CPS Board meeting minutes - April 2024
11 April, 2024, 14:00-17:00pm, Petty France and via MS Teams
Members
Monica Burch (Chair) (Lead Non-Executive Board Member), Stephen Parkinson (DPP), Simon Jeffreys (NEBM), Dawn Brodrick (Chief People Officer & Lead Director), Greg McGill (DLS & Lead Director), Kathryn Stone (NEBM)
Guests
Steve Buckingham (Chief Financial Officer), Baljit Ubhey (Director of Strategy & Policy), Tristan Bradshaw (Interim Director of Operational Change & Delivery), Rachel Zaltzman (Deputy Director of Policy & Strategy), Ella Morrell (Senior Strategy Advisor), Jenny Offord (Head of Victims Services), Andrew Rickerd, Caitlin Devereux (Head of Victims Transformation)
Secretariat
Max Looker, Stephanie Bradshaw
Apologies
Subo Shanmuganathan (NEBM)
Item 1: Declaration of Interests
1.1 No additional conflicts of interest were raised.
Item 2: Minutes of the last meeting and matters arising
2.1 The Board reviewed and agreed the minutes.
2.2 The Board noted the actions that had been closed during the last month and that the majority of open actions were on track for completion.
Item 3: Update from the Lead Directors
3.1 Greg provided an update on:
Case Strategy
- EG are due to discuss the revised policy later in the month, incorporating feedback from the Trade Unions meetings.
3.2 Dawn provided an update on:
Headcount / Budget
Industrial Relations
- PCS is in ballot and the FDA are concerned about workloads, stress related absence and staff resilience.
- Hybrid working policy is due to be considered by the Executive later in April.
Portfolio Oversight Group
3.3 The Board welcomed the updates and raised concerns about the possibility of strike action. Dawn confirmed that there was a real possibility of strike action, but it would Civil Service wide and not simply a CPS issue and would affect the CJS because of the system wide impact.
3.3 The Board also suggested it would be useful to have an update on the work of the POG in the near future.
Item 4: Budget 2024/25
4.1 Steve provided an update on budgets for 2024/25, focusing on the following key points:
- There had been some adjustment to the figures in the paper following agreement by EG.
- A headcount cap was being enforced by HMT, although the actual figure had yet to be confirmed.
- This cap formed the basis of a large part of the discussions with the Executive.
- A standardised forecasting process is being used to better understand likely prosecution costs.
4.2 The DPP confirmed that there had been some good work done by the Executive to reach this point.
4.3 The Board highlighted the risk of large cases coming to CPS in the coming months and sought assurances that there would be a strategy in place for managing increased workloads. The DPP confirmed that consideration would be given to the reallocation of resources as and when required and that there remained a commitment to the growth of the legal cadre.
4.4 The Chair noted the Shadow Board feedback regarding the CPS’ well-being offer and Dawn noted that the offer remained a good one but there was more to do. The DPP highlighted that he was keen for staff to get back into the office to help build personal relationships and improve conversations between staff and managers.
Item 5: Continuous Improvement
5.1 The Chair welcomed Tristan to the meeting, and he provided the following key points:
- The Programme is intended to improve efficiency and is very timely with the increasing workloads and headcount pressures.
- There was a focus on ensuring that the changes/improvements identified were able to land well on the front-line.
- Governance arrangements had been set out and the Programme Board was due to meet in the next few days.
- Six Sigma training had been delivered to the team.
5.2 The Board welcomed the update and encouraged the team to focus on the outcomes of the programme.
5.3 Tristan confirmed that, the People function is helping the team get up to speed with what was required and it was building a group of enthusiasts who would help drive the programme across all Areas and Divisions.
5.4 The DPP confirmed that it was important to use external support to help deliver the programme and to work closely with all parts of the organisation.
Item 6: Transitions Update – Election / New Government
6.1 The Board welcomed Baljit Ubhey, Rachel Zaltzman and Ella Morrell to the meeting. They provided an overview of the key issues, including:
- Parliamentary engagement had stepped up a gear in the run up to the General Election.
- Welcomed the DPP’s appetite for CPS being influential.
- Work was ongoing to prepare for select committee attendance and relationship with clerks was improving which helped ensure the sessions were suitable and interesting for the members.
- A list of Key asks had been discussed with EG and further work with the DPP was being planned.
6.2 The Board welcomed the paper and discussion, commenting that this was a very positive approach to take. It was agreed that Kathryn Stone should be consulted on select committee preparation due to her experience when the independent Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards. It was also noted that it was intended that there would be Cabinet Office training sessions and SPD led rehearsals to support the DPP for his select committee appearances.
6.3 The Board also acknowledged the work being undertaken at Area level to ensure local MPs understood the work of the CPS and that wider cross-Government work was being completed to ensure Minister’s were being briefed on CPS priorities.
6.4 The DPP noted a good meeting had taken place with Vera Baird and Rachel confirmed that relationships were improving across the board and highlighted the work that the Wales CCP had undertaken on devolution in Wales.
Item 7: Victim Transformation
7.1 Baljit was joined by Andrew Rickerd, Jennifer Offord and Caitlin Devereux. They provided an overview of the Victim Transformation Programme, focusing on the following key issues:
- A reduction in funding was agreed for the 2024/25 budget round which has provided the team with the opportunity to step back and review the whole programme to ensure it continues to be aligned with the intended outcomes.
- The DPP has expressed his intention for the programme to be focussed on keeping the victims engaged.
- Responding to the findings of the HMCPSI remained a priority.
- Modifications would be made to the scope of the work where blockages were being identified.
- The team were working closely with DID to ensure improvements could be delivered.
7.2 The Board highlighted the need to ensure that duplication was reduced as it wasted resources and complicated matters for often confused victims.
7.3 The Board also raised the points made by the Shadow Board on staff well-being. Jenny and Caitlin noted that staff welfare was a priority, and they were working with other departments to design a welfare support package for colleagues and that work was ongoing with victims’ groups to evaluate the offers available. It was also confirmed that lessons were being learned from Op Soteria, where there was some correlation between the number of times offers are made to staff and the likelihood of the offer being accepted.
7.4 The DPP suggested that the programme would need to undergo an evaluation at some point in the near future to provide the Board with assurance that it was delivering the intended outcomes. It was confirmed that a contract was in place for an external evaluation. The Chair also suggested that the Programme align itself with the Continuous Improvement Programme and it was agreed that this was already in the early stages of the Programme Boards thinking.
7.5 The Board noted that staff were being provided with training which included videos from victims and that it was being seen as a very powerful way to ensure the voice of the victim was front and centre.
Item 8: AOB
8.1 The Chair noted that this would be the last meeting for Greg and Dawn as Lead Directors and thanked them for all their hard work and efforts during the last few months.
8.2 The Chair also, on behalf of the Board, wished Greg a happy retirement from the CPS and thanked him for his years of service.
8.3 There was no further business raised.