Transparency data

SLC Board meeting minutes November 2024

Updated 17 June 2025

1. Attendees

1.1 Present

• Peter Lauener (PL) - Chair

• Chris Larmer (CL) - Chief Executive Officer

• Natasha Toothill (NT) - Non-Executive Director

• Gary Page (GP) - Non-Executive Director

• Charlotte Moar (CM)- Non-Executive Director

• Stephen Tetlow (ST) - Non-Executive Director

• Margaret Ollerenshaw (MO) - Non-Executive Director

• Stephen Marston (SM) - Non-Executive Director

• Janette Campbell (JCA) - Non-Executive Director

• Mandy Beech (MB) - Non-Executive Director

• David Wallace (DW) - Deputy Chief Executive Officer

• Audrey McColl (AMC) - CFO

• Gary Womersley (GW) - Company Secretary

1.2 Also in attendance

• Patrick Curry (PC) – DfE (by videoconference)

• Anne Rimmer (AR) - DfE (by videoconference)

• Courtney Brightwell (CB) – DfE (by videoconference)

• Victoria Bowman (VB) – Scottish Government (by videoconference)

• Chris Williams (CW) - Welsh Government (by videoconference)

• Martin McCourt (MMCC) – Department for the Economy NI (by videoconference)

• Jason Dunham (JD) – CIO

• Jackie Currie (JC) – Executive Director, Customer Operations

• Nauman Dar (ND) – Executive Director, Change and Data

• Derek Ross (DR) - Executive Director, HE and FE Reform

• Gillian Brydie (GB) - Executive Director, People

• Rose Little (RL) – Programme Director, Change and Data

• Helen Bogan (HB) – Head of Governance and Planning

• Stuart Brydson (SB) - Board Secretary (Secretariat)

• Adam Treslove (AT) - Head of Corporate Affairs (for Item 6.1 only) (by videoconference)

• Nicholas McDermott (NMC) – Chief of Staff (for item 5.1 only)

• Scott McEwan (SMC) – Financial Performance and Analysis Manager (for item 5.2 only) (by videoconference)

• David Thomson (DT) – Head of Operational Readiness (for item 5.1 only)

• Steven Darling (SD) – Director of Customer Experience (for item 5.2 only)

2. Apologies

• Sinead Gallagher (Wales)

• Jonny O’Callaghan (NI)

3. FOI Notice

Where asterisks (*) appear, these sections have been excluded from the minutes before placing on the website as the subject under discussion falls within one or more of the exemptions contained in Part II of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and can be reasonably withheld.        

4. Chairman’s Opening Remarks / Directors’ Matters / Declarations of Interest

PL welcomed everyone to the meeting including RL who was attending today in place of ND, although it transpired that ND was in fact able to attend. 

Declarations of interest

No new Declarations of interest were noted

5. Chair Update

5.1 Update from the Chair on relevant matters

PL noted that he and CL had recently met with Jacqui Smith, Minister of State for Skills. 

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ND joined the meeting.

5.2 Early Strategy Session Reflections

PL noted how well the Strategy Session had gone, with the overall theme being ‘where SLC needed to get to over the next few years as a digital-first organisation’. 

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6. Strategic items

6.1 CEO Report

AT and NMC joined the meeting.

CL introduced the CEO Report, highlighting the key areas of risk opinion, customer, shareholder, colleague, and performance. 

Risk Opinion

The ELT were firmly focussed on managing risks and ensuring the best controls were in place.

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Customer

Academic Cycle

Focus remained in place across all directorates to support customers via an enhanced ELT performance operating rhythm. 

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Shareholder

Ministerial Engagement

CL referenced the meeting already noted by PL, with Minister Smith, which had covered SLC’s Technology Strategy and the clear link to Enable.  It had been a good chance to bring to life the opportunities with the Minister, whose support would be needed in the context of the CSR.

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Higher Education Provider Visit

CL explained that he, DR and the Head of Partner Services had recently visited Nottingham Trent University.  The visit had underlined the critical role that SLC plays in the sector, especially as significant policy changes like LLE move forward.

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Colleague

Employee Engagement Survey

CL explained that a Colleague Engagement Index was being implemented and that new survey partner, Inpulse, was being onboarded.  The new approach would introduce a shorter question set which, CL hoped, would boost participation rates.

MO noted the importance of driving up completion rates.  CL agreed, noting that there was commitment from all ELT and SMT to do so, and that there would be a focus on ensuring that frontline colleagues had the time to take part. 

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APRA

CL noted that nine of the 11 APRA measures were green against target.  CL explained that the slides from the November Quarterly Business Review meeting were attached and included updates on Enable and SLC culture.  CL reiterated the dual leadership focus on BAU and building a better future. 

Corporate Performance Dashboard

JCU explained that occupancy was expected to come back into appetite in Q4.  JCU noted that the number of colleagues who only take calls was less than 20% in A2P and less than 30% in Repayments.  Work continued to drive down demand and protect colleagues.

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In summary PL noted that the Board took assurance that the key issues, although challenging, were being well managed. 

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PL highlighted that there would now be a gap in Board meetings until the next planned meeting at the end of February.  It was understood that CL would keep the Board up to date during that period.    

AT and NMC left the meeting.

6.2 CFO Report

SMC joined the meeting. 

