Agenda: Forest Services board meeting 29 July 2025
Published 17 April 2026
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Forest Services (FS) board 31st meeting, Tuesday 29 July 2025, 14:00–16:30 in person at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, Sheffield 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 review of Forest Services’ strategy and values and alternative wood product usage, with updates on science and innovation strategy for Forestry in Britain and the current status of Ips typographus in England.
Agenda
Invitees: Sir William Worsley, Hilary Allison, Emma El-Deen (for Edward Barker), Anna Brown, John Lockhart, Ross Murray, Derrick Osgood, Jennie Price and Richard Stanford.
Presenters: Rose Abbott (item 3.6), Sam Malpass (item 4.1), Ian Tubby (item 4.2), Mark Broadmeadow (item 4.3), Andrea Deol (item 4.4)
Board Experience Placement: Lucy Wyatt, Bethany Cambridge
Observer: Jo Bradwell
Apologies: Edward Barker
Minutes: Gemma Thomas
1. Welcome and Chair’s Update – Sir William Worsley
14:00 (10 mins)
Chair welcomes members to this 31st 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
14:10 (10 mins)
Agree minutes, update any recent declarations of interest and discuss matters arising.
2.1 (Paper) Minutes of the last meeting (26 March 2025)
2.2 FS Board Register of Interest
3. Key management and financial information
3.1 Directors’ Update – Anna Brown
14:20 (10 mins)
Consider key issues arising from the Directors’ Update.
3.1 (Paper) Directors’ Update
3.2 Risk Register and Dashboard – Anna Brown
14:30 (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 ‘Outstanding Organisation’ 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
14:40 (5 mins)
A verbal update from the ARAC member.
3.3 (Paper) Latest ARAC Chair’s Report
3.4 Defra Update – Emma El-Deen (for Edward Barker)
14:45 (10 mins)
An update from Defra.
3.4 (Paper) An update from Defra
3.5 Finance Report – Derrick Osgood
14:55 (15 mins)
A deep dive into FS finances.
3.5 (Paper) Board Finance Report
3.6 Q1 Update on FS Business Plan 2025/26 – Rose Abbott
15:10 (10 mins)
A update on the FS business plan for 2025/26.
3.6 (Paper) FS Business Plan Update July 2025
3.6 Annex 1 – Business Plan Activity Dashboard
3.6 Annex 2 – Q1 Report
4. Items for discussion
4.1 FS Strategy and Values 2025 – Sam Malpass
15:20 (15 mins)
An update on the proposed revisions to the FS strategy and values.
4.1 (Paper) FS Strategy and Values
Comfort break
15:35 (5 mins)
4.2 Alternative wood product usage – Ian Tubby
15:40 (15 mins)
A report into trends in markets for wood, risks and opportunities in bioenergy, and a discussion about staff resource and activities in this area.
4.2 (Paper) Alternative Wood Product Usage
4.3 Science and Innovation Strategy for Forestry in Britain – Mark Broadmeadow
15:55 (15 mins)
An update on the process and timelines for refreshing the science and innovation strategy for forestry in Britain.
4.3 (Paper) Science and Innovation Strategy for Forestry in Britain
4.4 Ips Typographus – Andrea Deol
16:10 (15 mins)
An overview of the status of Ips typographus in England.
4.4 (Paper) Ips Typographus Update
5. Any other business – Sir William Worsley
16:25 (5 mins)
16:30 Close
Anna Brown – Director, Forest Services 22 July 2025.