There were no declarations of interest or transparency statements intimated prior to the commencement of the meeting.

There was submitted the Minute of the meeting of the Executive Sub-committee held on 23 January 2026.

DECIDED: That the Minute be approved.

Under reference to item 5 of the Minute of the meeting of the Executive Sub-committee held on 21 November 2025, there was submitted a report by the Chief Executive of Scotland Excel relative to the proposed changes to the Contract Delivery Plan for the remainder of 2025/26 and 2026/27.  The report summarised the progress made in the delivery of commitments made for the current year and the detailed review and planning undertaken to develop the longer-term plan. The updated contract delivery schedule until March 2026 formed Appendix 1 to the report; the Contract Delivery Plan covering 1 April 2026 to 30 June 2027 formed Appendix 2 to the report; and Appendix 3 to the report set out the modifications under Regulation 72 of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2016. 

DECIDED: 

(a) That the improvement actions outlined in the report be noted;

(b) That the publication of the delivery schedule through to June 2027 be endorsed; and

(c) That the schedule of quarterly updates that would be presented to the Executive Sub-committee for approval be agreed.

There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive of Scotland Excel relative to an update on operating plan activity between 1 October and 31 December 2025, a copy of which was appended to the report. The report intimated that the new five-year Corporate Strategy, outlining the organisation’s business goals and priorities from 2023/28, had been approved at the meeting of the Joint Committee held on 9 December 2022. The Strategy was supported by annual operating plans with the operating plan covering the period from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 being approved at the meeting of the Joint Committee held on 6 December 2024. 

DECIDED: That Scotland Excel’s performance in delivering the actions contained within the Operating Plan 2025/26 be noted.

There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive of Scotland Excel advising that Rosehill Housing Association Limited had applied to become an associate member of Scotland Excel. The report provided details of the organisation and the legislative position in relation to the application.

DECIDED: That the application by Rosehill Housing Association Limited to become an associate member of Scotland Excel, with an annual membership fee of £1,675, be approved, subject to completion and signing of the agreement documentation.

Under reference to item 7 of the Minute of the meeting of the Executive Sub-committee held on 16 May 2025, there was submitted a report by the Chief Executive of Scotland Excel which provided an updated proposal for the use of the remainder of the surpluses generated by the pension fund changes in 2024 and 2025 to deliver commissioning training. The report intimated that Scotland Excel had revisited the original business case and engaged further with commissioners in relation to development needs. Alternative options had been explored and the Institute of Public Care (IPC) based within Oxford Brookes University had been identified as a potential delivery partner, with in-house expertise and an establishment offering of social care commissioning training. 

The report advised that a new Commissioning Training Plan for 2026 and 2027 had been developed and approved internally and that subject to agreement from members to fund this work, the plan proposed to deliver three workstreams, as detailed in the report.

DECIDED: That the change in use of agreed reserves of £146,000 to enable the delivery of the new Commissioning Training Plan for 2026/27 be approved.

DECIDED: That it be noted that the next meeting of the Executive Sub-committee would be held at 9.30 am on 20 March 2026.