Report
Annual Report and Accounts 2021 to 2022
The Gambling Commission's 2021 to 2022 Annual Report and Accounts.
Board performance
The board
The Board met formally ten times during the year. It monitors and receives regular reports from its committees.
Meeting attendance by Commissioners is given in the following table, based on the number of meetings each Commissioner was eligible to attend.
Meeting attendance by Commissioners
| Sector | Board | Audit and Risk Committee | Finance and Performance Committee | Remuneration and Nomination Committee | National Lottery Committee | National Lottery Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marcus Boyle (Chair from 6 September 2021) | 5/9 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Bill Moyes (Chair until 5 September 2021) | 4/9 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Terry Babbs (Chair of Finance and Performance Committee) | 8/9 | N/A | 6/6 | N/A | 7/7 | N/A |
| John Baillie (Chair of Audit and Risk Committee) | 9/9 | 5/5 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 10/10 |
| Brian Bannister | 7/9 | 4/5 | 6/6 | N/A | 7/7 | N/A |
| Carol Brady MBE | 9/9 | N/A | N/A | 3/3 | N/A | 10/10 |
| Stephen Cohen (Chair of National Lottery Competition Committee) | 9/9 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 10/10 |
| Jo Hill11 | 7/9 | 3/3 | 6/6 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Trevor Pearce CBE QPM (Chair of National Lottery Committee and Remuneration Committee) | 9/9 | 5/5 | N/A | 3/3 | 7/7 | N/A |
| Catharine Seddon (Senior Independent Director) | 9/9 | N/A | N/A | 3/3 | N/A | 9/10 |
| Number of meetings in year | 9 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 7 | 10 |
Board meetings provide the opportunity for robust and constructive challenge and debate amongst board members and senior management. As part of the Commission’s commitment to transparency and high standards of governance, Commissioners are required to disclose any potential conflicts of interest, as set out in the Code of Conduct for Commissioners.
During the year, a significant amount of time in formal board meetings was focused on developing the Commission’s advice to the Secretary of State in relation to the Gambling Act Review, action to develop compliance and enforcement processes, and protect consumers from harm.
Consistent with good practice, the Board undertook a Board Effectiveness Review. It found the standard of performance was good, with improvements over the year in out of meeting contact and paper quality and length, but did identify some areas where effectiveness could be improved, centring on clarity of roles and responsibilities and enhancing diversity. An action plan was put in place to address the recommendations.
The Board is supported by a number of Committees, all of which are outlined on the following pages. Details of the committee members and their attendance can be found in the previous table, while the remit and responsibilities of each Committee are set out in the Terms of Reference on our website.
Commissioners also spend time outside of board and committee meetings attending events and engaging with stakeholders, as well as providing input to strategic projects.
Senior Independent Director
Consistent with the UK Corporate Governance Code and with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) guidance, the Board has appointed a Senior Independent Director (SID) from among its current members. Catharine Seddon was appointed as SID in June 2017.
The role of the SID is to provide a Board-level lead for high standards of governance, act as a sounding-board for the Chair and act as a route to resolve any concerns about the operation of the board.
Audit and Risk Committee
The Audit and Risk Committee (ARC) supports the Board and the Accounting Officer in their responsibilities by monitoring the integrity of the Commission’s annual statutory financial statements, reviewing the Commission’s governance, internal control and risk management systems, and by reviewing the internal and external audit services.
In addition to Commissioners, ARC also has an independent member, Chris Andrew, who was appointed on 2 January 2019.
Finance and Performance Committee
The Finance and Performance Committee was established in May 2020 as a result of the 2019 Board Effectiveness Review.
The Committee supports the Board and Accounting Officer in providing detailed scrutiny of the business plan and budget, financial planning and organisational performance monitoring.
Remuneration and Nomination Committee
The Remuneration and Nomination Committee supports the Board and Accounting Officer in their responsibilities for staff performance management, senior appointments and departures and Human Resources (HR) policies and practices.
National Lottery Committee
The National Lottery Committee advises the Board and the Chief Executive in relation to the exercise of certain Commission functions under the National Lottery etc. Act 1993. The Committee has decision making powers in a number of areas delegated to it by the Board. A significant part of the Committee’s business is engagement with and review of the National Lottery operator’s strategy and performance.
National Lottery Competition Committee
The National Lottery Competition Committee advises the Board and the Chief Executive in respect of the National Lottery 4th Licence Competition, and through oversight of the process of the Competition. The Committee has decision making powers in a number of areas delegated to it by the Board. As well as Commissioners, the Committee also has an independent member, David Rossington who was appointed on 31 July 2018. The Senior Responsible Officer for the Competition, John Tanner, has also been a member of the Committee since November 2019.
Regulatory Panel
The Regulatory Panel determines some licence applications and deals with significant regulatory decisions which may include the revocation of licences. The Regulatory Panel sat on three separate occasions during 2021-22, with each case requiring two or three Commissioners to attend for a full day hearing in addition to substantial preparation and review time.
Advisory Board for Safer Gambling (ABSG)
The ABSG provides independent advice to the Commission on research, education and treatment programmes needed to support the new National Strategy to Reduce Gambling Harms, along with the associated funding requirements. The ABSG is chaired by Dr Anna van der Gaag CBE.
Digital Advisory Panel (DAP)
The DAP comprises experts from the digital sector, including specialists in networks, retail and logistics. The Panel provides the Commission with advice on matters regarding technology, digital trends and the implications for the Commission as a regulator. The DAP is chaired by Andy Payne.
Lived Experience Advisory Panel (LEAP)
As part of the Commission’s commitment to learning from those with lived experience of gambling harms, the Commission worked with an interim group of experts by experience in 2020 to co-design the LEAP advisory group. LEAP began meeting in January 2021, and comprises 10 members, co-chaired by Charles Ritchie and Fay Laidler.
References
1 Jo Hill was not a member of the Audit and Risk Committee (ARC) from June 2021, and re-joined the Committee in March 2022.
Last updated: 31 August 2022
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