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20 April 2011 - Operational

MANAGEMENT BOARD
 
MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON 20 APRIL 2011
 
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
Morag McLaughlin            Area Fiscal, Lothian and Borders
Lesley Thomson              Area Fiscal, Glasgow
Robert Gordon                Non-Exec Director
                            
 
In attendance:     David Harvie                    Area Fiscal, Central
                             Mark Howells                   Director of Finance
                             Michelle Macleod              Head of Policy
                             Kevin McArthur                Secretary
Geri Watt                        Director of Strategy & Delivery
 
 
 
Welcome
 
1.       Catherine Dyer welcomed David Harvie to the meeting in his new temporary role of East Federation leader pending appointment of a successor to Morag McLaughlin who will be leaving COPFS on 6 May. 
 
Minutes of Previous Meeting and Matters Arising
 
2.       The minutes of the previous meeting were approved. 
 
3.       Catherine Dyer addressed the action points from the previous meeting.
 
Performance Management
 
4.     The meeting noted the performance papers MB(11)13 (Healthcheck) and MB(11)14 (Target Summary) which provided MB with an overview of the Service’s performance against targets with an overall view of the main performance targets from April 2010.
 
5.       Management Board congratulated staff across COPFS on significantly exceeding target in respect of all 5 key published targets. It was noted that overall performance against target was at the highest level since these targets were introduced. Consideration had been given to raising the target levels but Management Board agreed that scheduled reductions in resource as a result of public spending constraints over the coming years, arising from the global financial situation, mitigate against any change in target being desirable meantime given that staffing numbers have been and will continue to be impacted. 
 
 
Federation Updates
 
National Federation
 
Corporate Group
 
6.       Peter Collings introduced an update on the performance of the Units within the Corporate Group which forms part of National Federation which he leads jointly with John Dunn, who has responsibility for the legal delivery units in National Federation.  During discussion the following points were noted:
 
a)    Human Resources continue to update policies as required. The discipline policy was the most recently updated.  Sickness absence figures are lower than at any time previously recorded.
 
b)    Learning and Development Division have increased the number of courses available to staff but have changed strategy to actively take courses out from the centre to offices around the country saving on staff time away from offices and travel and subsistence payments .
 
c)     Finance Division have made several changes, including those to the purchase day book, which will improve management of budgets throughout the Service. The meeting noted the success of the Financial Awareness Seminars which have been run locally in Areas by colleagues from Finance.
 
d)    The meeting noted the Crown Agent’s Forum is proving successful in allowing staff to air views and questions and receive answers and comments from the Crown Agent. The electronic version of the Update has been well received by staff and there are increases in contributions from across COPFS. The development of the new intranet has been completed, however, adding the content will take some further time. 
 
e)    The meeting noted that Information Systems Division Service Desk has significantly reduced the call abandonment rate from staff within COPFS seeking assistance with IT issues to 4.4% and that 61% of calls are dealt with at first contact. The meeting noted that currently only 28% of calls are logged through the Self Service Portal and it was agreed that staff should be reminded of this facility. 
 
7. Operations Group
 
John Dunn confirmed that regular meetings had been taking place with those heading up all the Operational Units managed from Crown Office that were brigaded into the National Federation and that Scottish Fatalities Investigation Unit, Health & Safety Division and Wildlife & Environment would now contribute to these meetings. There was also ongoing significant interaction with the relevant Operational Portfolios and Forums.
 
Much of the initial work had been aimed at investigating what management information was available and considering the options for targets that might assist both the workflow in the national units and the interaction between them and the other Federation’ s  local units when cases required to be prepared jointly.
 
There had also been consideration of the various types of reports which would be most useful for Management Board to consider on a regular basis.
 
Following discussion John Dunn agreed to compile options and circulate for MB consideration to allow for a regular report to be made available by the time of the next meeting of MB as a Performance Board.
 
Action:        John Dunn
 
8.       The meeting discussed what should be presented to Management Board by Peter Collings as joint leader (with John Dunn) of National Federation in respect of CSG at future Performance meetings. It was agreed that topics should include  risk management, living within budgets, resource management, National Federation strategy and work plans.
 
Action:        Secretariat
 
West Federation
 
9.       Lesley Thomson introduced an update on the performance and issues arising from the West Federation:
 
a) It was noted that the 5 Areas within the Federation already met regularly but have now set monthly meetings which follow as close as possible to Management Board;
 
b) Meetings so far have been very positive and a clear strategy has been outlined to maximise performance across the Federation;
 
c) The meeting noted the amount of heavy serious crime within the West Federation. Lesley advised that the Federation has and will continue to consider changes to working processes and patterns to allow management of all the business with a smaller budget;
 
East Federation
 
10.     Morag McLaughlin introduced an update on the performance and issues arising from the East Federation:
a)    Management Board noted the enthusiasm of the 3 East Federation Area teams to adopting cross Federation roles and responsibilities and  working;
 
b)    East Federation have had two meetings so far and the main topics of discussion were resourcing, the need to better plan annual leave and how resilience within the Federation should be allocated;
 
c)     It was noted that pressures have been caused by the spike in serious crime in the last year in Lothian and Borders;
 
