Executive Board Minutes 13 May 2014
PRESENT:-
In the Chair: Commissioner Julia Mulligan (JM)
Officers: Deputy Chief Constable Tim Madgwick (TM); Commissioner’s Chief Executive Officer Joanna Carter (JC); Commissioner’s Chief Finance Officer and Head of Organisation and Development Gary Macdonald (GM); Chief Constable’s Chief Finance Officer and Chief Accountant Jane Palmer (JP); Acting Head of Legal Services Jane Wintermeyer (JW); Commissioner’s Chief of Staff Will Naylor (WN).
Minute taker: Commissioner’s Governance Support Officer Claire Askew (CA).
430. APOLOGIES
Apologies were received for Chief Constable Dave Jones.
431. MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING
Subject to one amendment the minutes of the meeting held on 29 April 2014 were approved for publication.
The following updates were provided:
- JW confirmed legal compliance checks are being undertaken for the Stage 2 Additional Documents (Decision Notice 003/2014). Once these are completed the Decision Notice will be re-submitted to JM for approval and publication.
- GM confirmed that the Police Innovation Fund bids have been submitted to the Home Office.
- TM advised that he had recently chaired a meeting of the Equalities, Diversity and Human Rights Board (EDHR), at which the Codes of Ethics were discussed. TM offered to provide Executive Board Members with the Terms of Reference for the EDHR Board. JM advised that following the recent response from the Home Office regarding Professional Standards, the merit of having an independent panel was being considered. WN to undertake a review of best practice of different force areas.
- JW confirmed that purdah guidance has been circulated on Message of the Day.
The Action Log was noted and the following discussed: - WN confirmed that the Road Safety survey was due to commence imminently, the results of which will be included in the Mobile Safety Camera Vans Decision Notice. JM, TM and WN to discuss and agree the content of the forthcoming Road Safety survey following the Executive Board.
- JM asked to have early sight of the proposed format of the Annual Report prior to it being submitted to the Executive Board. JM confirmed that she has seen different formats and provided feedback on her preference however raised concerns regarding the Print and Design Unit capacity to deliver the designs.
ACTION: Best practice review of Professional Standard models, including ascertaining the value of an Independent panel to be undertaken (Lead: WN).
In order to assist the Print and Design Unit JM requested that structure and content of the report must be finalised prior to being submitted for design. The final version should be provided in a format which clearly identifies what is required for each page. The Board agreed to use this ‘structure, content and design’ process for other publications. JM also requested that an audit of the photography archive in the Corporate Communications Department is undertaken to identify images which are out of date and which are copyright protected, in order to make the images more easily accessible.
ACTION: Photography archive audit to be undertaken by the Corporate Communications Department (Lead: Louise Wood, Head of Communications following her appointment on 16 June 2014).
• JC and TM provided an update on the Delivery Board prioritising resources and capacity for Workstream areas.
432. DECISIONS REQUIRED
a) Annual Governance Statement: This discussion paper seeks an indication of preference for the format of the Annual Governance Statement (AGS) which will accompany the annual accounts. JM was in agreement that the report must be reader friendly and have greater accessibility and that in doing this the change in format must be clearly articulated. The Board were in agreement that the report must include the following elements:
1. Comply with the auditors requirements;
2. Review against last year’s actions;
3. Describe the governance environment (including relevant documents);
4. Identify the challenges and improvement for next year;
5. Allow the organisation to understand the report and ways of working.
JM again suggested that the structure, content and design process is used. GM will provide feedback from the Executive Board to the report author. The Board agreed that in order to allow sufficient time for the draft format to be developed, that the Draft Annual Report Format is rescheduled from 20 May 2014 to 27 May 2014.
ACTION: GM to provide feedback to report author;
ACTION: Draft Annual Report Format to be rescheduled for 27 May 2014.
Accounts Format (Discussion): This discussion was reflective of the AGS discussion (above). JM requested that as the Commissioner and the Chief Constable must provide separate accounts that the documents are individually branded.
ACTION: JP to develop draft Accounts format with feedback from the Executive Board.
