15 September 2010
MANAGEMENT BOARD
MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON 15 SEPTEMBER 2010
CONFERENCE ROOM 1, CROWN OFFICE
Present:
(Chair) Catherine Dyer Crown Agent
Peter Collings Deputy Chief Executive
John Dunn Deputy Crown Agent
Janice Irvine Director of Human Resources
Robert Gordon Non Executive Director
Morag McLaughlin Area Fiscal, Lothian and Borders
Lesley Thomson Area Fiscal, Glasgow
In attendance: Mark Howells Director of Finance (for items 3 & 6)
John Logue Head of Policy Division
Michelle Macleod Atlas Project
Sara Shaw Secretary
Apologies : Bill Matthews Non Executive Director
Geri Watt Director of Strategy & Delivery Division
Welcome
1. Catherine Dyer welcomed everyone to the meeting.
2. Apologies were noted from Bill Matthews and Geri Watt.
Minutes of Previous Meeting and Matters Arising
3. The minutes of the meeting of 18 August 2010 were approved.
4. The Crown Agent addressed the action point from the previous meeting. Peter Collings advised that he is in discussion with SCS about the possibility of shared Estates and Payment services, and with the Scottish Government IT Services about the possibility of COPFS sharing the wider Scottish Government SCOTS system.
Corporate Reports
5. The meeting noted the usual Performance and Workload papers MB(10)35 (Healthcheck) and MB(10)36 (Target Summary) which provided MB with an overview of the Service’s performance against targets and workload and an overall view of the main performance targets from April 2010. During discussion the following points were noted:
a) Lesley Thomson confirmed that Geri Watt is leading the ongoing work which is looking at the different approaches to case marking across the country. Catherine Dyer confirmed that Geri has issued a questionnaire to all Areas about case marking and that the responses will be analysed to identify best practice in case marking which can be adopted on a national basis;
b) It was noted that the number of cases reported to COPFS increased by 13% in August 2010. However it was also noted that this is the first time in 2010-11, that the number of reported cases has risen to above 25000, and this is still 10% less than the comparative figure in 2009-10.
Finance Update
6. Catherine Dyer welcomed Mark Howells to the meeting.
7. Peter Collings delivered a presentation updating MB members on the current financial outlook, and the Business Planning process for, 2011-12. He also confirmed the timetable for the UK and Scottish budget announcements in October and November respectively.
8. Peter Collings introduced paper MB(10)39 which advised MB members of the programme of work which is under way to identify how COPFS can make savings and continue to deliver a high quality service with less resources in 2011-12, and beyond that up to 2014-15. During discussion the following points were noted:
a) MB members agreed that the template reports annexed to the paper were suitable for regular reporting to MB on this project work;
b) It was agreed that specialist reporting agencies (SRAs) should be added to the list of areas of work that require to be considered, in particular to ensure that SRAs are aware of the requisite standards when reporting cases to COPFS.
Action: Peter Collings / Geri Watt
Risk Management
9. Mark Howells introduced paper MB(10)37 which updated MB members on the Risk Management Framework and the revised Corporate Risk Register. During discussion the following points were noted:
a) MB members noted the terms of the revised Corporate Risk Register and confirmed that it is comprehensive and current. They also agreed that the Audit Committee could be advised of this;
b) Lesley Thomson advised that the Area Fiscal’s Group will be spending a substantial part of its next meeting in November looking in detail at the Corporate Risk Register.
CISG (Corporate Issues Sub Group) Update
10. Peter Collings updated the meeting on significant issues arising from the CISG meeting held on Monday 13 September 2010.
11. Peter advised that proposals are being prepared in respect of the Phoenix project and that these will be brought to MB in due course.
12. He also advised that the secure disclosure website pilot is nearly complete and that this will be rolled out to all PF Offices by January. He explained that other forms of disclosure will still be available depending on the nature of the information being disclosed, and the number of defence agents who are in a position to receive disclosure via the website. It was agreed that when the website is rolled out nationally in January, consideration will be given at that stage to a cut off point by which all agents will require to be in a position to receive all routine disclosure via the website. John Dunn indicated that he will be discussing the move to disclosure via the COPFS website with the Criminal Law Committee of the Law Society and SLAB.
Action: Peter Collings
John Dunn
13. He reported that consideration is being given to changing the dates of the annual leave year and to recording all leave using the flexi system.
Strategic Discussion
14. Catherine Dyer introduced paper MB(10)38 which set out the draft programme for the Strategic Discussion with the Law Officers on 5 October 2010.
15. MB members agreed the draft programme.
ATLAS/Cadder Project
16. Michelle Macleod updated MB members regarding the various strands of work under the ATLAS/Cadder project and the roles of various members of COPFS staff.
17. Michelle advised that the project team is engaged with Scottish Government officials in planning for the potential outcomes on 20 October 2010 and developing various contingencies.
MB Secretariat
15 September 2010