Minutes of the Resources Committee – 12 January 2018

Present

Members

• John Logue, Deputy Crown Agent (Chair) 
• Ian Walford, Deputy Chief Executive
• Evelyn Aitken, Head of Management Accounting and Planning 
• Catriona Dalrymple, Procurator Fiscal (Local Court North and East Scotland) 
• Bill Comrie, Director Of Estates and Business Support Services
• Sarah Carter, Human Resources Manager
• Catherine Cunningham, Head of Business Management (Serious Casework)
• Stephen Woodhouse, Director of Finance
• John Cooper, Non-Executive Director

In attendance

• June Campbell, Secretariat

Apologies

• Mark Howells, Procurement Director

Welcome

1. The Chair welcomed everyone to the The Committee introduced themselves to the new Non-Executive Director.
2. The Chair explained that the purpose of this meeting was primarily to discuss the November 2017-18 Corporate Finance Report and 2018-19 Budget A fuller meeting will be held on 24 January.

2017-18 Finance Update

7. The committee was asked to note the forecast/invest to save position as at 30 November The forecast against budget is showing an overspend, but lower than in October primarily due to centrally managed budget costs and case related.
8. The Chair advised that the large reduction in the potential overspend had arisen mainly from events which could not have been predicted. He asked the committee to consider and report any further issues which might be expected to impact on projected spend in 2017-18 at the 24th January meeting.
9. All agreed invest to save project funding has been Functions will continue to work with Finance on potential options for release of any further funds should they become available.
10. In light of the current forecast position the Committee approved the funding of the business cases in respect of NICP Location Neutral Marking Team and Electronic Access to deceased Medical Records.
11. Any further business cases looking for funding in respect of Invest to Save prior to the end of the financial year should be submitted to Finance initially for assessment and if approved will be considered by the Resources Committee at their next meeting on 24 January. A decision will be made at this meeting regarding a process to allow quick decisions to be made in respect of requests made for funding in the period 25 January to the end of the financial year.
12. The estimated costs for the completion of the Estates capital programme were discussed. It was advised that there is the potential for an overspend if all projects were to be completed in the current financial year. After a short discussion it was agreed that the savings likely to accrue from delivery of the full programme were desirable and all efforts should be made to ensure the projects were The committee endorsed the funding of the work from this year’s allocation.
13. Information Services are also likely to submit a request to the Committee, via Finance, for funding from this year’s budget allocation for work due to be carried out in 2018-19 which could be brought forward.
14. Finance will report the outcome of the December Corporate Finance Report to the Executive Board at their next meeting in February.

2018-19 & 2019-20 Budget Planning Update

11. The Finance Director sought approval for the planned approach to budgeting for 2018-9 and 2019-20 set out in the paper circulated in advance in the light of the Budget allocations announced in December (an assumption has been made for planning purposes that the allocation for 2019-20 will remain the same, e. flat cash). He said that the Senior Executive Team and the Workforce Planning Group had already indicated that they are content with the planned approach.
12. A detailed budget allocation will be provided to the three Functions by around the end of February, subject to budget approval by the Executive Board.
13. Work is being carried out to match staff resources to COPFS’ changing work priorities and Local Court and Serious Casework will contribute to a paper on the planned approach for discussion at the 24 January meeting.
14. The corporate strategies are to be updated in the light of the financial allocation for 2018-19. Functions are to provide 2 year Workforce Strategies with a view to having these agreed by the March Resources Committee meeting.
15. Following a detailed discussion the Committee agreed the planned

Other Business

16. The Chair thanked everyone for their input.

Date of next meeting 24 January 2018