ACTION: Draft Statements of Accounts to be scheduled for Executive Board on 24 June 2014.
Decisions made by the Chief Executive Officer, the Heads of Function, the Chief Finance Officers and Force Solicitor using delegated authority (report for a decision): JP advised that further work is being undertaken to reduce the number of Single Tender Actions and for Heads of Departments to challenge and ensure value for money. The Board agreed that this document should be publishable and that an additional column should be included at appendix A to identify the reason why Single Tender Action had been selected. JC requested that a quality assurance process is undertaken prior to publication.
ACTION: Appendix A to be developed for future publication (lead JP);
ACTION: Quality assurance process for Appendix A to be undertaken by Civil Disclosure (to be confirmed).
ACTION: JP to incorporate the above updates to the Executive Board in the Delegated Decision report scheduled for 27 May 2014.
Members discussed the procurement process for contracts under £50k. Concern was expressed about issues that have arisen since the over £50k was transferred to region, including the limited availability of management information.
ACTION: TM and JC to ensure that risks are appropriately recorded on the risk register;
ACTION: JP explained that she is preparing a proposal for additional recommendations to deal with the backlog of contracts under £50k, including ensuring that procurement processes are correctly followed 100% of the time and specified information published appropriately.
Members also discussed the process for the publication of over £500k contract information. WN confirmed that the OPCC information is published regularly.
ACTION: JP and JW to confirm that published contract information for the Chief Constable is up to date.
433. DECISIONS AND DELEGATED MATTERS TO NOTE
Decision Making Forecast: The Board noted the report and agreed the following updates:
• Draft Annual Governance statement version 1 rescheduled to 27 May 2014 from20 May 2014;
• Tour de France – report for a decision scheduled for 27 May 2014;
• Draft Statement of Accounts scheduled for 24 June 2014;
• Airborne Data link Decision Notice rescheduled to 27 May 2014 from 22 July 2014.
JC requested that a meeting is scheduled for JM; JC; WN; and Caroline Blackburn to discuss the Police and Crime Plan and Annual Report (scheduled for 03 June 2014 and weekly thereafter throughout June). Consultation meeting with the Chief Constable also needs to be scheduled ACTION: Consultation meeting between DJ, JM, JC, WN and CB to be scheduled (Lead CA).
JC also requested that a meeting is scheduled for JM; DJ; JC and Di Burton and Barbara Paterson (Interim Head of Communications) to discuss the Leadership Event on 08 May 2014 (scheduled for 03 June 2014).
ACTION: Leanne Dudhill to provide summaries from Leadership Event.
434. MATTERS ARISING FROM CORPORATE PERFORMANCE AND SCRUTINY GROUP
There were no matters for discussion.
435. CONCEPTS AND/OR INITIATIVES TO BE DISCUSSED
There were no matters for discussion.
436. NATIONAL OR LOCAL DEVELOPMENTS/CONSULTATIONS
a) APCC, HMIC and ACPO Updates and Communications: The report was noted.
b) Events: The report was noted.
• The ACPO Conference is scheduled for 17/18 June 2014, to be held in Harrogate, hosted by NYP. JM has been invited to attend the opening and DJ and TM will be in attendance. Executive Board re-scheduled for 16 June 2014.
• The APCC Conference will be taking place in November, again in North Yorkshire. The Board agreed that this may be an opportunity to showcase the police service in North Yorkshire.
ACTION: Schedule to be drafted for APCC Conference (Lead: WN and Interim Head of Communications).
437. FORTHCOMING EVENTS OR COMMUNICATIONS
There were no matters for discussion.
438. FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT
The Board discussed FOI 1029.2013-14 which requests information not held in an easily retrievable format.
The response would require an estimated 1500 hours to research and provide an accurate response for. The Board agreed that FOI applicant should be contacted to ask if they can refine their FOI.
439. ANY OTHER BUSINESS
The Board confirmed NYP identification and warrant cards do not need be amended to reflect the Chief Constables and Commissioner’s signatures.
440. DATE OF NEXT MEETING
The next meeting of the Executive Board will take place at 10am on Tuesday 20 May 2014 at the OPCC, Harrogate.