SB(07)23rd Conclusions
MEETING OF THE SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT STRATEGIC BOARD: HELD ON THURSDAY, 27 SEPTEMBER 2007
Present
Sir John Elvidge (chair)
David Fisher (dialling in)
Bill Bound
Robert Gordon CB
Andrew Goudie
Kevin Woods
Philip Rycroft
Richard Wakeford
Apologies received from Owen Kelly.
In Attendance
Sarah Davidson
Donald Cameron
Ruth Parsons (For Agenda Item 4 only)
David Henderson (For Agenda Item 4 only)
Rab Fleming (For Agenda Item 4 only)
Kate Vincent (For Agenda Item 4 only)
Agenda Item 1: Minutes and Matters Arising
1. The minutes of the previous meeting (SB(07)22nd conclusions) were agreed. Under matters arising:
SSR07 Document
2. The Permanent Secretary reminded the Board that he had commissioned work on the draft chapters for the Spending Review document and that responses were required by 3 October. Following discussion the Board agreed the position in relation to targets which was that they would recommend to Ministers that there should be no more targets in the SSR document than was absolutely necessary, and that no new targets should be added. The Board agreed that portfolios such as Health, where targets were an established part of existing performance management systems, should consider how these were handled in the context of the document in order to achieve as much consistency between portfolios as possible. The Board recognised, as a linked issue, the importance of underpinning the indicators with delivery plans to allow performance to be tracked, but that these should sit separately from the main document. The Board also recognised that it would be important to seek early discussion with Mr Swinney on the performance management framework. .
Government Economic Strategy
3. Dr Goudie updated the Board on progress being made in relation to the Government Economic Strategy (GES). He was grateful for contributions from Directors General which showed how each strategic objective was intended to support delivery of the Government's Purpose. The Board agreed that it would be helpful to see a further iteration of the GES which incorporated this material, in order to allow them to amend or supplement their contributions as appropriate (Action: Dr Goudie).
Non Executive Directors
4. The Permanent Secretary said that a note would issue the following week confirming the allocations of non executive directors to Portfolio Audit Committees and Programme Boards, and which would also respond to questions raised by Directors General about the proposed process.
Agenda Item 2: Report from Cabinet
5. Ms Davidson reported on the Cabinet meeting held on Tuesday, 25 September. Formal consideration of the papers on the SSR, Housing and Local Income Tax had been deferred to a future Cabinet agenda.
Agenda Item 3: Strategic Board - Agenda and Priorities (SB(07)47)
6. Ms Davidson introduced paper SB(07)47 which was intended to stimulate discussion about the Board's focus and priorities and to seek agreement to a framework for business over the next 12 months.
7. In discussion the following points were made:
(a) The proposed framework of business was presented as being largely reactive, masking the fact that there were opportunities throughout the year for the Board to engage proactively with high level corporate issues, and to take some significant decisions. These key points should be identified and highlighted appropriately;
(b) The framework should reflect more clearly what Cabinet expected of the Board, and the Board's responsibility for delivering the strategic objectives and the Government's Purpose;
(c) The description of role and purpose in Annex A should be distilled into a more easily communicable form;
(d) Individual Directors General should take responsibility for issues coming before the Board from their directorates. However, an appropriate balance should be struck between that and ensuring that relevant staff involved in particular work attended in support of the DG and to provide expert advice;
(e) Earlier work on the challenge function should be revisited before commencing the audit proposed in paragraph 6 of the paper;
(f) It would be important to ensure that the desired focus on strategic issues was not lost and to strike an appropriate balance between receiving reports and discussion leading to decision. The Board should concentrate on setting the direction for the organisation, making strategic decisions, and on creating the space for others to implement actions;
(g) Responses to the recent feedback exercise conducted by the secretariat were unlikely to have been informed by the conduct of Board meetings, but by interactions with staff and others day to day.
8. The Permanent Secretary, summing up the discussion, said that there was clear support for the proposed framework in Annex B and indicated that the secretariat would develop the forward workplan on that basis. It was clear from discussion, and from the recent feedback exercise, that further consideration was needed about the extent to which greater corporacy was being achieved and that further discussion would be arranged for a future meeting (Action: Cabinet and Corporate Business Secretariat).
Agenda Item 4: SR07 Outcomes and Indicators
9. Ruth Parsons introduced the discussion which was intended to update the Board on progress being made on developing outcomes and indicators in the context of the Strategic Spending Review, and in relation to ongoing discussions with representatives of local government. The Board noted the update and agreed further actions to be taken forward by Ms Parson and others, including the Outcomes, indicators and SSR07 overview group chaired by Robert Gordon. In particular, the Board agreed that Philip Rycroft should represent the Board's interest in taking forward work being done to develop an outcome agreement for local government.
Agenda Item 5: Any Other Business
10. There was no other business. .
Date of Next Meeting
11. Thursday, 4 October at 8.30am.
Cabinet and Corporate Business Secretariat
October 2007