Senior Management Team meeting - 20 May 2025
- Welcome and apologies
- Minutes and action log from previous meeting
- Commissioner’s update report
- Corporate communications update
- Policy documents
- Training
- Finance
- Any other business
Attendees
Ilya Zharov Head of Reviews and Policy (IZ)
Irina Wilkie Head of Corporate Communications (IW)
Janice Carter Information Officer (JC) (agenda item 9 only)
Jennifer Fisher Secretariat (JLF)
Judith Cruickshank Senior Administrator (JC2) (observer)
Laura Duguid Finance Manager (LD)
Laura Paton Commissioner (LP)
Phil Chapman Director of Operation (PC) (Chair)
Raymond Brown Head of Investigations (RB)
Sharon Clelland Head of Legal Services (SC)
Sharon Smit Head of Corporate Services (SS)
Welcome and Apologies
PC opened the meeting and welcomed all Senior Leadership Team (SLT) members.
Apologies
With full attendance, no apologies were noted.
Matters proposed to be considered in private
SLT 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
SLT approved the minutes of the April 2025 meeting.
Action Log
2024/2025 3 – RB / SC to review Investigations Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
Update: 20 May 2025 – SC advised the review of the PIRC / Police Scotland (PSoS) / Scottish Pollice Authority (SPA) MOU was now complete. A final formatting check remains to be undertaken and PIRC signature applied, prior to submission to PSoS for countersignature.
IZ requested sight of the amended MOU.
LP requested sight of the revised MOU and previous version.
Following discussion it was agreed that a periodic review date of April 2026 should be applied. This will allow for further review of the MOU following implementation of Body Worn Video (BWV) cameras across the PSoS estate (Autumn 2025).
PC advised he is scheduled to meet with DCC Connors on 11 June 2025, to continue discussions on the PSoS BWV Standard Operating Procedure (SOP).
Action: ongoing
Commissioner’s update report
Update report
Further to the report circulated in advance, LP updated members on the following matters.
Sheku Bayoh Public Inquiry
A public hearing will take place at Capital House, Edinburgh on 12 and 13 June 2025. The hearing will focus on the fairness and the conduct and procedure adopted by the Chair in meeting the families of Sheku Bayoh. Counsel will attend.
Counsel have provided draft closing submissions – LP and SC continue to review these ahead of submission to the Inquiry (to date, no hearing dates have been set for final closing submissions).
Stakeholder engagement
Several introductory meeting invitation letters have been issued to identified external key stakeholders, MSPs, Inspectorates, Committees and Policing Bodies.
The Angiolini Inquiry – Part 2
LP advised she received an invitation to provide evidence to the Angiolini Inquiry .
LP advised that the interview would focus on the investigation and response to police misconduct by the PIRC and the use of Complaints Handling Reviews to improve police standards and public confidence in policing. LP further noted that, as new to post, PC will also attend the interview.
Members noted the update provided.
Corporate Communications update
Update report
IW provided a summary of the Corporate Communications update report (circulated in advance), highlighting the following areas
Strategic Review
IW/Brian Thomas, Crime and Performance Analyst (BT) progressing with communications plan to support the Strategic Review. Comms staff are attending SME sessions.
PIRC Annual report
IW met with all Heads of Department to review report templates and suggested timelines for Report submissions (by end June 2025).
Business Continuity
Comms staff unable to attend Business Continuity meeting scheduled for 27 May – following recent cyber attacks on Co-Op and Marks and Spencer, comms looking at cyber attack responses and learning identified.
Digital Accessibility
PIRC documents being assessed and will look to support wider piece of work across organisation.
PSoS CPD event (Data and Communications, 8 May 2025)
IW attended the event at Police Headquarters, Dalmarnock. The event looked at use of the Target Operating Model (TOM) to plan communications.
LinkedIn/Social Media engagement
Increase in number of page views, unique visitors, impressions and overall engagement rate. LP agreed to share her LinkedIn posting stats with IW.
Members noted the updates provided.
Policy Documents
PIRC Disciplinary Policy
SS provided a brief summary of the changes to the PIRC Disciplinary Policy (May 2025), (circulated in advance).
The following amendments were noted:
Appendix D – third bullet point – insert new bullet point at ‘assault’
Appendix D – change ‘gender’ to ‘sex’ at seventh bullet point
Members approved the policy subject to the above amendments.
PIRC Grievance Policy
SS provided a brief summary of the changes to the PIRC Grievance (circulated in advance).
Members approved the policy as circulated.
PIRC Learning & Development Policy
SS provided a brief summary of the changes to the PIRC Learning & Development Policy (circulated in advance).
The following amendments were noted:
Page 9 – fourth paragraph, second sentence - remove duplicate ‘schedule’
Members approved the policy subject to the above amendment.
Managing Occupational Road Risk – MORR Policy
SS provided a brief summary of the changes to the PIRC MORR Policy (circulated in advance).
Members approved the policy as circulated.
PIRC Guidance – Responding to Correspondence from an Elected Representative
JLF provided a brief summary of the guidance document (circulated in advance).
IW and IZ requested additional time to consider the guidance document. PC agreed and requested that feedback / comments be provided at the Operational Update meeting scheduled for Tuesday 27 May 2025.
25/26 3 Share guidance document with IW/IZ.
Training
Training Report
Further to the report circulated in advance, SS advised members of the following updates.
Individual Training Plan – 22 April 2025
SS reminded members that staff are required to maintain their plan throughout the year, recording all completed training. The plan is to be reviewed by the staff member and Line Manager on a bi-annual basis (at mid year and year end review).
Members noted the update provided.
Finance
Management Accounts to end April 2025
LD advised members that work continues to finalise the 2024/25 year end and April 2025 accounts. Management Accounts for April and May 2025 will be provided at the June SLT meeting.
LD advised members of an approximate £41k staffing cost underspend in April 2025, noting that this was due to delayed pay award, delayed payment of incremental increases and vacancies.
SS advised that SG Main pay negotiations ae not yet finalised. When complete, SS will engage in discussions with Prospect Union Representatives to progress the PIRC Pay negotiations.
Members noted the updates provided.
Any other business
Nil to note