CPS Board meeting minutes - July 2020

Tuesday 28 July 
Microsoft Teams Meeting

Members

Monica Burch (C), Max Hill QC, Rebecca Lawrence, Mark Hammond, Simon Jeffreys, Caroline Wayman

Guests

Simon Jeal, Graham Ritchie, Andrew Dale-Dowd, Sarah Shapcott (PWC), Chris Sharp, Baljit Ubhey, Sue Hemming, Rachel Zaltzman

Secretariat

Head of Private Office, Board Secretariat

Item 1: Minutes of the Last Meeting and Matters Arising

1. The Board reviewed and agreed the minutes of last meeting and progress was noted against outstanding actions

Item 2:  Update from the DPP

2. The DPP provided an update on the following:

• Court listings and use of remote hearings
• Quarterly statistics release, particularly RASSO statistics and strategy launch
• Planned media strategy for the RASSO statistics release 
• Internal resilience and structure in light of covid-19 and ongoing recruitment.

2.1. The Board raised:

• Management of information leaks to the media.

2.2. RL reassured the Board that previous leaks have been appropriately escalated and investigated, and would look to do the same in this case.

Item 3: COVID-19 Response and Recovery Programme

3. Simon Jeal, Deputy Director for Operational Change (SJeal), highlighted the changes in the national average R rating (case receipts and finalisations) since the paper has been written, and noted regional variations. 

3.1.  SJeal outlined the changes to the court backlog.

3.2. The Board raised the following matters:

• If there is a forecast for when there would be a steady decline in the R rating (case receipts and finalisations)
• The impact of more complex cases being left in the backlog, and the effect this would have on backlog reduction timelines
• What was the one single action that would  improve the R rating (in terms of rate of increase of cases)
• The need for national consistency in terms of court practice, and the need for investment in the courts system overall.

3.3. On the Future Working programme, SJeal outlined the update on work since the paper was written, which included 2025 conversations, an engagement plan of work agreed with the unions, engagement with staff networks, and shadowing of staff in the change team to see how new ways of working are implemented.

3.4. SJeal described the work undertaken to ensure a safe return to the office, on productivity and possible changes to future working models.

3.5. The Board raised:

• How the experience of those shielding could shape advice
• The difference in opinion of those wanting to get back into the office, and those wanting to remain totally remote.

3.6. SJeal advised that the staff networks have been active in providing feedback of lived experiences. SJeal advised that the CPS is currently able to manage both ends of the spectrum, but it will be important to have a blend of both remote and office working in the longer term.

Item 4: Business Plan - COVID-19 Scenario Planning and success measures data

4. Graham Ritchie, Deputy Director for Strategy and Policy (GR) noted that there will be a regular quarterly highlight report which will outline success against business plan.

4.1. Sarah Shapcott from PWC (SS) led the Board through the performance dashboard, and highlighted its different uses and functionality.

4.2    The Board discussed:

• how much human input is involved to create the statistics and charts;
• how many of the RAG ratings are qualitative or quantitative;
• if there is a detailed user guide for the dashboard;
• the system’s ability to deliver a simple visual high-level summary.

4.3. SS advised that in time the data input will be automatic, but was not possible on this demonstration. GR further added that at the moment the manual process is as streamlined as possible. GR explained that all of the ratings are qualitative, to enable an open discussion on how and why measures have not gone to plan. GR advised that after summer there would be work on an agreed approach to performance measurement.

4.4. The Board agreed to have a more detailed teach in on the dashboard and its capabilities, before the first quarterly highlight report in October. [ACTION J1]

Item 5: Indicative Future Spending Review Bids

5. Chris Sharp, Finance Director (CS) commented that little is known in terms of the output required for the spending review, and discussed the three scenarios that would need to be considered. CS asked the Board to share if there is anything they thought should be considered in the modelling.

5.1. The Board asked:

If there is a more extreme austerity which should be  modelled;
If we should produce visuals which would highlight what HMT can deliver if there are joint investments across the CJS;
If we are in a position to be explicit with a value of what investment the CPS would need to continue with specified improvements.

5.2. Chris Sharp outlined the work done to explain more fully the role of the CPS to HMT and how we need to continue investment in technology, victims and witnesses, to align with government priorities.

5.3. Baljit Ubhey (BU), Director of Policy and Strategy, discussed her meeting with PMIU.

Item 6: Audit & Risk Committee Annual Report

6. Simon Jeffreys, Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee (SJ) took the paper as read, and opened to the Board for comments or questions.

6.1. The Board thanked the committee for its continued scrutiny and commitment to ensure best practice in actions being clear and having an assigned responsible person.

Item 7: Nominations and Governance Committee Annual Report

7. Caroline Wayman, Chair of the Nominations and Governance Committee (CW) outlined that the new Chief People Officer, Dawn Brodrick, would start in September. All agreed DB would be of great benefit the shaping of the reviewed NGC governance and terms of reference.

Item 8: RASSO 2025 Strategy

8. Sandra McKay, Director of Communications, (SM) described the communications and media handling plan for the statistics release, and highlighted the specialist microsite on the CPS website which will contain further content which will be updated on a regular basis.

8.1. Sue Hemming, Director of Legal Services, (SH) outlined the internal leadership processes in place for the strategy, which included the joint SROs of the programme, Siobhan Blake as CCP RASSO lead and SM as Communications lead, and described the three main operational aims of the strategy.

8.2. BU covered what stakeholder engagement had taken place ahead of the release, and the plans for post release, in light of the ongoing cross government review into rape.

8.3. The Board commented:

• That the document will be released externally, but felt quite internally focussed, and queried how a strategy shaped around the CPS values would translate to victims, witnesses and defendants
• That the strategy could be shaped to show how the actions would impact a victim, witness or defendant journey, and be a clear visual of how the new version is different from the previous, each step along the way of the process
• How can we promote the CPS ongoing understanding and learning on the way in which the crime is developing and changing and the lessons for our Prosecutors
• On the need for a companion commentary piece to the strategy which would land the necessary headlines to impact the press commentary. 

Item 9: Board Effectiveness Evaluation

9    Monica Burch, Chair of the CPS Board (MB) gave an overview of the findings of the Board Effectiveness Evaluation.

9.1. The Board commended SJeal and his team for their work on the evaluation, particularly as this was in conjunction with critical COVID-19 work.

9.2. SJeal added that there is a keen interest across the organisation to know more around the workings of governance, particularly in light of COVID-19 and the decision making.

9.3. The Board suggested attendance at other business as usual meetings, such as steering groups, or virtual visits, to increase their visibility.

9.4. MB added that the BEE would come back to the September Board as a substantive item, with more formulated actions.

9.5. MB agreed that the Secretariat would send out a copy of the BEE for members to read. [ACTION J2]

Item 10: AOB

10. The Board discussed the BLM movement and race more generally, and discussed when would be appropriate for an affirmation statement of Board support on the matter to be published.

10.1. The Board agreed to publish a statement when they have substantive actions to report, and to have a further discussion with RL to get an action plan produced and appropriately supported and resourced.

Secretariat 
July 2020