Minutes of the Executive Board – 25 September 2024

Present:

• John Logue (Chair), Crown Agent and Chief Executive
• Lindsey Miller, Deputy Crown Agent, Operational Support
• Jim Brisbane, Director of Strategy
• Stephen McGowan, Deputy Crown Agent, Litigation
• Jennifer Harrower, Deputy Crown Agent, Local Court
• Ruth McQuaid, Deputy Crown Agent, High Court
• Keith Dargie, Head of Business Services
• Marlene Anderson, Director of Finance and Procurement
• Sarah Carter, Director of Human Resources
• David Watt, Non-executive director
• Vanessa Davies, Non-executive director
• Gavin Anderson, Head of Business Management Local Court (item 3)
• Jon Millar, Business Development Advisor (item 6)

In attendance:

Fiona Holligan, Secretariat

Apologies:

Kenny Donnelly, Deputy Crown Agent, Specialist Casework

Agenda Item 1 – Welcome and Apologies

1. The Crown Agent and Chief Executive opened the meeting and welcomed colleagues.

Agenda Item 2 - Minutes of previous meeting

2. The minutes of the meeting held on 28 August 2024 were approved and can be published.

Agenda Item 3 - Estates Strategic Framework – 35-hour Working Week

3. The Head of Business Management Local Court introduced paper EB24/25(32) and provided an update on the 35-hour week project ahead of it going live on 1 October 2024. He highlighted the operational impact on COPFS from a reduced working week. 

4. The Executive Board was asked to agree the recommended key indicators to be used as baseline data outlined in paragraph seven of the paper. After discussion, the Board agreed with the recommended key indicators and requested that data in relation to overtime and death investigations be added to the list and that consideration be given as to whether the summary court rotas should change. The Board was asked to agree further recommendations in relation to flexi carry over, office front counter opening hours and on call hours.

Following discussion, the Board agreed the following:

• the flexi carry over should be temporarily maintained at 22:12 hours until the end of the financial year, after which it will move permanently to 21 hours from 1 April 2025 and this should be communicated to staff now.
• there should be standardised opening hours of public counters across the offices, however, further data analysis is required before the Board can decide on the proposed change and meantime the current opening hours should be maintained.
• the proposed change in relation to the provision of on call hours is linked to the standardised opening hours and the Board defers consideration of this recommendation.

5. The Head of Business Services summarised the key points in relation to the update on the Estates Transformation Strategy from paper EB24/25(32). This included an update on the refurbishments and decarbonisation of the Elgin office and Crown Office. He also provided an update on the status of the COPFS West of Scotland business case given the Scottish Government’s recent announcement on spending controls and some critical dates coming up over the next two years. There was a discussion on the use of COPFS offices and the need for decisions to be made about offices across service rather than individual offices.

ACTION – The Head of Business Services to prepare a reworked estates strategy for the Board meeting of 11 December.

Agenda Item 4 – Service Improvement Update

6. The Deputy Crown Agent, Operational Support introduced paper EB24/25(33) and a proposal for a new Service User Engagement directorate underpinning delivery of the Service Improvement programme as discussed at the Executive Board in June. After discussion, the Board agreed that the proposal should be explored further and developed for final approval.

Agenda Item 5 – Health and Wellbeing Quarterly Update

7. The Director of Human Resources introduced paper EB24/25(34) and provided an update on the wellbeing dashboard, factors impacting employees’ wellbeing and the range of measures in place to support staff wellbeing. It was noted that the review of COPFS’ vicarious trauma support service is expected to conclude next week. The Board noted the update and that the Director of Human Resources now has responsibility for Learning and Development as part of the People Directorate.

ACTION – Secretariat to add ‘Vicarious Trauma Support Service’ to the November agenda

Agenda Item 6 – Designed for Success Corporate Portfolio Management Office (PMO) Proposal

8. The Business Development Advisor introduced paper EB24/25(39) and highlighted the key findings and ten recommendations for future delivery generated from the Corporate Portfolio Management Office (PMO) Development Group that support Transformational Change projects in COPFS as part of Designed for Success and responds to changing financial position. After discussion the Board agreed to move ahead with the proposal and that a PMO lead should be appointed.

Agenda Item 7 – Finance Update

9. The Director of Finance and Procurement introduced paper EB24/25(35) and provided an update on the 2024-25 budget monitoring highlighting the current pressures. An update was given in relation to 2025-26 and beyond budget planning and in relation to overtime and on-call costs.

Agenda Item 8 – Balanced Scorecard and Absence Figures

10. The Deputy Crown Agent Operational Support introduced paper EB24/25(36) which the Board noted.

Agenda Item 9 – Business Process Improvement Committee Update

11. The Head of Business Services introduced paper EB24/25(37) highlighting the progress in relation to the Witness Gateway, Digital Evidence Sharing Capability (DESC), Defence Agent Service (DAS) and the Witness Scheduler. The Board noted the update and commented on the impact the Body Worn Camera project will have on DESC given the high volume of data involved.

Agenda Item 10 – Resources Committee Update

12. The Deputy Crown Agent Operational Support provided a verbal update which the Board noted.

Agenda Item 11 – Audit & Risk Committee Update

13. Non-Executive Director Vanessa Davies introduced paper EB24/25(38) pointing out that the next meeting will look at progress made to implement recommendations from the individual reports by HM Inspectorate for Prosecutions in Scotland. The Board will look at the Inspectorate’s Annual Report at the next meeting.

ACTION – Secretariat to prepare and add a paper on the Inspectorate’s Annual Report to the November agenda.

Agenda Item 12 – AOB/Close

14. No other business was noted.

15. The next meeting is on 13 November.