Members

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

Guests

Victoria Whittaker, Suzanne Llewellyn, Tristan Bradshaw, Alex Scott, Helen Starkey, Reece Duffell, Baljit Ubhey, Graham Ritchie

Secretariat

Max Looker, Stephanie Bradshaw

Apologies

N/A

Item 1: Introductions and declaration of interests

1.1    The Chair welcomed Manny Lewis and Rachel King to their first Board meeting.

1.2    No additional interests were raised.

Item 2: Minutes of the last meeting and matters arising

2.1    Minutes from the September meeting were agreed.

2.2    Actions were noted as being in hand.

Item 3: DPP Update

3.1    DPP provided an update on the following key issues.

• China case
• Leveson Review

3.2    The Board welcomed the update. The Board asked that a lesson’s learned exercise be undertaken and a further update for the Board once the review has completed. (ACTION NOV 01)

3.3    The Board asked for a briefing session on any outcome of that or the Leveson Review for the January meeting.

Item 4: Finance – Mid-Year Update

4.1    Steve Buckingham and Vikki Whitaker provided the following key points from the finance report:

• Underspend is forecast at year end due, in part, to a change in the profile of prosecution costs and case mix in the first six months of the year.
• Further requests will be made during the supplementary estimate
• Efficiency framework returns are being issued to Cabinet Office on a quarterly basis
• Productivity dashboard is being used to provoke discussion across all Areas and Divisions.

4.2    The Board welcomed the update and asked that they could have sight of the Productivity Dashboard at a future meeting.

4.3    It was also noted that there would be more scrutiny on the CPS, due to the increase in budget following the spending review and the subsequent increase in headcount.

Item 5: Strategic Workforce Plan

5.1    Helen Starkey joined the meeting and provided the following key points:

• This provided a more comprehensive overview of workforce needs to cope with the increasing demand for organisational growth targets
• Plan focuses on four key areas
• Build and maintain a sustainable legal workforce to support long-term CJS resilience
• Reshape the workforce to meet changing demand and work more efficiently
• Increase productivity and create efficiencies via continuous improvement and technological advancements
• Position our specialist, enabling professions in a way that best delivers professional excellence, efficiency and productivity.

5.2    The Board welcomed the update but queried whether it should provide a regional picture and the need to improve staff retention.  Helen confirmed that a retention strategy was in place to support this approach and that regional issues were more focused on short term supply modelling than strategic in nature.

5.2    The Board also challenged whether the plan was Leveson ‘proof’. It was also noted that some work was ongoing to understand the impact that AI may have on the workforce. The Board suggested that metrics would help the executive and the Board understand if certain activities were having the desired impact and to highlight what was working well and what needed to be changed to achieve recruitment targets. The COO confirmed that work was ongoing to determine whether a range of pilots were working effectively to reduce retention or to at least better understand why staff leave.

Item 6: RASSO

6.1    Suzanne Llewellyn provided the Board with an update on the work ongoing in response to the HMCPSI reports on RASSO. It was noted that the three-point plan was improving the way the CPS responded to victims and witnesses.  

6.2    The Board welcomed the update and queried the level of ambition and pace of change. The DPP confirmed that the quality of RASSO casework was improving and that stakeholders were fully supportive and engaged.  It was agreed that a RASSO update be provided for the Board on a quarterly basis.

Item 7: CPS Performance – Q2 Report

7.1    Tristan Bradshaw provided the Board with an update on the following key issues:

• BP KPIs are on track with five meeting targets and another three expected to do so by year end
• Victim’s letters will not meet the target but there have been improvements
• Pressure in the system is causing some issues during the quarter. Whilst targets on pre-charge won’t be met there is an improvement in performance
• CTLs are increasing.

7.2    The Board queried the data around Victim’s letters, noting the Law Officer’s interest in this area. It was agreed that the data on timeliness and quality measures would be brought back to the Board.

7.3    The Board also queried progress on Digital Jury Bundles and the DPP confirmed that the pilots needed to be evaluated as the model was more expensive than initially thought.

Item 8: Stress Survey Results

8.1    Steve Buckingham and Reece Duffel provided an overview of the Stress Survey Results, confirming that the Workplace Steering Group was engaging with the Unions on the outcome of this and the People Survey. Although it has been agreed that the survey won’t take place every year the intention is to use the Group to continue to drive momentum.

8.2    Survey response rates were low, and the data was being reviewed by location with discussion taking place with Directors and Unions to ensure compliance.

8.3    The Board welcomed the update but queried the usefulness of the survey if the results provided few new insights.  

Item 9: Disproportionality

9.1    Baljit Ubhey and Graham Ritchie provided an update on progress against the disproportionality action plan and the intentions to publish an update for staff to highlight the work that has been done a year on from the results of the review.

9.2    The Board welcomed the update but suggested caution, as there remains disproportionality in the system and the CPS had to be seen to be focused on working towards improving its approach.

9.3    Baljit reemphasised the importance of transparency and accountability, describing the update as a progress report rather than a celebration.  It was noted that the communications have been directed both externally and internally and aim to reinforce that fairness is central to CPS values. The DPP reiterated the organisation’s commitment to addressing unconscious bias.

Item 10: ARAC update

10.1    Peter Kane, ARAC Chair, provided an overview of the October ARAC meeting:

• Deep dive on insider risks
• Limited GIAA work completed but the Committee suggested a rolling programme for future plans
• Positive HMCPSI report on Yorkshire & Humberside.

Item 11: Forward Look

11.1    The Forward Look was noted without comment.

Item 12:  AOB

12.1    No other business was raised.

Meeting closed.

Secretariat – Max Looker & Stephanie Bradshaw

November 2025