Senior Management Team meeting - 20 August 2024
- Welcome and Apologies
- Minutes and Action Log from previous meeting
- Commissioner
- Communications
- Policy Documents – Amendments and Updates
- Training
- Finance
- Any other business
Attendees
Michelle Macleod Commissioner (MM)
Phil Chapman Director of Operations (PC)
Sharon Smit Accountable Officer/Head of Corporate Services (SS)
Ilya Zharov Head of Policy and Reviews (IZ)
Irina Wilkie Communications Manager (IW)
Janice Carter Information Officer (JC) agenda item 9 only
Laura Duguid Finance Manger (LD)
Raymond Brown Head of Investigations (RB)
Sharon Clelland Head of Legal Services (SC)
Jennifer Fisher Secretariat (JLF)
1. Welcome and Apologies
1.1 Apologies
PC opened the meeting and welcomed all Senior Management Team (SMT) members.
1.2 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.
2. Minutes and Action Log from previous meeting
2.1 Draft Minutes
SMT approved the minutes of the July 2024 meeting.
2.2 Action Log
2023/24: AP11 – SMT/Staff Q&A Session(s) – dates identified:
Reviews 28.8.2024, Investigations 23/9/2024, 02/10/2024, 08/10/2024, Corporate Services, Communications and Executive Assistant – 24/09/2024
Action: Complete
2023/24: AP1 – IZ/Hate Crime Act – update report for AAC meeting
Action: Complete
2023/24: AP2 – Review team to carry our Business Continuity test
Action: Complete
2023/24: AP3 – RB to look at investigation MOU and liaise with SC. Update 20/08/2024: NR to support review of MOU. Meeting RB/NR/SC to be scheduled to undertake review and amend MOU as required.
Action: ongoing
3. Commissioner
3.1 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 scheduled to meet with Counsel on 21 August.
PECSS Bill
Response to Criminal Justice Committee’s (CJC) Stage 1 report drafted and shared with PC, SS and SC for review.
Meeting with Crown Agent
MM scheduled to meet Crown Agent on 21 August.
Members noted the update provided.
4. Communications
4.1 Update paper
IW provided a summary of the Communications update paper (circulated in advance), highlighting the following:
Annual Report 2023-2024: Timetable
IW met with designers on 19 August: front cover design options reviewed and agreed.
Report Publication
Two Public Facing Reports (Taser incidents from April 2023 and March 2023) to be published 21 August..
Learning Point
Autumn publication progressing – Comms team meeting with HOI and HORP to review content.
PIRC/PSD Liaison Event
Meeting with PSD scheduled for September, approach to be agreed to maximise event impact / outcomes.
FOI Request: Sheku Bayoh Public Inquiry costs
FOI response prepared for publication.
Social Media
Publication of 6-stage Audit Report via LinkedIn: Moderate overall engagement with post appearing on approx. 1k viewer feeds (with approx. 70 users opening the link to view the report).
Publication Policy – see agenda item 5.6
Members noted the update provided.
5. Policy Documents – Amendments and Updates
5.1. Risk Management Policy
SS provided members with a summary of the amendments made to the Risk Management Policy (circulated in advance), noting that changes were made to reflect current practices and following recommendations made by the Audit and Accountability Committee (AAC) in August 2024.
Members approved the policy.
5.2. Records Management Policy
SS provided members with a summary of the amendments made to the Records Management Policy (circulated in advance), noting that changes were made to provide clarity to staff and to recognise impact of new legislation.
Members approved the policy.
5.3. Adverse Weather Policy
SS provided members with a summary of the amendments made to the Adverse Weather Policy (circulated in advance), noting that changes reflected the change to the main office telephone line opening hours and the approaching move to a 35-hour working week (October 2024).
Members approved the policy.
5.4. Menopause policy
SS provided members with a summary overview of Menopause Policy (circulated in advance). SS advised that the policy was created to increase awareness of Menopause and provide staff with guidance to better support colleagues, friends and family members who may experience symptoms associated with Menopause. PC raised the issue of awareness and the delivery of training on the subject. SS advised it was a topic included in the all staff training programme.
Members approved the policy.
5.5. Digital Strategy 2024
SS provided members with a summary overview of the Digital Strategy (circulated in advance). SS advised that the strategy was developed in response to recommendation 4 of the 2023/2024 audit: ‘The Commissioner should introduce a digital strategy to capture the broad range of information technologies utilised and help identify any information technology weaknesses”.
Members approved the policy.
5.6. Publication Policy
IW provided members with a summary of the amendments made to the Publications Policy (circulated in advance), noting that the changes removed unnecessary internal process and technical details providing a clearer focus on what PIRC publish and why within defined legal and industry parameters. IW further noted that once approved the policy would be published to the PIRC website.
Members approved the policy.
6. Training
SS provided a summary of the Training report for August 2024 (circulated in advance).
SS advised that Hazel Wyper, Training Coordinator (HW) is currently developing a skills matrix for each role within the organisation. The matrix will be shared with SMT when available.
PC asked for clarification on the selection criteria for the Open University Human Rights and law (free course). SS advised that staff volunteered to undertake this learning and the abstraction from core business will be absorbed by other team members within the department.
RB advised that Police Scotland are extending ‘Rights of the Child’ training / webinars to Police staff. RB to liaise with IZ and HW to ascertain if training / webinars could be made available to PIRC staff (Reviews and Investigations).
Members noted the updates provided.
7. Finance
7.1. Management Accounts
LD provided members with a summary of the Management Accounts to end July 2024 (circulated in advance). LD highlighted the following:
- Grant in Aid underspend approx. £18k
- Staffing Costs underspend approx. £39k due to vacancies and delays in recruitment.
- Running Costs overspend approx.. £83k due to IT Support costs in July with budget in June 2024
- Net overspend position approx. £44k is not permanent
- YTD underspend of approx. £110k
- Budget forecast position to be re-added to Finance Report as per request from Sponsor Team.
- Finance team continue to work with Audit Scotland ahead of annual audit commencing on 4 September.
Members noted the updates provided.
8. Any other business
Nil of note.