Senior Management Team meeting - 17 December 2024
Welcome and Apologies
Minutes and Action Log from previous meeting
Commissioner
Communications
Policy documents
Training
Finance
Any other business
Attendees
Ilya Zharov Head of Reviews and Policy (IZ)
Irina Wilkie Communications Manager (IW)
Janice Carter Information Officer (JC) agenda item 9 only
Jennifer Fisher Secretariat (JLF)
Laura Duguid Finance Manger (LD)
Michelle Macleod Commissioner (MM)
Phil Chapman Director of Operations (PC) (Chair)
Raymond Brown Head of Investigations (RB)
Sharon Clelland Head of Legal Services (SC)
Sharon Smit Accountable Officer/Head of Corporate Services (SS)
Welcome and Apologies
PC opened the meeting and welcomed all Senior Management Team (SMT) members.
Apologies
No Apologies were noted
Matters proposed to be considered in private.
SMT agreed to consider agenda items 9-18 in private, for the reasons set out on the agenda.
Minutes and Action Log from previous meeting
Draft Minutes
SMT approved the minutes of the November 2024 meeting.
Action Log
2024/25: AP3 – RB/SC to review Investigations MOU
Action: ongoing
SC advised that the PIRC Investigations MOU currently sits with Police Scotland (PSoS) Legal team. SC and PC to review and progress.
2024/25: AP8 – Prepare briefing for SMT consideration (signpost readers to sources of support)
Action: ongoing
IW advised that SRO McGruer is progressing matters in respect of forming a list of external agencies to signpost service users. Comms will provided an update when available.
Commissioner
Update paper
MM provided a summary of the Commissioner’s update report (circulated in advance), highlighting the following:
Sheku Bayoh Public Inquiry (SBPI)
MM and SC continue to liaise with Counsel to prepare written submissions ahead of closing submissions being presented to the Inquiry in late January 2025.
The Inquiry await a decision from the Deputy First Minister in respect of the request from the family of Sheku Bayoh to extend the terms of reference of the Inquiry.
Police (Ethics, Conduct and Scrutiny) (Scotland) Bill (PECSS BILL)
MM advised that the bill remains at stage 3 (final changes and vote). A deadline for amendments will be added when the stage 3 meeting date is agreed. Further updates will be provided when available.
Internal review of CAAPD report template
MM, PC, SC, RB and Dawn Low, Reports Manager (DL) continue to review the CAAPD report template. The amended report template will be shared with the SIs and DSIs for feedback along with guidelines in respect of the Lord Advocate’s References No. 2 and 3.
Criminal Justice Committee – January 2025
MM, PC and SS will attend the Criminal Justice Committee meeting in January 2025 to speak to the PIRC Annual Reports and Accounts 2023-2024.
Members noted the update provided.
Communications
Update paper
IW provided a summary of the Communications update report (circulated in advance), highlighting the following:
Annual Report 2023-2024
Publisher to provide hard copies of Annual Report.
Strategic Review
Organisational brief is now finalised. A familiarisation session for Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) is scheduled for mid-January 2025.
HR Portal
Lynsay Cooper, Communications Officer (LC) is liaising with The Union (web developers) to progress this project. Further update to be provided regarding timescales and associated costs.
Business Continuity
Scenario testing scheduled for January 2025.
Partnership Working
IW met with Communications colleagues from IOPC last week.
Internal Comms Messages
13 Staff messages and 5 Social Media posts issued; social media views show an increase of 1.3% to 78 with 8 new followers gained and a 7.3% engagement rate increase with approx. 1,600 feeds reached (increase of 958%)
Members noted the update provided.
Policy Documents
Flexible Working Policy
SS provided a summary of the changes made to the PIRC Flexible Working Policy circulated in advance).
Members approved the policy.
Leave Allowance Policy
SS provided a summary of the changes made to the PIRC Flexible Working Policy circulated in advance).
Members approved the policy.
Training
Training Update
SS provided a summary of the Training report for December 2024 (circulated in advance).
SS advised that Training Coordinator, Hazel Wyper (HW) is developing a personal training plan – a template is currently being considered by the Training SPOC group.
HW will attend the SMT meeting in February 2025 to present members with a proposal for the personal training plan and to provide an update to members on a range of training topics.
Members noted the updates provided.
Finance
Management Accounts
LD provided members with a summary of the Management Accounts to the end of November 2024 (circulated in advance), highlighting the following:
Staff costs approx. £28k under spent within the month due to vacancies and delays in filling posts.
Running costs approx. £65k over spent within the month (£40k over spent YTD), due to delays associated with Oracle implementation (invoices paid in November 2024 however budgeted for in other months)
LD assured members that robust budget forecasting will be prepared ahead of year end.
SS advised that she had received verbal notification of the proposed 2025/26 budget and Grant in Aid allocation. SS will continue to liaise with SG Sponsor Team and will provide updates, as necessary.
Members noted the updates provided.
Any other business
Nil
END
Meeting closed at 1206 hrs.