NIABT Board of Trustees Meeting
Minutes of Proceedings
Session: 2012/2013
Date: Monday 3rd June 2013
Venue: Room 21, Parliament Buildings
The meeting opened in public session at 5:08pm.
Present:
Phil Flanagan MLA, Chairperson
Judith Cochrane MLA
Robin Newton MLA
John Rooney, Rooney Fish
Michael Bell, NI Food and Drink Association
Glyn Roberts, NIIRTA
John Stewart, Director of Information and Outreach
Richard Stewart, Treasurer/ Director of Corporate Services
Dr Joanne Stuart OBE, Attrus Ltd, Vice Chairperson
Tara Whaley, BT
In Attendance:
Susie Brown, Secretary
Louise Close, Deputy Secretary
Ivor Gibson, Co-Ordinator
Apologies:
Leslie Cree MBE MLA
Alban Maginness MLA
David McClarty MLA
Prof. James Haughey, Norbrook Laboratories
John O’Farrell, NIC-ICTU
1. Apologies:
Prior to the election of the new Chairperson, Susie Brown, Secretary, presided over the meeting.
Apologies are noted above.
2. Declaration of Interests:
Phil Flanagan MLA declared an interest in agenda item 12, as he is the Vice Chairperson of the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment.
3. Election of Chairperson and Vice Chairperson:
The Secretary noted that the new Board of Trustees had been confirmed at the AGM on 20th May.
The Secretary clarified that an election had taken place for the position of Chairperson and as a result, following a tied vote, the two nominees, namely Phil Flanagan MLA and Judith Cochrane MLA agreed to take the position for one year each, with Phil Flanagan MLA taking the role for the first year.
The Secretary also clarified that Dr Joanne Stuart OBE has been appointed as Vice Chairperson, being the sole nominee for this position.
The Secretary congratulated both parties and invited Phil Flanagan MLA to take the Chair.
4. Minutes of the meetings held on 15th April 2013:
Agreed: The minutes of the meetings were agreed.
Proposer: Dr Joanne Stuart OBE
Seconder: Glyn Roberts
5. Matters arising:
The matters arising from the minutes formed substantive agenda items.
6. Rotation of Board Members:
The Board discussed the rules pertaining to the rotation of Trustees and wish to look at this issue further.
Agreed: This issue should form a substantive agenda item at the next Board meeting.
7. Financial update:
The Board discussed the financial update.
Agreed: The Board was content with the financial records.
8. Past and upcoming events:
The Board discussed recent and upcoming events. The Chair also encouraged Members to participate in the Fellowship Programme.
9. Houses of the Oireachtas Programme:
The Board discussed the upcoming Oireachtas Programme to be held on 19/20 June 2013.
10. Events Policy:
The Board discussed and was content with the revised events policy paper.
11. Inter-Parliamentary Education Programmes (IPEPs):
The Board discussed and was content with the revised Inter-Parliamentary Education Programme Paper.
Alan Dickson joined the meeting at 5:28pm.
12. Correspondence:
The Board discussed items of correspondence.
Agreed: Secretariat will make arrangements to facilitate an educational visit to a passive house, hosted by Paul McAlister Architects.
Secretariat will make arrangements to invite selected Members to an Egyptian-British Chamber of Commerce event on 1st July in Parliament Buildings.
Secretariat will make arrangements to cohost an event on Horizon 2020 with the Committee of Enterprise, Trade and Investment in the autumn of 2013.
13. Large Business Steering Group (LBSG):
The Large Business Steering Group met immediately prior to the Board Meeting and fed back to the Board on the themes discussed at this meeting.
Agreed: The Secretariat will arrange an event at which invitations will be extended to selected MLAs and representatives from big business who are not NIABT members.
14. President’s Dinner:
The Board discussed the 2014 President’s Dinner plans to invite a keynote speaker.
Agreed: The Secretariat will issue a letter of invitation to the suggested keynote speaker, Daniel Calleja Crespo.
15. Membership:
The Board approved five business applications.
16. SME Questionnaire Report:
The Board discussed the SME questionnaire report which has been compiled to reflect the survey findings.
17. Any Other Business:
The Board discussed the potential risks attached to inviting speakers to present at NIABT events.
John Stewart highlighted that he will present a paper on potential links with Kosovo to the next Board Meeting.
Agreed: Potential speakers and topics to be a future standing agenda item for Board Meetings.
John Stewart to present on exploring possible Kosovan links to next Board Meeting.
The Chair confirmed that the next meeting will be held on Monday 30th September 2013 at 5:00pm in Room 21.
The Chair adjourned the meeting at 5:50pm.
Mr Phil Flanagan MLA
Chairperson, Northern Ireland Assembly and Business Trust
7rd October 2013