May 2023 Board meeting minutes

Dams Safety NSW Board Meeting No 32

23 May 2023

Location: 4PSQ, Level 11, Room 20

Time: 9.30am - 2pm

Attendees:

Members

Mr Paul O’Connor (Chair), Ms Julie Garland McLellan (Deputy Chair), Mr Shane McGrath, Mr Ian Landon-Jones, Mr Chris Salkovic (CEO)

Invitees:

Ms Margaret Hynes, Mr Jason Porter, Mr Peter Boyd, Mr Muhammed Akber, Dr Judith MacCormick and Simon Rumore (Board Focus), Mr Grant Pink (ReCap Consultants)

Item	Discussion and actions
1	Meeting open 1.1 Appointed members only Appointed members discussed the CEO’s performance as part of the annual and semi-annual performance appraisal process; perspectives arising from the annual review of board performance and governance effectiveness; and the implications for dam safety policy and regulations with the change of government and minister. 1.1.2 Board effectiveness review Representatives from Board Focus presented an overview of the findings and recommendations from the board effectiveness review. Whilst opportunities for improvement were identified, no major areas of concern were identified. The review identified four key levers for consideration: strategy and risk, high performance reporting and governance, stakeholder engagement and succession planning and diversity of board members. Action: 20232305-01: Management to develop an action plan and timeframes and present at next meeting. 1.2 Acknowledgement of country and welcome 1.3 Apologies and absences Nil 1.4 Declarations of interest Mr Shane McGrath advised he was on a peer review panel for Snowy Hydro Limited and this commitment had been discussed with the Chair. This potential conflict was recognised and managed through a range of interventional controls. Action: 20232305-01: Management team to update conflict of interest register. 1.5 Previous minutes and actions Minutes were accepted with no amendments. Actions table to be updated to include a thank you letter to Hunter Water Corporation for their time during the March site visit. Action: 20232305-02: Chair to send thank you letter to Hunter Water Corporation.
2	Strategy/Stakeholder engagement Matters for noting 2.1 Funding strategy update The paper was taken as read. Members acknowledged the next steps in the funding strategy and recommended management seek support from DPE in implementing the funding strategy. Action: 20232305-03: Management to seek support from DPE in implementing the funding strategy. 2.2 Stakeholder Engagement Strategy Paper taken as read.
3	Governance Matters for decision 3.1. Dams for declaration/de-declaration Paper taken as read. Members approved the declaration of the following dams: Brooklyn Road Retarding Basin Abbotsbury Park Pond 2 3.2. FY23/24 Budget The paper was taken as read. Action: 20232305-04: The Chair to seek agreement on FY23/24 budget with DPE Deputy Secretary Water, Ms Amanda Jones. Matters for discussion 3.3 Risk management framework This item was deferred until the July meeting due to the number of items to be reviewed in this meeting and the recent extended vacation of key staff responsible for the work program. 3.4 Dam owners risk reporting update The paper was taken as read. Members acknowledged the next steps. Action: 20232305-05: Management to include a risk report article in June 2023 newsletter. 3.5 Review of the Governance Framework The paper was taken as read. Action: 20232305-06: Management to update the Governance Framework with recommended changes. 3.6 Safety Threshold and SFAIRP The paper was taken as read. The Member’s discussed the concept of so far as is reasonably practicable (SFAIRP) and what would be the practical evidence declared dam owners could provide to Dams Safety NSW to demonstrate SFAIRP. Action: 20232305-07: Management to socialise with members the discussion paper developed by Mr Ian Landon Jones on risk assessment and safety reviews. Matters for noting 3.7 DSNSW 2023 regulator maturity assessment Paper taken as read. Action: 20232305-08: Management to upload the regulator maturity assessment presentation to the Member’s portal. 3.8 Gazetting declared dams The paper was taken as read. Members approved the Order to declare the current list of declared dams, under section 5 of Dams Safety Act 2015. Action: 20232305-09: The Chair to sign the section 5 Order.
4	Operations Matters for noting 4.1 High risk dams update Paper taken as read. Action: 20232305-10: Management to invite Hunter Water to present at the July 2023 board meeting a progress update on its mitigation of risks at the Chichester and Grahamstown dams.4.2 Annual Dams Safety standards report update The paper was taken as read. 4.3 CEO Report The paper was taken as read. Members welcomed new staff members, Ms Nami Park and Mr Wayne Hendrie to Dams Safety NSW. 4.4 Key performance indicators – March quarter update The paper was taken as read.
5	General business 5.1 Forward plan of Board meetings Action: 20232305-11: Management to send a placeholder to members for the planned September 2023 board meeting in regional NSW.
6	Meeting finalisation 6.1 Review actions 6.2. Meeting evaluation 6.3. Next meeting – 25 July 2023 at Parramatta Meeting closed at 1.45pm.