Thursday 16 July 2026

Boardroom, 102 Petty France

Members:

Caroline Corby (Chair), Stephen Parkinson, Grace Ononiwu, Julie Lennard, Steve Buckingham, Dr Subo Shanmuganathan (Apologies), Dr Peter Kane, Rachel King, Manny Lewis

Guests:

Suzanne Llewellyn, Cain Popovski-Smith, Lisa Benbow, Isabel Field, Coral Major, Russell Smith, Chris Vinestock, Harvey Palmer, Suzanne Hanna

Secretariat: 

Stephanie Bradshaw, Rebecca Bridge 

Item 1: Declaration of Conflicts of Interest (including on any agenda item)

1.1   No new declarations of interest. 

Item 2: Minutes of the Last Meeting and Matters Arising

2.1   Minutes of the last meeting approved.

2.2   Following Actions confirmed closed: June 01, Jan 03, July 02.

Item 3: COO Update

3.1   The COO updated the Boad on the Annual Report and Accounts being laid, criticism following an inaccurate press release, and DTUS engagement. The COO also shared organisational priorities, including leadership engagement, workforce retention, business continuity, and stakeholder relations.

Item 4: RASSO Quarterly update

4.1   Suzanne Llewellyn and Cain Popovski-Smith reported substantial progress in the RASSO improvement programme, with 10 of 13 areas visited and extensive coaching undertaken. Despite some delays, all Area visits remain on track for completion by September, with follow-up visits continuing afterwards.

4.2   Suzanne explained enhancements to RASSO training, practitioner guidance and induction materials, with particular emphasis on suspect-focused case analysis and addressing misconceptions. New learning products, podcasts, and simplified guidance have been introduced to improve consistency and operational quality.

4.3   Suzanne highlighted the deployment of technology which produces transcripts from video evidence and reduces reliance on lengthy manual review. This is expected to release lawyer capacity and improve focus on decision-making and case strategy.

4.4   Suzanne reported that 254 lawyers had received one-to-one coaching and that case quality had improved from 59% to 66%, while action-plan rates had fallen from 27% to 23%. Charging decision times have also reduced, although police file quality, workforce experience levels, and rapidly growing case volumes remain significant risks.

4.5   The Board discussed performance improvements and noted risks. The Board welcomed the update and gave recognition to the progress being made.

Item 5: Comms Strategy

5.1   Lisa Benbow and Isabel Field presented progress in strengthening the core communications platform, including a refreshed website, improved digital reach, and a focus on AI and digital capability.

5.2   Efforts are underway to improve segmentation and reach, particularly for frontline staff who access communications less frequently; new tools, podcasts, and monthly briefings for local leaders have been introduced to address this gap.

5.3   The Chair noted the Shadow Board had raised the level of Welsh communication, Isabel confirmed that a new regional communications model will go live in October to better connect local and national messaging; work is ongoing to improve communications in Wales, including compliance with Welsh language requirements and broader engagement with Welsh communities.

5.4   The Board discussed the challenges of influencing public confidence, the importance of working with trusted third-party stakeholders, and Lisa shared upcoming opportunities to reach wider audiences.

5.5   Lisa shared plans include embedding experienced change communications colleagues in major programmes and improving corporate communications to support behavioural and cultural change, as highlighted by feedback from the People Survey.

Item 6: Finance Report

6.1   Steve Buckingham, Coral Major and Russell Smith clarified that of the underspend, £12 million is held as a provision per Treasury requirements, and that the organisation is managing unforeseen pressures internally rather than seeking additional funding.

6.2   The Board discussed the need for agile resource reallocation to address pressure points, noting that external factors such as sitting days and police file quality can significantly impact spending and operational capacity.

6.3   Concerns were raised about the accuracy of workforce planning, the rate of internal promotions, and the challenge of balancing aggressive recruitment with the need for external candidates with relevant backgrounds.

6.4   The DPP and Steve confirmed that plans are in place for the Executive to review of resource allocation options, with a focus on integrating change programmes and ensuring early, clear communication with stakeholders.

Item 7: IAC Annual Report

7.1   The IAC, Chris Vinestock, presented key findings of the report alongside Harvey Palmer. The IAC noted the increase in the volume of complaints and highlighted key themes including communication quality, empathy in complaint handling, contradictions in responses, concerns about monitoring agent prosecutor performance, and weaknesses in trial readiness and evidence management.

7.2   The Board emphasised the importance of improving both processes and organisational culture when responding to victims. The Board agreed that victim-focused issues, including complaints, victims’ code compliance and transformation activity, should receive attention at the September Board. The Board also queried availability of demographic data regarding those making complaints.

7.3   The Board acknowledged the current rules regarding goodwill payments and recognised the need to reimburse actual financial losses where administrative errors have occurred and discussed the complexities of implementing such a system.

Item 8: Framework Agreement

8.1   Harvey Palmer introduced a draft framework agreement intended to replace the existing version and align with updated government requirements. Harvey noted likely areas of more challenging negotiation.

8.3   The Board noted importance of retaining control over communications and funding. The Board noted that pay and redundancy terms are governed cross-government, limiting the scope for negotiation within the framework agreement.

Item 9: Business Case Process

9.1   The Board reflected on the evolving role of the board in business case review, the maturing Portfolio Oversight Group, and the use of sprints to assess cost and benefits for business and financial planning. The Board acknowledged ongoing challenges in fully integrating digital considerations into business-driven programmes and the need for early involvement of digital teams in project planning.

Item 10: AOB

10.1   No other business

BTL

• The Governance Forward Look was noted.