1. Welcome and Apologies

DK welcomed everyone to the meeting. Robin Strain had provided his apologies.
Apologies: Rachel Wilson (RW), Robin Strain (RS)

2. Register of Interests

No change for Directors or special advisors noted but all to advise DK of any amendments.

3. Approval of Minutes of Meeting of Directors (21st March 2024)

Minutes were approved subject to the change of date to correct the date of the meeting.

4. Matters arising from previous minutes

Insurance

KR recommended to the Steering Group that go ahead with cancellation insurance and leave additional equipment insurance to a later date. This was agreed as the best way to proceed.

Funding Contracts

• EventScotland contract agreed and signed off and next instalment received.
• Council contract outstanding. Jon Cross is speaking to David Waddell regarding this.
• British Orienteering – Keith Dawson has verbally discussed the matter with Peter Hart who is consulting with the BOF Board.

5. WOC 2024

Financial update – report issued in advance and main points highlighted were:

• Liquidity is good at the moment with over 50% of funds ringfenced for WOC.
• Expenditure is slow at present but will be required in June/July and August
• No commitments other than WOC at present
• Using deposit accounts to earn interest on funds
• Equipment insurance – have been told we require between £2/3 million and waiting until have an accurate assessment.
• WOC Tour entries are good and progressing as anticipated. Should meet the budget income as planned.
• Staffing – Spend is more than budgeted at present and is being monitoring. A concern is that there will be overspend but post-event expenditure should be less than budgeted.
• Arenas – Still potential to use £20k of contingency and still keeping as red in terms of risk pending clarity after 6th May.
• Expenses – keeping on top of LOC team spend in run up to event
• VAT Registration – Still monitoring and no change since last meeting
• SOA/S6D agreement – Agreed by SOA Board and BH will send to S6D Directors for approval.
• SI Equipment – KR and RS will discuss as batteries need updated and possible significant impact on WOC budget but will be useful long term.

Action: KR to do round robin to directors in connection with amount to place in 32 day notice deposit account once he has determined amount to spend in next 4/5 weeks. All to respond.

Risk Register

KR reported RW is having another meeting with KR and AM shortly. Potentially add staffing costs into risk register in line with steering group comments and add in risk/ integrity given recent events.

Event Director Report

• Governance
  • Now having 2 weekly LOC meetings – this has proved useful and has improved communication, allowing resolution of issues.
• Staffing
  • Steven Round (SR) joined as deputy finance director due to Bob Dredge (BD) appointment as Chair of GB selection panel. Have had written assurances from Peter Hart (BOF) and Aron Less (IOF) that they do not envisage a conflict. To avoid any potential conflict BD has taken a more back seat role and will not sit on the LOC or Steering Group.
    Jon Cross/ AM/ KR will meet with SR to confirm procedures in respect of invoicing etc and are making sure everyone is comfortable that there is no conflict or potential issue in respect of BD’s position going forward.
  • Peter Hughes has been appointed arena manager and is taking over from Iain Smalls and has now met the team. He is delivery focussed.
• Communications
  • Flip is continuing to drive comms. Media day is 9th May and the team are working with the local newspapers, running magazines etc. Heart UK ambassadors, elite runners and Henrik Eliasson (HE – IOF) will be present to raise the profile. Hopefully some media contacts will participate in some WOC Tour events.
• Venue Design
  • The feedback from the IOF has been slow and has led to delays. Iain Smalls has completed all the final venue drawings and is awaiting the sign off. There is a walk through with the preferred suppliers on 1st/2nd May and subsequently quantities etc will be firmed up. Final costs are expected by 6th May.
• Permissions
  • Hopefully almost there with three macro permissions and with costs and contracts for all venues almost finalised.
  • Micro permissions are progressing well.
  • EPOG discussions – Traffic Regulation Orders being prepared by the traffic management company and are getting another date in the diary but no real concerns raised since the last meeting.
• Sponsorship
  • Marc Hope (Winning Tape) had a useful call with HE regarding IOF documentation. About to confirm SOS printers as value in kind sponsors and will save IT costs together with targeting others eg water, isotonics, cars, cash sponsors.
  • AM had useful potential lead with Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce in respect of business contacts and TV coverage.
• Technical
  • There are a number of orange/red issues. Communications with residents concern Jon Hollingdale – though AM not so concerned – as discussed previously.
• IT
  • Have received more clarity from technical about radio controls so can now plan cable routes etc and all is in hand.
• WOC Office
  • Building a relationship with Pollock Hall and all in hand
• Entries
  • 22 national teams entered, 12 booked accommodation but not entered and 17 booked accommodation elsewhere but not entered and previously entered WOC.
  • WOC Tour – approx 730 entries in line with budgeted position
• Broadcast
  • The price difference between the local contractor and the European based contractor was too large to insist that we should go with the local contractor.
  • Lorna Eades, Marc Hope and AM met with BBC Scotland regarding terrestrial TV coverage. They will have to check with another team but should get confirmation next week . HE has confirmed in the event of non coverage viewers will be able to pick up non pay per view TV coverage.
• WOC Tour
  • All appears to be progressing well

Overall AM is happy everything is pulling together as all issues are interconnected.

6. Dates of Next Meetings

It was noted that the Steering Group had moved to 2 weekly meetings (16th May, 30th May, 13th June and 27th June). After discussion it was agreed that additional S6D meetings would only be required if issues raised by Steering Group meetings. Steering Group reports to be circulated to S6D Directors and the dashboards may trigger a need for additional meetings.

Next planned WOC meetings:-

30th May
27th June