meeting-23-may-2024/agenda-forest-services-board-meeting-23-may-2024
Forest Services (FS) board 26th Meeting, Thursday 23 May 2024 between 12:30pm to 3pm in person at Foss House, York and via MS Teams.
Purpose
To review key management and financial information and risks, including business plan activities and spending review preparation, and an update on current Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) issues. Discussions to focus on local nature recovery strategies, plant health forestry current issues and England Woodland Creation Offer (EWCO) improvements.
Agenda
Invitees: Sir William Worsley, Hilary Allison, Edward Barker, Anna Brown, John Lockhart, Ross Murray, Derrick Osgood, Steph Rhodes, Richard Stanford and Sandy Storrie
Boardroom Apprentice: Ian Crawford
Presenters: Jane Coles (item 3.4), Mark Stevenson (item 4.1), Andrea Deol (item 4.2)
Apologies:
Minutes: Gemma Thomas
1. Welcome and Chair’s update – Sir William Worsley
12:30 (10 mins)
Sir William Worsley Chair welcomes members to this 26th meeting of the board, and updates the board on activities across the Forestry Commission and the sector.
2. Minutes of the last meeting and declarations of interest – Sir William Worsley
12:40 (5 mins)
Agree minutes, update any recent declarations of interest, and discuss matters arising.
2.1 Minutes of the last meeting (1 March 2024)
2.2 FS Register of Interest
3. Key management and financial information
3.1 Directors’ Update – Anna Brown
12:45 (15 mins)
Consider key issues arising from the Directors’ Update.
3.1 (Paper) Directors’ Update
3.2 Risk Register and Dashboard – Anna Brown
13:00 (15 mins)
Consider key issues arising from the Risks, Issues and Opportunities Register, and from the Dashboards, noting the focus for this meeting on the ‘Green Economy’ agenda.
3.2A (Paper) FS Risks and Issues Dashboard
3.2B Risks, Issues and Opportunities Register
3.2C Dashboards
3.3 Finance Report – Derrick Osgood
13:15 (10 mins)
A deep dive into FS finances AP12.
3.3 (Paper) Board Finance Report
3.4 Update on Forest Services Business Plan and Spending Review Work – Jane Coles
13:25 (20 mins)
An update on FS business plan for 2024/25 and a final dashboard report from Q4 2023/24.
3.34 (Paper) FS Business Plan 2024/5
3.34 Annex 1 – Business Plan Activity Dashboard
3.5 Defra Update – Edward Barker
13:45 (10 mins)
An update on issues such as Spending Review preparation, Farming and Countryside Programme, Woodland Carbon Code and the Emissions Trading Scheme, the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act and capacity in the Defra Forestry Policy team.
3.35 (Paper) Defra Update
Comfort break
13:55 (10 mins)
4. Items for discussion
4.1 Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRS) Update – Mark Stevenson
14:05 (15 mins)
A look at LNRS work to March 2025 and spending review proposals.
4.1 (Paper) Local Nature Recovery Strategies: Progress and Next Steps
4.2 Plant Health Forestry Update – Andrea Deol
14:20 (15 mins)
An overview of current plant health issues.
4.2 (Paper) Plant Health Forestry Update
4.3 EWCO Improvements Update – Steph Rhodes
14:35 (20 mins)
A look at EWCO improvements to date and those planned.
4.3 (Paper) EWCO Improvements Update
5. Any other business – Sir William Worsley
14:55 (10 mins)
15:00 Close
Anna Brown, Director, Forest Services 16 May 2024