MEETING OF THE SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT STRATEGIC BOARD: HELD ON THURSDAY, 21 FEBRUARY 2008
Present
Sir John Elvidge KCB (chair)
Robert Gordon CB
Andrew Goudie
Philip Rycroft
Richard Wakeford
Lesley Fraser (for Angiolina Foster)
David Fisher (by teleconference)
Bill Bound
Apologies had been received from Kevin Woods and Angiolina Foster.
In Attendance
Alyson Stafford
Paul Gray
Andrew Baird
Sarah Davidson
Lesley Sheppard
Mike Neilson (For Agenda Item 2 only)
Linda Sinclair (For Agenda Item 2 only)
Fiona Montgomery (For Agenda Item 4 only)
Nicola Paterson (For Agenda Item 4 only)
Ken Thomson (For Agenda Item 7 only)
Gerald Byrne (For Agenda Item 7 only)
Julie Hoey (For Agenda Item 7 only)
Introductory Comments
The Strategic Board were observed by 3 colleagues from the Employee Engagement Team, Cabinet Secretariat and Corporate Communications who were welcomed to the meeting.
Agenda Item 1: Matters Arising from Previous Minutes
1. The Board noted the minutes of the meeting of 24 January 2008 (SB(08)2nd Conclusions). There were no matters arising.
Agenda Item 2: Update on Public Sector Simplification (SB(08)05)2. Mike Neilson introduced paper SB(08)05 which provided an update on the public sector simplification programme and set out the detailed implementation arrangements. 3. The Strategic Board:
(a) Thanked Mr Neilson and his team for an excellent and robust piece of work;
(b) Endorsed the implementation arrangements involving the use of the Gateway Review process to provide assurance on critical success factors with specific and proportionate plans to be put in place for each project/proposal;
(c) Noted that the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth also endorsed this approach and would undertake the role of consistency and impetus across portfolios while portfolio Ministers would take the lead on delivery;
(d) Agreed that there was a need for both rigorous challenge and effective support from the centre and that guidance from HR and Finance would be necessary to ensure consistency of approach (Action: Director CCS/Director Finance);
(e) Agreed that the core Scottish Government should take on the role of strategic oversight of HR issues associated with simplification of the public sector, in particular in managing the redeployment of skills and people across the public sector; and
(f) Highlighted the need for clear and consistent communications around the simplification agenda both within and outwith the organisation.
Agenda Item 3: Finance Director's Report (SB(08)06)4. Alyson Stafford introduced paper SB(08)06 which provided a high level overview of forecast end of year out turn expenditure informed by the first 10 months of 2007-8 taking into account the proposed spring budget revisions. 5. The Strategic Board:
(a) Noted the forecast underspend on DEL budgets and the scope that existed for release of some funding;
(b) Agreed there was a need to strike a balance between full and effective use of financial resources and minimising the risk of overspend from unexpected expenditure late in the year or post year end;
(c) Reviewed identified risks and agreed it was prudent to release some revenue spend (Action: Finance Director); and
(d) Emphasised the need to keep the Director of Finance informed of any changes to forecast emerging as information becomes available.
Agenda Item 4: Public Sector Pay Policy (SB(08)07)
The record of discussion under this agenda item is considered exempt from publication at this time and has been redacted.
Agenda Item 5: Scottish Government's Approach to Strategies (SB(08)08)8. Lesley Fraser introduced paper SB(08)08 which provided an overview of the current strategy landscape and set out some key issues for the Strategic Board's consideration. 9. The Strategic Board:
(a) Noted that the context for strategies had changed considerably over the last 9 months and that there was a need for improved strategic coherence;
(b) Highlighted the Government Economic Strategy (GES) as a primary driver of activity, with other plans flowing from it where necessary;
(c) Noted that there would be a need to set out how the GES will be delivered through plans which sit beneath it to help build internal coherence and connection to the overall purpose;
(d) Emphasised that more clarity on the future use of strategies should be achieved through effective communications rather than through extensive written guidance; and
(e) Agreed that there was no need to take action on the legacy of strategies from the previous administration as these would be recast in different forms over time, if appropriate.
Agenda Item 6: Internal Review of Strategy Unit and Delivery Division and Forward Workplan (SB(08)09)10. Lesley Fraser introduced paper SB(08)09 which advised the Strategic Board of the outcomes of the internal review of the Strategy Unit and Delivery Division (SUDD) and sought endorsement of a forward workplan. 11. The Strategic Board:
(a) Recognised that the tasks set out in the paper around organisational performance and coherence around the government purpose were necessary but that the exact nature of how teams should be organised to deliver them required further consideration; (Action: Permanent Secretary);
Agenda Item 7: The National Conversation: Priorities and Capacity (SB(08)10)12. Ken Thomson introduced paper SB(08)10 which provided the Board with an initial assessment of policy issues which could be seen as priorities for the national conversation, together with an assessment of the organisations capacity to support this work. 13. The Strategic Board:
(a) Welcomed the paper as a useful basis for further discussion with Cabinet Secretaries;
(b) Emphasised the need to set out for Ministers the reasoning behind the proposed first, second and third order priorities and how these relate to delivery of the Governments Purpose; and
Agenda Item 8: Any Other Business14. The Board noted that the Scottish Government Non Executive Directors had met in February as part of their programme of development and networking events.
Date of Next Meeting
15. Thursday, 20th March 2008 at 9.30 in Meridian Court, Glasgow.