Minutes of the Business Improvement Committee – December 2024

Present:   

Keith Dargie, Head of Business Services - KD (Chair)

Laura Buchan, PF, Policy & Engagement - LB

Thomas Lindie, Head of Business Management, Serious Casework - TL

Gavin Anderson, Head of Business Management, Local Court - GA

Gillian McNamara, ISD Head of Delivery - Digital Portfolio – GM

Grant Donnelly, Head of SCG Central Operations - GD

Lisa Gibson, Executive Business Manager (Secretariat) – LG

In attendance:  

Jonathan Shebioba, Director of Support Services - JS

Apologies:

Jennifer Harrower, DCA, Local Court – JH

Agenda:

1. Welcome, Apologies and Agreement of AOB
2. Minutes of Last Meeting and Actions Log
3. BPIC Portfolio and Improvements and Digital Transformation Programme for 2024-25
4. BPIC Digital Transformation Dashboard
5. Next Generation Casework and Innovation
6. ISD Resources
7. Any other business (AOB)

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and noted apologies for Jennifer Harrower and welcomed Jonathan Shebioba as a guest attendee.

The minutes of the meeting held on 11 September 2024, paper BPIC(24)17, were approved.

The following actions referred to in paper BPIC(24)18 were discussed:

• Digital Strategy Delivery Plan: Strategic principles are currently being scoped and will be set out via email communication early 2025.
• BPIC Digital Strategy Development Workshop: Will be developed early in 2025 and a workshop will be scheduled in January 2025.
• Benefits Realisation ERTCC: TL agreed to share the final benefits documents for ERTCC, focussing on the numbers (people, cases, timings and agreed the savings), for the next BPIC meeting and to be added as an agenda item for discussion.
• Benefits Realisation (new action): KD asked GM to produce a baseline on the other key priorities and new ways of working for discussion at the next BPIC meeting.
• BPIC Year-End Reflection: Updates on key priorities are regularly published on Connect and a year-end delivery update will be provided for the next BPIC meeting.

GM presented paper BPIC(24)19 and noted the following key updates in digital and casework priorities:

• Digital Evidence Sharing Capability (DESC): Phased implementation of DESC continues and was extended to Highlands and Islands (Inverness, Fort William, Lerwick, Stornoway, Kirkwall, Tain, Wick and Portree in September and Aberdeen, Peterhead and Elgin in November). DESC is next scheduled for roll out in the east locations in early Q4 followed by implementation to remaining west of Scotland locations. 
• Witness Gateway: Rollout of the Witness Gateway continues, with the pilot phase complete and the national rollout phased programme commencing in November 2024. From January 2025, the online service will be deployed to remaining areas.
• Defence Agent Service (DAS): Integrated closely with the implementation of DESC, the pilot commenced in October in Falkirk and Stirling offices and was extended to Dundee, Dunfermline, Kirkcaldy, Perth, Forfar and Alloa in December 2024 with a phased  national rollout planned from February 2025.
• VIA Modernisation: An application developed to support VIA across the organisation with the pilot date to be agreed.
• Business Information Transformation: Programme of work to implement strategic business information solutions to transform and maximise COPFS’ use of corporate business information to commence from Q4 2024-25.

GM presented paper BPIC(24)20 and noted the current risk for Vulnerable Witness Measures as we are awaiting the Criminal Rules Council's approval on the new act's wording, expected in February 2025.

Initiation of a programme from Q4 2024-25. Includes focus on making improvements to current casework systems and processes to support a programme to modernise COPFS’ casework systems and processes.  Evaluation of appropriate digital technologies (with proof of concept options defined for decision making) will form part of the work to improve ways of working and inform the design and development of future casework systems.

LG presented paper BPIC(24)21 providing a high-level overview of the ISD recruitment positions, and recruitment plans for specific vacancies and the progress made since the last meeting. A strategic assessment of resource requirements and allocations will take place early next year. GM noted there is a stringent resource plan in place.

No AOB noted.

The date of the next meeting is Wednesday 19 March 2025.