Agenda: Forest Services board meeting 26 March 2025
Published 17 April 2026
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Forest Services (FS) board 30th meeting, Wednesday 26 March 2025, 09:00–11:30 in person at the Holbrook Manor Hotel, Somerset and via MS Teams.
Purpose
To review key management and financial information and risks, including business plan activities, and an update on current Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) issues. Discussions to focus on the Forest Services business plan 2025/26, the spending review phase 2 and options for accelerating woodland creation.
Agenda
Invitees: Sir William Worsley, Hilary Allison, Richard Pullen (for Edward Barker), Anna Brown, John Lockhart, Ross Murray, Derrick Osgood, Steph Rhodes and Richard Stanford.
Presenters: Rose Abbott (items 3.6, 4.1), Sam Malpass (item 4.2), Ian Tubby (item 4.3)
Board Experience Placement: Lucy Wyatt
Observer: Kate Cheetham
Apologies: Edward Barker
Minutes: Gemma Thomas
1. Welcome and Chair’s Update – Sir William Worsley
09:00 (10 mins)
Chair welcomes members to this 30th 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
09:10 (10 mins)
Agree minutes, update any recent declarations of interest and discuss matters arising.
2.1 (Paper) Minutes of the last meeting (28 January 2025)
2.2 FS Board Register of Interest
3. Key management and financial information including Spending Review
3.1 Directors’ Update – Anna Brown
09:20 (15 mins)
Consider key issues arising from the Directors’ Update.
3.1 (Paper) Directors’ Update
3.2 Risk Register and Dashboard – Anna Brown
09:30 (10 mins)
Consider key issues arising from the Risks, Issues and Opportunities Register, and from the dashboards, noting the focus for this meeting on the ‘Protect and Improve’ agenda.
3.2A (Paper) FS Risks and Issues Dashboard
3.2B Risks, Issues and Opportunities Register
3.2C Dashboards
3.3 Audit and Risk Assurance Committee (ARAC) Report – Hilary Allison
09:40 (5 mins)
A verbal update from the ARAC member.
3.4 Defra Update – Richard Pullen (for Edward Barker)
09:45 (10 mins)
An update from Defra.
3.4 (Paper) An update from Defra
3.5 Finance Report – Derrick Osgood
09:55 (15 mins)
A deep dive into FS finances.
3.5 (Paper) Board Finance Report
3.6 Q4 Update on FS Business Plan 2024/25 – Rose Abbott
10:10 (10 mins)
A update on the FS business plan for 2024/25.
3.6 (Paper) FS Business Plan Update March 2025
3.6 Annex 1 – Business Plan Activity Dashboard
3.6 Annex 2 – Q4 Report
4. Items for discussion
4.1 FS Business Plan 2025/26 – Rose Abbott
10:20 (25 mins)
Presentation of the FS business plan for 2025/26 to the board for their comments and approval.
4.1 (Paper) FS Business Plan 2025/26 – Board Sign-Off
4.1 Annex 1 – Draft Forest Services Business Plan 2025/26
4.1 Annex 2 – Business Plan Activities 2025/26
Comfort break
10:45 (5 mins)
4.2 Spending Review Phase 2 – Sam Malpass
10:45 (20 mins)
An update on the next phase of the spending review process.
4.2 (Paper) Spending Review Phase 2
4.3 Options to speed up tree planting – Ian Tubby
11:10 (15 mins)
Options to accelerate woodland creation and decisions needed on the ‘shortlist’.
4.3 (Paper) Options for Accelerating Woodland Creation
5. Any other business – Sir William Worsley
11:25 (5 mins)
11:30 Close
Anna Brown – Director, Forest Services 19 March 2025.