Minutes of the CPS Board Meeting on 4 April 2007
Present
Ken Macdonald (Chair)
Roger Daw
Neil Franklin
Claire Hamon
Steve Przybylski
Peter Lewis
Ros McCool
Judith Walker
Seamus Taylor
Philip Oliver
Gerard Lemos
Rob Sykes
Paul Staff
Nazir Afzal
Guests
Pam Teare, Head of Communications
Patricia Richards
Capability Review Team
David Baines
Ruth Carnie
Joe Montgomery
Anthony Inglese
Neil Goodwin
Adam Pemberton
Apologies
John Graham
Portia Ragnauth
Dru Sharpling
Adele Clarke
Ursula Brennan
Secretariat
Matthew McGonagle
Nicol Harlow
Item 1: Welcomes
1. The Director welcomed Judith Walker and the Capability Review team to the CPS Board.
Item 2: Previous Minutes and Actions Arising
2. The Board agreed the note from the last Board meeting held on 17 January 2007 and the update on actions arising from that meeting.
Item 3: Director's Update
3. There was no Director's update as all the issues to be raised formed part of the substantive agenda.
Item 4: Capability Review – First Impressions
4. The Board received an update from the Capability Review Team on the work undertaken so far and the early thoughts of the team. The Review Team (RT) have completed 30 interviews, four workshops, three Area visits and three illustrative stories. The team expressed their thanks for the time and effort of all those involved.
5. The RT will develop Key Lines of Enquiry (KLOEs) for the CPS which will be further tested during the fieldwork stage in the first two weeks in May. The RT welcomed comments on the issues discussed at the Board.
Item 5: Ministry of Justice
6. The Board considered a paper on the introduction of the Ministry of Justice (MOJ). The Strategy, Policy and Diversity Committee (SPDC) will be looking at the possible impacts for the CPS and its relationships with its partners with the introduction of the MOJ.
7. The Board agreed the way forward presented in the paper.
Item 6: 2007 Spending Review
8. The paper presented an early assessment of the CSR 2007 settlement. The Board agreed that to have an in depth discussion on the issues of CSR 2007 it would be useful to see scenarios showing what the CPS would look like if differing decisions were made on how to achieve efficiencies.
9. The Board acknowledged the need to look at the wider CJS to maximise savings, i.e. through OBM and CJSSS. The Board noted that the CPS needs to be clearer at the outset on the costs of projects and the savings they would deliver. The Board also noted the need to keep staff informed of plans to work within CSR 2007.
Item 7: Forecast Outturn Against Budget 2006-07
10. The Board noted a paper showing the forecast outturn for 2006-07. The CPS is showing an overall underspend against allocated budgets.
Item 8: HR Update
11. The Board where updated on the current and emerging HR projects. The Board noted the following points;
- All Invest workstreams are now ready to rollout;
- Pro active Prosecutor Training will be mainstreamed into the basic induction;
- The introduction of the PDR process will be rolled out from April 2007 supported by HR Business Partners and training;
- The creation of the Career family map has reduced the number of job titles and role descriptions;
- Work on the 2007-08 pay remit is now underway;
- Three main HR policies being driven forward – grievance, discipline and managing poor performance. These will be presented to PERC in May; and
- Discussions with the National School for Government to improve PSG skills talent management and succession planning are underway.
12. The Board noted the work in progress and thanked Mark Burch for leading the Invest work so effectively. The Board saw the challenge for the CPS is to create a leadership development model that is fit for specific CPS purpose. The Board also noted that the CPS had received positive feedback from the Cabinet Office on mainstreaming equality and diversity into business and some recruitment practices.
Item 9: Area Restructuring
13. The Board noted a progress report on Area restructuring and discussed the terms of reference (TOR) for the role and remit of Area Group Strategy Boards. The Board noted the work so far and that the TOR should be looked at again, overall the document needs to be more concise. The Board asked to see revised TOR at the July Board meeting.
Item 10: Third Quarter 2006-07 Assurance Report
14. The Board considered a paper about the latest Assurance Report. There are three exceptions in the Report, but none that required Board action. It was noted that these topics were also exception in the previous report presented to the Board in January. The Delivery and Change Committee (DCC) is looking at the exceptions and the actions underway to address them. A revised process for reporting to the Board will be presented at the July meeting.
Item 11: Statement of Internal Control
15. The Board reviewed the Statement of Internal Control. The CPS does not have any significant issues to report, the Board approved the Statement.
Item 12: Draft Spring Conference Agenda
16. The Board considered the agenda for the spring conference. It was suggested that the first day concentrate on leadership, including a speech from Cabinet Secretary Gus O'Donnell, with Day 2 being led by the Capability review team. The Board agreed the direction of the conference.
Item 13: Draft Agenda for May Board Meeting.
17. The Board agreed the draft agenda would be drawn from;
- Capability Review Action Planning
- Structural Reform Update
- Ministry of Justice
- CJSSS/OBM
- Financial Outturn for 2006-07
- CSR 2007
- Financial Reporting to the Board
- Leadership and Management Development
- Workforce Strategy
- Feedback from the Senior Managers Conference
- Revised Assurance Reporting Process
- Routine Committee Reports
- Draft Agenda for July 2007
Item 14: Any Other Business
18. The Board noted that all Areas had received letters about the forthcoming HMCPSI inspections. Further information will be sought to gain an indication of the inspection criteria.
Strategy Planning & Change Division
April 2007