Annual Report and Accounts (ARA) FY 2023-24

AMC introduced the CFO Report noting that the Board had been kept appraised of the delay in finalising the ARA.  PL and CM were standing by to approve the ARA on behalf of the Board, once it was ready, and the relevant team at DfE had been apprised of the situation, to ensure ministerial sign off.  It was hoped that the ARA could still be laid before the Christmas holidays.

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In response to a question from JCA around the consequences of a late filing of the ARA, GW explained that whilst the deadline was 31 December, it would be possible to ask the registrar for an extension. 

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FY25-26

AMC explained that whilst it was unclear when the 2025-26 budget would be confirmed, the team were preparing the underlying data required.  Priorities would be agreed to produce a balanced budget once the funding envelope was known. 

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CM highlighted the tough choices that may be involved in the FY25-26 budget process.  AMC explained that the process would be the same as the current year but noting that benefit targets for Catalyst would be greater.  CB noted that it would be realistic to expect the FY25-26 budget to be outlined by January.   

In summary PL noted that the Board took assurance from the report. 

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SMC left the meeting.

7. Reports from Committees

7.1 RemCo Chair Report

GP introduced the RemCo Chair Report noting that a meeting had taken place on 8 November.  The Committee had discussed the People Strategy update, including pay, national living wage, and SLC culture.  There had also been items on EDI and employee engagement.   During the closed session the Committee had discussed CEO and ELT mid-year performance. 

The Board took assurance from the RemCo Chair Report.

7.2 TOC Chair Report

ST introduced the TOC Chair Report noting that a meeting had taken place on 13 November.  The Committee discussed the revised timetable for LLE as announced by the Government at the end of September and considered LLE in relation to the technology strategy.  The Committee prompted SLC to consider if the delay in LLE could enable different sequencing for the Tech Strategy and discussed decommissioning of legacy technology.  CM suggested that a view of the SLC legacy technology and its connection to Enable Business Case and LLE should go to the January ARC meeting.

ACTION: A view of the SLC legacy technology and its connection to the Enable Business Case and LLE to go to the January ARC meeting.

The Committee also discussed Enable, testing the language on exemplar, the link to productivity and the confidence SLC had in the intended outcomes.  The Committee was assured that SLC was making good progress with the Enable business case and was following a robust process to develop the underpinning detail of the case.  

ST also noted that Joanna Davinson, who was an Independent Advisor on TOC, had been seconded back into her role at the Department for Science, Technology and Innovation.  This has been welcomed by the Committee

The Board took assurance from the TOC Chair Report.

8. Directors’ Reports

8.1 DSA Reforms

DT joined the meeting.

DR introduced DSA Reforms as the new SRO for the project highlighting that the DSA Reforms intended to deliver better customer, shareholder and colleague outcomes.  There had been a significant amount of work undertaken to get to this stage and DR thanked DT and the team.

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DT recapped the reforms, noting there were three major projects which had delivered the ‘one stop shop’ service in February 2024 and a new commercial model in November 2024.  The new service had been positively received by customers, with the overall customer satisfaction score 13% higher than FY23-24.

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AR noted that the DSA Reforms remained the right thing to do and congratulated the SLC team for the work undertaken to deliver for DSA customers.  Supported by PC, AR asked if there was anything shareholders could do to provide further support.  DT and DR noted that the offer from shareholders to look at options to improve the DSA process was very welcome and constructive and agreed to take the discussion offline.

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In response to questions from the Board, DT explained that the DSA customers’ conditions were wide-reaching and included visual or hearing impairment, mobility, ADHD, and dyslexia; the customer satisfaction survey was currently placed at the end of the process; and there was a growth in demand led by mental health conditions.  GP also noted that customers were getting a better experience, which should not be overlooked.

DT confirmed that there was a DSA risk register with all risks logged. 

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PL summed up the discussion by outlining the risks associated with DSA Reforms, but that the Board took assurance from the work and preparation SLC was undertaking with the service and the sector. 

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8.2 Biannual Customer Strategy Update

SD joined the meeting.

SD introduced the Biannual Customer Strategy Update noting that SLC’s channel strategy aimed to contain the vast majority of customers within a fully automated self-service experience with a diminishing number of customers moving through supporting layers of the service model.  SD noted that digital engagement was strong, with over 50m online interactions since the start of the FY. 

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In response to questions from the Board, SD explained that cost savings and return on investment were being reviewed by the Catalyst Programme Board and the service aligned team model would take SLC closer to adherence with the Government digital service standards.

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SD explained that the target was for most customers to fully self-serve, working down through supportive layers to very tailored support for the most complex of circumstances.  PC noted the connection back to Enable, underlining that the business case had to show that better customer experience provides better value for shareholders.  PL concurred that this was key to the business case narrative.

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SD left the meeting.

9. Governance

9.1 Minutes of meeting held on 31 October 2024

The minute of the 31 October meeting was approved as an accurate record.

9.2 Matters arising from previous meetings

The matters arising document was approved as accurate.

10. Any other business

There was no other business

10.1 Date of Next Meeting

The next formal meeting was confirmed as being at 10:00 on Thursday 27 February by Teams with Executive hosting from the Glasgow Boardroom.

There being no other business the meeting ended at 13:00.