Minutes of the Leadership Board: 18 December 2025

Meeting held on 18 December 2025 at Conference Room 1, Crown Office and via Microsoft Teams   

Board members present:

Yvette Greener, Chief Operating Officer (Chair) 

John Logue, Crown Agent and Chief Executive  

Lindsey Miller, Deputy Crown Agent and Legal Director Local Court  

Stephen McGowan, Legal Director Litigation 

Katrina Parkes, Legal Director National Casework 

Sarah Carter, Director of Human Resources 

Marlene Anderson, Director of Finance, Procurement and Estates

Jonathan Shebioba, Head of Business Management Local Court 

Rachel Weir, Head of Policy

Thomas Lindie, Head of Business Management, National Casework 

Gavin Anderson, Head of Business Management Deaths Investigations

Keith Dargie, Chief Digital Officer

Lindsey (Linz) McIntosh, Director of Performance & Service Improvement

Rahul Singh, Chief of Staff

Secretariat:

Ian Smith, Portfolio Management Office Lead

Katie Woods, Head of Chief Operating Officer Office 

Frances Ross, Head of Corporate Governance 

Matthew Beattie, Corporate Governance Manager 

Christopher Hastings, Corporate Governance and Briefing Coordinator (Secretariat) 

Apologies:

Jim Brisbane, Director of Strategy 

Laura Buchan, Legal Director Deaths Investigations 

The Chair welcomed everyone to the December meeting of the Leadership Board. Apologies were noted. The Board welcomed the newly appointed Linz Mcintosh Director of Performance and Service Improvement, who was attending her first meeting.

The Chair introduced the previous minutes and confirmed that no amendments were required. The Board approved the minutes.

The Head of Corporate Governance provided the following update on the outstanding actions:

• Action 1: Legacy Board Actions – This action can be closed.
• Action 8: Portfolio Plan for 2025/26 – This action can be closed.
• Action 13: CO Quality Assurance – Continued to January 2026.
• Action 14: Performance Management – Continued to February 2026.
• Action 15: Performance Management Communication Plan – Due in April 2026.

The Chief Operating Officer provided the Board with an update regarding Budget Planning for FY 2026-27. The Budget for FY 26/27 is still to be signed off, with potential outcomes and options discussed in relation to any potential shortfall. A paper on workforce planning will be presented to the Board in January.

The Head of Corporate Governance introduced paper LB1225 (4.1).

The Director of Finance, Procurement and Estates provided an overview of the current financial performance. The Board noted a reduction in the forecast to overspend and ongoing uncertainty regarding resource funding. Capital funding remains broadly on track.

The Director of Finance, Procurement and Estates asked all budget holders to ensure that if there is any change to forecasts they notify Finance to ensure appropriate budget adjustments and keep Scottish Government informed.

The members of the Board were asked to ensure that in their respective business areas’ annual leave is recorded and scheduled on the flexi system to ensure accurate forecasting and support communications planned for January regarding this.

The Head of Corporate Governance provided a performance overview noting that some Summary and Deaths targets have now been achieved, Sheriff and Jury performance figures are continuing to trend downwards, which is desired, while High Court’s figures are largely static.

The Legal Director for National Casework introduced paper LB1225 (5.1).

The Board discussed urgent resource challenges within National Casework, including significant vacancies and workload pressures including an increase in cases received and the removal of Covid timebar extension.

The following points were agreed:

• Vacancy Analysis, Recruitment and Reallocation:
  The Board noted the existing vacancies and request for more resource within National Casework and agreed that National Casework will prioritise the filling of existing vacancies in collaboration with HR. They also agreed that each Operational Function will assess how their resources can be reallocated to support casework priorities. Each Operational Function will prepare proposals identifying work that could be deprioritised and the risks and impact of this, with a view to transferring resource to support National Casework in the short to medium term.
• Internal Transfers and Organisational Movement:
  The Board was keen that National Casework maintain normal promotion processes and all functions committed to facilitating staff movement within six weeks of promotion to prevent bottlenecks and support career development.
• Process Review and Efficiency:
  The Board welcomed the improvements in productivity but queried whether we are being as efficient as possible at every stage of the case.
• Modelling and Productivity:
  The Board agreed the need to develop a productivity model, including expectations for monthly reporting and indictments. ISD support will be available for business analysis.
• Policy and Transformation Support:
  Opportunities to reprioritise policy and transformation activities were noted, with offers to support National Casework where possible.

Actions:

• The Legal Director for National Casework will provide a progress report at the next and subsequent Leadership Board meetings.
• Each Operational Function will submit proposals for resource reallocation and reprioritisation and a proposal will be submitted to the January Leadership Board.

Decisions:

• The Board decided that resources will be reallocated to prioritise work which has a statutory timebar, and that further work is needed to assess the scale of reallocation and how this will be achieved to ensure sufficient support.  

The Portfolio Management Office Lead provided an update. The PMO is on track, with governance boards being established and project assessments aligned with Strategic Board recommendations.

The Chief Digital Officer presented an update on the development of the new digital strategy setting out the principles of the strategy and the key activities planned for Q4. The Board noted plans for engagement activities and proof-of-concept work and emphasised prioritisation and capacity for change.

Action: Circulate the draft Digital Strategy and Future Casework Systems engagement plan for Leadership Board members’ feedback (Chief Digital Officer)

The Board noted the paper LB1225 (8.1) - Leadership Board Decision Log.

The Crown Agent and Chief Executive clarified that while the discussion around agenda item 5 had focused on National Casework it is both the National and Local Court parts of the organisation that share this challenge.