Lead Non-Executive Board Member’s Report
Membership
The CPS Board membership did not undergo any changes in 2021-22.
I believe we have created a robust Board, capable of providing the necessary challenge and support to guide the organisation and to continue to bring about a culture of continuous improvement. Having a stable membership helps to ensure this role is effective.
The Board embraced hybrid working during the year, continuing to meet remotely until rules allowed greater access to offices. The Board would like to thank everyone within the CPS for the continued leadership shown by the executive team and for the flexibility and commitment of each and every member of the service.
Core Business
Over the year, the Board fulfilled its five principal roles as set out in the Cabinet Office Corporate Governance for Central Government Departments: Code of Good Practice. These included:
Strategic Clarity
The Board has spent time working closely with the Strategy and Policy Directorate to develop the Business Plan for 2022-23. We are confident that the Business Plan has been designed to drive the organisation towards delivery of the CPS 2025 strategy. The Board welcomed the positive three-year Spending Review settlement, enabling the CPS to develop the Business Plan and look ahead with increased confidence and optimism.
We also welcomed the Business Plan’s continued recognition of the importance of the work on Rape and Serious Sexual Offences (RASSO) and on supporting victims and witnesses and that the funding to support each of these objectives was appropriately allocated.
In August 2021 the CPS launched its Inclusion and Community Engagement (ICE) 2025 Strategy. The Board are confident that ICE 2025 builds on existing good practice nationally and across CPS Areas and commits to a ‘step change’ in the way the CPS approaches Inclusion and Community Engagement, ensuring that it closely supports the wider aims and objectives of CPS 2025. We will monitor progress against this key strategic objective during 2022-23.
The Board has continued to review progress of the Rape and Serious Sexual Offences 5-year strategy, RASSO 2025, which launched on 30 July 2021. RASSO 2025 reflects the strategic aims of CPS 2025 and brings together a significant programme of work, including a joint action plan with the police. The Board will continue to make this a priority area in 2022-23. The Board has maintained oversight of the organisational response to the COVID-19 pandemic and in particular the focus on Operational Recovery.
The Board has maintained oversight of the organisational response to the COVID-19 pandemic and in particular the focus on Operational Recovery. The volume of work which built up during the pandemic remains an unprecedented challenge for the criminal justice system and will remain so for a considerable period of time. The Board has received regular updates on the development of the Operational Recovery and Improvement Group and will continue to examine progress and provide advice during 2022-23.
Commercial Sense
The Board were content with the outcome of the 2021 Spending Review which set the funding for the next three years to 2024-25. The Law Officers’ Departments, which includes the CPS, secured a £57.8 million increase in core resource funding between 2021-22 and 2022-23 financial years growing to £86.5 million by 2024-25. Additional funding was provided in the settlement to be spent on resources to improve public safety by delivering justice through independent and fair prosecutions, enhance the effectiveness of the criminal justice system through timely prosecutions and improved casework quality and protect society through the independent investigation and prosecution of top tier crimes involving serious or complex fraud, bribery, and corruption.
The CPS continues to drive digital innovation to maximise efficiency, create resilience and reduce costs. Major digital projects continue to be presented to the Board, including an overview the Common Platform which will strengthen the efficiency of processes across the criminal justice system. The Board continues to be highly impressed with the adaptability of the organisation as it utilises all the available tools to deliver the new hybrid way of working.
Talented People
The CPS’ Employee Engagement Index decreased slightly to 69% in the 2021 Civil Service People Survey. This represented an increase in the actual number of responses due to increases in headcount and the CPS has received the highest number of responses in more than five years. The Board is pleased to see that there remains a good level of staff engagement.
The CPS continues to lead the way in inclusion in employment across government departments having one of the most diverse workforces in the Civil Service and achieving high scores about our inclusive culture in the annual People Survey. However, we are in no way complacent, continuing as an organisation to recognise the work and effort that is needed to ensure inclusivity. The Board recognises how vital it is that we reflect the communities the CPS serves. As a Board, we continue to consider actions we can take to improve Board diversity and inclusivity.
The CPS continues to prioritise the psychological, physical and social wellbeing of our people in a post-pandemic working environment and this year have introduced a new counselling and support offer those who deal with our most sensitive casework. We have launched out Hybrid Working Principles which encourage physical attendance with clear purpose, in support of wellbeing and to collaborate with colleagues.
We were also pleased to see that the CPS was again recognised by Working Families as one of the Top 10 employers for the fifth year running and this year the Social Mobility Index 2021 recognised our work in this area with the CPS moving up 29 places in the Top 75 workplaces to number 26. We believe these achievements continue to make CPS an employer of choice.
Results Focus
The Board reviews performance nationally, and by Area, on a quarterly basis, including giving scrutiny to progress against a balanced set of key measures contained in the CPS Business Plan. This year the Board continued to review a quarterly highlight report on key success measures to track progress against the CPS 2025 values and the Business Plan.
The Business Plan ensures that the CPS is focused on delivering its priorities for this year, helping the organisation recover from the impact of the pandemic while delivering vital improvements at the same time. The Board is pleased that the plan ensures the CPS will continue to invest carefully and significantly, working with others across the criminal justice system to reverse the decline in rape prosecutions and is able to build public confidence in its handling of violence against women and girls.
Management Information
The Board is provided with appropriate and reliable management information, which allows it to fully consider both Area and Corporate performance.
The publication of Criminal Justice Scorecards in December 2021 and March 2022 has been especially welcomed by the Board and is seen as a key component of the Government’s commitment to increase and promote transparency and accountability across the criminal justice system. The Board will review the Scorecard data regularly to ensure there is sufficient scrutiny of the data from across the criminal justice system, working with the CPS to identify problem areas and identify potential interventions.
Committees
The Board continued to be supported by its committees and received regular reports from the committee chairs. I am grateful to Simon Jeffreys for his work as Chair of the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee (ARAC). ARAC continued to scrutinise the CPS’ system of risk and internal control, in particular the corporate risk framework and data security. Two new Non-Executive Members were recruited to ARAC, taking up their positions in November 2021 and January 2022 respectively.
I am also grateful to Caroline Wayman for her work as Chair of the Nominations, Leadership and Remuneration Committee (NLRC). NLRC undertook thorough scrutiny of the CPS’ senior executive pay and performance. Caroline is stepping down during 2022-23 and although the search for her successor is progressing well it is a great loss to the service.
Both committees have met quarterly throughout the year and have focused on areas within their terms of reference. The work that these committees undertook during 2021-22 has been invaluable in providing me with the assurance that there is appropriate risk management across the organisation and scrutiny over the senior team’s performance.
Looking Forward
Last year, in line with best practice, the superintendence relationship between the Law Officers and the CPS was further strengthened by a review and update of the CPS/AGO Framework Agreement. The revised Agreement has seen the Ministerial Strategic Board meet four times during 2021-22, to better align with key events in the financial year. As Lead Non-Executive Board Member, I welcome the updates and look forward to continuing the productive relationship between the Law Officers and the CPS, which is an essential component of the governance and therefore of the standing and success of the CPS.
The Board also underwent an external assessment in January 2022 to ensure that it remains effective and appropriately focused on supporting the 2025 Strategy. We are pleased with the outcome of the review and will use its findings to further strengthen the role of the Board in 2022-23 and in future years.
Monica Burch
Lead Non-Executive Board Member and Chair of the Board – June 2022