Scottish Government

SB(07)27th Conclusions

STRATEGIC BOARD MEETING

7 NOVEMEBER 2007

Agenda Item 1: Minutes and Matters Arising

1. The minutes of the previous meeting (SB(07)26th Conclusions) were agreed. Under matters arising Ms Davidson informed the Board that a timetable was being drawn up for the visit of Mark Lloyd and John Hunter week commencing 3 December 2007.

Agenda Item 2: Report from Cabinet

2. Ms Davidson reported on the Cabinet meeting held on Tuesday, 6th November and said that Cabinet had agreed to sign off the final Spending Review document which was scheduled for publication on 14 November 2007.

Agenda Item 5: Spending Review Communications (Oral Item)

3. The Board agreed to take this agenda item ahead of items 3 and 4. Dr Goudie provided an update on the Strategic Spending Review (SSR). Substantial progress had been made on the drafting of the SSR document, which was due to be finalised the following week, ahead of the Cabinet Secretary's announcement on Wednesday 14th November. Good progress was also being made in discussions with CoSLA about the local government elements of the SSR. Mr Kelly provided an update on communications planning, which was also well advanced.

4. In discussion the following points were made:

(a) Communications plans for staff, key stakeholders and other external audiences were being put into place. There would be a considerable amount of activity on Wednesday 14th around the Cabinet Secretary's announcement. One element would be a public sector stakeholder meeting planned for the evening of the 14th;

(b) It would be helpful if the Spending Review team could produce some core material on which to base the range of different communications, to ensure consistency of approach. Although there would be interest in the detail of the settlement, it would be important not to lose sight of top level messages around the move to an outcome-based approach and the five Strategic Objectives;

(c) The communications plans included SETV messages from the Permanent Secretary and the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth. Individual Ministers were likely to want to undertake communications activity in their portfolio areas. Individual Directors-General and Directors should make appropriate arrangements to brief their staff on the 14th. The Permanent Secretary was due to meet the Trade Union Side the day after the SSR announcement.

5. The Board agreed:

(a) The latest versions of the communication plans should be circulated to Directors-General (Action: Mr Kelly);

(b) Communications Directorate should co-ordinate the production of a core script, drawing on contributions from Philip Rycroft, Robert Gordon, Andrew Goudie and Richard Wakeford (Action: Mr Kelly);

(c) The Spending Review team should produce material on spending comparisons with UK Departments (Action: Ms Robertson).

(d) Details of the meeting with public sector stakeholders should be circulated to Directors-General (Action: Ms Robertson); and

(e) The Permanent Secretary's SETV script should be circulated to Directors-General in advance of it being broadcast. (Action: Mr Watson)

Agenda Item 3: Finance Director's Report (SB(07)55)

6. Alyson Stafford introduced paper SB(07)55 which provided a high level overview of forecast end of year outturn expenditure for 2007-08.

7. In discussion the following key points were made:

(a) The need for robust forecasting was especially critical given that there would be no scope for further draw down of EYF this year. Any overspend in one area would therefore have to be financed by underspend elsewhere, either within portfolios or between portfolios; and

(b) It would be important to give Finance early warning of any new areas of overspend or underspend, should they arise;

(c) The timetable for the Spring budget revision would involve a Cabinet discussion in December and the printing of the budget revision in January.

8. The Board agreed:

(a) Paper SB(07)55 would be circulated to Directors as a means of communicating key messages around forecasting and EYF and these messages would be reinforced locally by Directors-General (Action: Ms Stafford);

(b) Ms Stafford should meet bilaterally with Board members, if she had concerns about the robustness of forecasting in their business areas (Action: Ms Stafford); and

(c) It should consider at a future meeting papers from Ms Stafford on current work on International Financial Reporting Standards and on the Scottish Government's engagement with HM Treasury (Action: Ms Stafford/Cabinet Secretariat).

Agenda Item 4: Update on Simplifying the Delivery Landscape (SB(07)56)

9. Mike Neilson introduced paper SB(07)56, which updated the Board on work to simplify the delivery landscape.

10. In discussion the following key points were made:

(a) The focus of the work remained on establishing a more agile and responsive public sector by identifying places where the complexity of the landscape inhibits this. The First Minister had made public his desire for there to be a 25% reduction in the number of public bodies;

(b) There was a need for a structured approach to engaging with colleagues in public bodies. The work presented a significant opportunity to work with public bodies to make lasting improvements to the delivery of public services in Scotland;

(c) It would be important to make appropriate links with the Crerar report.

11. The Board agreed:

(a) To consider a draft Cabinet paper on Simplifying the Delivery Landscape on 22 November (Action: Mr Neilson/Cabinet Secretariat);

(b) Mr Neilson would meet bilaterally with Board members over the coming week to discuss the potential implications of the project for individual portfolios (Action: Mr Neilson/Board Members); and

(c) The Permanent Secretary should write to Agency Chief Executives to provide an update on progress. (Action: Mr Neilson/Permanent Secretary)

Agenda Item 6: Any Other Business

Secondment opportunity in First Minister's Office

12. Board members were invited to contact the Private Office Manager if they wished to suggest names of staff in their areas who might be interested in taking up a short-term secondment opportunity that had arisen in the First Minister's office.

Board Away Day

13. The agenda for the Board Away Day planned for Tuesday 13th November had been scaled down and a shortened event would now take place in St Andrews House.

Date of Next Meeting

14. Thursday, 15th November at 8.30am.

Cabinet and Corporate Business Secretariat

November 2007