Highways Agency Annual Report and Accounts 2011-2012

SECTION 6: Governance statement
The objective of the Highways Agency Board is to
advise the accounting officer and to ensure that
the Agency is organised, resourced and motivated
to deliver its objectives efficiently and effectively,
giving collective leadership to the Agency by:
• providing strategic direction to the Agency
and ensuring that the wider, cross-cutting and
longer term issues are properly considered.
• ensuring that the Agency has sufficient
resources and staff with the skills, knowledge,
motivation and support to deliver its objectives.
• ensuring appropriate standards of corporate
governance are in place and are observed.
• listening to, and tackling, the concerns of staff
and promoting good management.
• communicating with staff and representing
the Agency’s collective interests to the outside
world.
Key items discussed by the Board this year were:
• Monthly Corporate Performance Reports.
• Quarterly health and safety updates.
• Corporate risk reviews.
• Quarterly reviews of Spending Review 2010
implementation plans.
• Quarterly Olympics updates.
• 2012-13 Business Plan.
The Highways Agency Board commissioned an
internal board effectiveness evaluation in April
2012 reflecting on performance during 2011-12.
The Board has since discussed the findings of the
evaluation and agreed to action a number of areas.
These areas include; leadership and development,
succession planning, board skills and experience
and training for board members. The Agency will
review progress on these areas throughout the
coming year.
Steve Williams, former Business Services Director,
retired in May 2011. The Business Services
Directorate was then merged with the Finance
Services Directorate to create the Finance
and Business Services Directorate, under the
leadership of Stephen Dauncey. Nirmal Kotecha
resigned from his role as Major Projects Director in
October 2011. Peter Adams was appointed acting
Major Projects Director in October 2011, and then
appointed on a permanent basis in January 2012.
The Executive Committee meets frequently to
consider the day-to-day administration of the
Highways Agency. The composition is as follows:
Chair: Graham Dalton (Chief Executive)
Members: Peter Adams (Director of Major Projects)
Ginny Clarke (Director of Network Services)
Stephen Dauncey (Director of Finance and
Business Services)
Simon Sheldon-Wilson (Director of Traffic
Management)
Derek Turner (Director of Network
Development & Delivery)
Andrew Powles (HR Divisional Director)
Attendance at Board meetings
Board
Audit
Committee
Senior
Appointments
Committee
Member:
Alan Cook (Non Executive Chairman) 10 (10) 3(3)
Graham Dalton (Chief Executive) 10 (10) 4 (4) 1 3(3)
Peter Adams (Major Projects) 5 (5)
Nirmal Kotecha (Major Projects) 5 (5)
Ginny Clarke (Network Services) 10 (10)
Stephen Dauncey (Finance and Business Services) 10 (10) 4 (4) 1
Simon Sheldon-Wilson (Traffic Management) 10 (10)
Derek Turner (Network Development & Delivery) 10 (10)
Tracey Barlow (Non Executive Director) 9 (10) 4 (4)
David Hughes (Non Executive Director) 10 (10) 4 (4) 3(3)
Tim Walton (Non Executive Director) 8 (10) 4 (4) 3(3)
Note: Figures in table denote meetings attended (meetings available for individual to attend); eg 10 (12).
1
Graham Dalton and Stephen Dauncey are not members but are invited to attend the Audit Committee. They have no voting rights.
Highways Agency Annual Report and Accounts 2011-12