Minutes of the Executive Board: 27 March 2025

Present:

John Logue (Chair)            Crown Agent and Chief Executive

Lindsey Miller                    Deputy Crown Agent, Operational Support

Andrew Laing                    Deputy Crown Agent, Local Court

Ruth McQuaid                   Deputy Crown Agent, High Court

Jim Brisbane                     Director of Strategy (joined at last agenda item)

Keith Dargie                      Head of Business Services

Marlene Anderson             Director of Finance and Procurement

Sarah Carter                     Director of Human Resources

David Watt                        Non-executive Director

John Burns                       Non-executive Director

Helena Kiely                      Non-executive Director

In attendance:

Frances Ross                    Head of Corporate Governance

Linda Butcher                   Secretariat

Fiona Holligan                   Secretariat

Apologies:

Kenny Donnelly                 Deputy Crown Agent, Specialist Casework

Stephen McGowan            Deputy Crown Agent, Litigation

Annie Gunner Logan         Non-executive Director

1.               The Crown Agent and Chief Executive welcomed Andrew Laing to his first meeting as Deputy Crown Agent, Local Court. No conflicts of interest were noted.

1.              

1.               The minutes of the meeting held on 26 February 2025 were approved and can be published.

2.               The following updates on the outstanding actions were noted:

·       Action 1:  LA’s Reference Project – This action can be closed.  Paper EB24/25(76) under agenda Item 11 refers.

·       Action 10 – Body Worn Video – The Board noted that it went live yesterday. The Director of Human Resources provided an update on the learning requirements. Action continued for a further update in May.  

·       Action 11 – Overspend on Kennelling costs – The Deputy Crown Agent Local Court provided an update. Action continued for a further update in August.

·       Action 12 – Fixed term recruitment – The Deputy Crown Agent Operational Support provided an update. This action can be closed.  

·       Action 18 – VIA Modernisation – This action can now be closed. Paper EB24/25(79) under agenda Item 14 refers.

·       Action 21 – 2024/25 staff budget figures – This action can be closed.

·       Action 23 – Designed for Success – This action can be closed.

·       Action 26 – Functional Update – Operational Support – This action can be closed.

1.               The Director of Finance and Procurement introduced papers EB24/25(69) and EB24/25(69a).  

2.               The Director of Finance and Procurement provided an update on the current 2024-25 budget position which at the end of February forecast a £2.9m resource underspend.  COPFS is currently forecasting a £0.8m overspend in non-staff costs primarily because of increased case related costs. The 2024-25 annual accounts are currently being prepared and are expected to be submitted for audit by the end of May.

3.               The Director of Finance and Procurement provided an update on the current 2025-26 budget allocation. The Board was reminded of the unfunded elements and advised of the draft functional allocations for the core staff budget (£186.1m) and non-staff budgets for approval. A £1.7m non-staffing pressure is anticipated, primarily due to postmortems contract and service costs forecast to increase significantly. The Board was advised of work being done to reduce the shortfall. The Board noted and approved the allocated budgets and noted the paper on overtime.

ACTION: Director of Finance and Procurement to review the information contained in the overtime paper noting the links with the 35-hour working week.

1.               The Head of Business Services introduced paper EB24/25(70) and set out the background to the development of the COPFS and function business plans and highlighted the key parts.  The Board discussed some of the key priorities in the plan suggesting some changes to the wording and the benefit of the plan including clear outcomes and measurements for success. The Board considered whether to delay publication of the corporate business plan and agreed a revised corporate plan should be circulated by email by mid-April for comments with the aim to publish the final version by the end of April.

ACTION: Head of Business Services to arrange for the corporate business plan to be revised in line with the Board’s feedback and circulated for comments to Board members by email by mid-April.

1.               Non-Executive Director David Watt introduced paper EB24/25(71) which the Board noted.

1.               The Executive Board noted paper EB24/25(72) prepared by the Head of Business Services and that the Risk Management Group is looking to change the format of the risk register and revisit the corporate risks.

1.               The Executive Board noted paper EB24/25(73) prepared by the Deputy Crown Agent, Operational Support.

1.               The Executive Board noted paper EB24/25(74) prepared by Assistant Procurator Fiscal, COVID Deaths Investigation Team and noted progress. 

1.               The Executive Board noted paper EB24/25(75) prepared by the Head of Business Management Local Court and agreed to delay deciding on whether to standardise office front counters, noting the links with other ongoing work on estates.

1.               The Executive Board noted paper EB24/25(76).

1.               The Executive Board noted paper EB24/25(77) prepared by the Head of Business Services who will reflect on the style and information to be included in future BPIC updates.

1.               The Executive Board noted paper EB24/25(78) prepared by the Deputy Crown Agent, Litigation.

1.               The Executive Board noted paper EB24/25(79) prepared by the Deputy Crown Agent, Operational Support and the progress of the programme. The Deputy Crown Agent, Operational Support highlighted the section on revised letter templates and the annex which demonstrates the connection with several programmes underway. The Crown Agent and Chief Executive passed on comments from Non-Executive Director Annie Gunner Logan. The Deputy Crown Agent, Operational Support will take up the comments with Non-Executive Director Annie Gunner Logan off table.

1.                The Crown Agent and Chief Executive noted this is the second last meeting before transitioning over the summer to the new governance structure which will change the way in which information is provided to the board. The Crown Agent and Chief Executive requested that papers are submitted on time for the next meeting.  

2.               The Head of Corporate Governance advised that the new structure will commence in June and will meet quarterly with meetings in June, September, December, and March.

3.               The Crown Agent and Chief Executive thanked everyone.