Our business

1. Welcome
2. Minutes and Action Log from previous meeting
3. Commissioner 
4. Communications
5. Policy Documents – Amendments and Updates – for approval
6. Finance

Attendees:

Michelle Macleod 
Commissioner (MM)

Phil Chapman 
Director of Operations (PC)

Sharon Smit 
Accountable Officer / Head of Corporate Services (SS)

Sharon Clelland 
Head of Legal Services (SC)

Ilya Zharov 
Head of Reviews and Policy (IZ)

John McSporran 
Head of Investigations (JMcS)

Laura Duguid 
Finance Manager (LD)

Rhoda Braddick 
Communications Manager (RB)

Jennifer Fisher 
Secretariat (JLF) 

1. Welcome and Apologies

Apologies

PC opened the meeting and welcomed all Senior Management Team (SMT) members.

No apologies were noted.

Matters proposed to be considered in private

SMT agreed to consider agenda items 7 – 12 in private, for the reasons set out on the agenda. 

2. Minutes of previous meeting

Draft Minutes

SMT approved the minutes of the January 2023 meeting.

Action Log

SMT noted the updates to the action log. 

3. Commissioner

Update paper

MML provided a paper to members (circulated in advance) containing detailed updates on a range of ongoing work, drawing attention to the following areas:

• Police Complaints and Misconduct Handling Bill
• Civil Case
• Performance Data Review
• Stakeholder Engagements in February and early March 2023.
• Joint Audit between PIRC and SPA – of Complaint Triage by Police Scotland’s National Complaint Assessment and Resolution Unit (NCARU)
• Discretionary decisions

MML advised that the audit report was now complete, and a draft report would be circulated to IZ, Jacqueline Jeffrey, PC and SC for review and accuracy checking. Following this, the report would be submitted to Police Scotland for Factual Accuracy Checking.

MML advised that the report would be available for publication by end of March 2023.

SMT noted the update provided. 

4. Communications

Update paper

RB provided a detailed summary of the Communications update paper (circulated in advance), drawing attention to the following areas:

• Website / Intranet Development update.
• Site testing by user insight groups is now complete and feedback has been received.
• Visuals options to be further reviewed
  • Work continues to review the content of the online CHR form - Meeting on 3rd March with Web team and Review staff to discuss further.
    • Content migration work continues; additional visuals / animations to be considered.
      Hosting issues: D8 have intimated that the web server will retire. Discussions are ongoing between PIRC and D8 regarding the timeline for this and when the web and intranet sites will move.
      Media enquiries received since last meeting
      PSD Short Life Working Group (SLWG) / Learning Point
      Basic feedback received from Police Scotland PSD staff in relation to Learning Point content.
      Further discussion took place regarding the publication/distribution of PIRC Learning Point on the Police Scotland Intranet and if the publication is reaching the intended audience.

AP 21 – 21/2/23 – MML to confirm with DCC Taylor that PIRC Learning Point is published on Police Scotland Intranet/shared to Divisional Commanders.

AP 22 – 21/2/23 – RB to confirm viewing numbers of PIRC Learning Point from Police Scotland Intranet

Internal Comms Plan April 2023 – March 2024

Members noted the content of the plan

AP 23 – 21/2/23 – SMT to feedback to Comms any proposals to celebrate and acknowledge PIRC’s 10-year anniversary.

Communications Guidance for Internal Group

Members noted the content of the plan

5. Policy Documents – Amendments and Updates

SS provided a brief summary of the amendments made to the policy and letters, circulated in advance.

Overtime and On Call Policy

Members noted the amendments and approved the policy.

Written Statement of Employment Particulars

Members noted and approved the update to the Written Statement of Employment Particulars

Offer Letter

Members noted and approved the update to the Offer of Employment Letter template.

Exit Interview

Members noted and approved the update to the Exit Interview template.

Staff Satisfaction Survey

SS advised that the DRAFT Staff Survey circulated on 8 February had been amended following feedback from the Commissioner.

The updated survey will be provided to SMT for review/comment.

AP24 21/2/23 – Updated survey to be circulated to SMT. Feedback/comments to be provided to SS by 28 February 2023.

6. Finance

Management Accounts to end January 2023

LD provided a summary of the Management Accounts as at end of January 2023 (circulated in advance), drawing attention to the following areas.

• Staffing Costs
• Running Costs
• Overspends and Underspends
• Overspend in relation to Legal Costs

LD advised that the 2023/24 budget allocation has been verbally confirmed;

SMT noted the update provided.

MML acknowledged that all SMT members are aware of budget restrictions and noted that PIRC are taking a ‘cautious approach’ when considering the implementation of the recommendations identified in Dame Angiolini’s’ final report. MML noted that discussions are ongoing between PIRC, the Sponsor Team and the Bill Team in terms of the timescales and financial implications associated with implementing the recommendations made.

MML further noted that further discussions will be held with Department Heads prior to undertaking COPFS referred Investigations where little value can be added or to undertaking CHRs where the complaint made is historical in nature.