North Federation
 
11.     John Dunn introduced an update on the performance and issues arising from the North Federation:
 
a)    North Federation has met twice so far. It has been agreed, due to the geographical obstacles, meetings will be held in each Area on a rotational basis. The meetings will be held as soon after Management Board as possible;
 
b)    Management Board noted the willingness of each Area to cooperate in performing more efficiently as a Federation;
 
c)     Meetings have discussed a number of issues including staffing, training on specialisms, court churn, the effect of acceptable plea letters and a need for a Federation page on PF Eye;
 
12.     Geri Watt reminded each of the Federations that assistance and resource is available from SDD to provide and facilitate  training and management information.
 
Finance Update
 
13.     Mark Howells introduced paper MB(11)15 which advised Management Board of the latest financial developments. The meeting noted the paper and its content.
 
14.     Mark Howells introduced paper MB(11)16 which outlined the issues facing COPFS in relation to procurement and options for a way forward for the organisation. Management Board noted that in an ever tightening financial climate it will be even more important to make optimum use of the reduced funding available, with any money saved through third party procurement used to maintain core staffing levels. The meeting agreed with the proposal in the paper to introduce a COPFS procurement strategy and implementation plan.
 
Shared Service for Estates
 
15.     Peter Collings introduced paper MB(11)17 which sought Management Board’s agreement to enter into a shared service arrangement with Scottish Courts. The meeting discussed the proposal and agreed to support the Shared Service.
 
Internal Processing/Workflow Targets
 
16.     Geri Watt introduced paper MB(11)19 which identified the need for additional management information to assist managers to better understand workflows. The meeting noted the content of the paper and agreed that Strategy and Delivery Division should take this forward and report back to Management Board.
 
Action:        Geri Watt
 
Management Mandatory Checks Toolkit
 
17.     Catherine Dyer advised this initiative results from work done in Lanarkshire collating materials and templates regarding all necessary management checks that each Office/Area/Federation requires to carry out. This will allow further shaping into a more easily accessible format to be used across COPFS and allow clear allocation of duties at local level to managers in order to ensure that no necessary checks are missed. The final development will be taken forward by SDD and distributed to Federations.
 
Action:        Geri Watt
 
Business Plan 2011-12
 
18.     Catherine Dyer introduced paper MB(11)18 which provided the meeting with a draft of the COPFS Business Plan 2011-12. She asked that the members consider the Plan and provide feedback and any final comments by Wednesday 27th April.
 
Action:        Management Board
 
 
Principal Depute Distribution
 
19.     Janice Irvine introduced paper MB(11)20 which provided the meeting with information on how Principal Depute posts are currently utilised within the Service. 
 
20.     The meeting agreed the information is a good indicator of how many PDs we have and will assist further consideration of resource deployment in challenging times.
 
AOB
 
21.     Lesley Thomson raised the need to look again at FOS tray arrangements in larger offices as a result of user observations that had arisen in the course of the restructuring of the Glasgow Area. It was agreed that SDD and John Logue should look at this further with ISD.
 
22.     Catherine Dyer advised the meeting that it was the last time Morag McLaughlin would attend Management Board before leaving COPFS. Catherine thanked Morag for her hard work and dedication to COPFS throughout her time in the Service and wished her the very best for the future.
 
 
MB Secretariat
20 April 2011

SUMMARY OF ACTION POINTS ARISING FROM MEETING
ON 20 APRIL 2011
 
Member
Action Points
Status
 
John Dunn (7)
 
To compile options and circulate for MB consideration to allow for a regular report to be made available by the time of the next meeting of MB as a Performance Board.
Action: John Dunn to circulate options for implementation prior to next Performance Board
 
 
Secretariat (8)
 
The meeting discussed how and what should be presented to Management Board at future Performance meetings, including risk management, living within budgets, resource management, Federation strategy and work plans.
Action: To add to agenda at Executive Chat for further discussion
 
 
Geri Watt (16)
 
Strategy and Delivery Division to consider and report back to MB the need for additional management information to assist managers to better understand workflows
Action: Geri Watt to take forward and report back to Management Board
 
 
Geri Watt (17)
 
Catherine Dyer advised this initiative results from work done in Lanarkshire collating materials and templates regarding all necessary management checks that each Office/Area/Federation requires to carry out. This will allow further shaping into a more easily accessible format to be used across COPFS and allow clear allocation of duties at local level to managers in order to ensure that no necessary checks are missed.
Action: SDD to develop a management mandatory checks toolkit and distribute to Federations
 
 
 
Management Board (18)
 
Catherine Dyer provided the meeting with a draft of the COPFS Business Plan 2011-12. She asked that the members consider the Plan and provide feedback and any comments to PSCECA by Wednesday 27th April.
Action: Management Board to provide feedback to PSCECA