SB(09)3rd Conclusions
MEETING OF THE SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT STRATEGIC BOARD: HELD ON THURSDAY, 19 MARCH 2009
Present
Sir John Elvidge KCB (chair)
Robert Gordon CB
Andrew Goudie
Stella Manzie CBE
Philip Rycroft
Alyson Stafford (Agenda Item 5 only)
Kevin Woods
Bill Bound
Heather Logan
Apologies: Richard Wakeford and David Fisher
In Attendance
Angiolina Foster
Sarah Davidson
Andrew Watson
Elinor Mitchell
Fiona Watt
Katie Wood
Andrew Scott (Agenda Item 2 only)
Stephen Kerr (Agenda Item 2 only)
Paul Gray (Agenda Item 3 only)
Joyce Clemie (Agenda Item 3 only)
Douglas Greig (Agenda Item 4 only)
Ken Thomson (Agenda Item 6 only)
David Rogers (Agenda Item 6 only)
Donald Cameron (Agenda Item 6 only)
Liz Hunter (Agenda Item 7 only)
Kate Vincent (Agenda Item 7 only)
David Hall (Agenda Item 8 only)
Willie Paul (Agenda Item 8 only)
Anita Morrison (Agenda Item 9 only)
Diana Wilkinson (Agenda Item 9 only)
Agenda Item 5: Finance Director's Report (SB(09)15)
1. Alyson Stafford introduced paper SB(09)15 which reported on key financial developments, including a high level overview of forecast end of year outturn expenditure informed by spending in the first 11 months of 2008-09.
2. Ms Stafford said there was a need to monitor cash management extremely carefully at this point in the financial year.
3. Points made in discussion:
(b) It would be necessary to monitor all possible end-year adjustments until the signing of the accounts, scheduled for 23 September 2009;
(c) It would be important to ensure that finance teams were kept informed of all material changes to financial circumstances.
(d) The continuing improvement in performance levels towards the 10 day payment target had been achieved by speeding up the process with no compromise on the validity checks; and
Part of the record of discussion under this agenda item is considered exempt from publication at this time and has been redacted.
4. The Strategic Board agreed that:
(a) Directors-General should ensure that all material finance matters were brought to the attention of the Finance Director immediately; (Action: All) and
(b) Discussion on the strategy for the 2009-10 budget, including priorities for spend, should take place at the Board meeting in April. (Action: Finance Director and Cabinet and Corporate Business Secretariat)
Agenda Item 1: Minutes and Matters Arising
5. The Strategic Board agreed the minutes of the meeting held on 19 February (SB(09)2nd Conclusions).
6. The Strategic Board noted:
(a) The introduction of the action tracker and asked the Cabinet and Corporate Business Secretariat to provide an exception report for the tracker for each meeting of the Board once Board members had provided the necessary information to allow that tracker to be updated; (Action: Cabinet and Corporate Business Secretariat) and
(b) That the tracker showing the forthcoming business of the Board would shortly be available across the Scottish Government.
[Alyson Stafford left the meeting]
Agenda Item 2: Higher Education
Part of the record of discussion under this agenda item is considered exempt from publication at this time and has been redacted.
Agenda Item 3: Management Information on People (SB(09)14)
8. Stella Manzie introduced paper SB(09)14 which provided information on the workforce of the core Scottish Government. The purpose of the paper was to enable the Board to: understand the nature and the profile of the workforce; manage proactively the issues raised by that profile; and ensure the distribution of staffing resources was fair, aligned to the needs of the business and achieved the delivery of the Purpose in a way that represented best value for money. This was the first of a series of papers which would be presented to the Board in this area.
10. The Strategic Board agreed:
(a) That further work should be commissioned. (Action: Director General Finance and Corporate Services; Director, Change & Corporate Services; and HR Services) and
(b) The Board would receive quarterly reports on management information on the workforce. (Action: Director General Finance and Corporate Services; Director, Change & Corporate Services; and Cabinet and Corporate Business Secretariat)
11. On behalf of the Permanent Secretary and the Strategic Board, Robert Gordon welcomed the Scottish Government officials who joined the meeting at this point to observe the proceedings.
Part of the record of discussion under this agenda item is considered exempt from publication at this time and has been redacted.
Agenda Item 4: Update on the Economy
12. Dr Goudie introduced this item which, was the first of regular monthly updates to the Board on the economy and circulated slides (SB(09)3rd Meeting - Presentation - Agenda Item 3 - State of the Economy) to be considered alongside this item. Dr Goudie explained the difference between this recession and the previous three was that this one had been initiated by a crisis in the financial sector and that had led to synchronised recessions across the world. The downwards change in Gross Domestic Product over the last six months had been around 6% which was a very significant shift in such a short time and had also occurred over a much shorter period than in previous recessions.
15. Dr Goudie said that the specific roles for the Strategic Board regarding the ERP could include; assistance in refreshing the ERP; stimulating the whole of the public sector to contribute; supporting the SOA process and contribution at local level; and assistance in monitoring and reporting assurances regarding the delivery of the published ERP; .
16. Points made in discussion:
(b) Collaborative working between various elements of the public sector would help the development of innovative ideas, which could be included in the ERP. Evidence-based knowledge from previous recessions should also be captured, ensuring those ideas which are known to work are not missed;
(c) The good work being carried out by the Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE), for example in Freescale, was acknowledged and should not be underestimated;
(d) The likely duration of the recession would affect the labour market and consideration should be given to the post-recovery economy and the skills required in the new job market; and
(e) The whole Government, including NDPBs, should both assist and be involved in the collective endeavour of the ERP.
17. The Strategic Board agreed:
(a) A presentation on the economic downturn and ERP should be given to the Justice and Communities "family" Board; (Action: Douglas Greig)
(d) Directors-General would give support to Directors in identifying interventions and measures for the ERP. (Action: All Directors-General)
Part of the record of discussion under this agenda item is considered exempt from publication at this time and has been redacted.
Agenda Item 6: National Conversation/Referendum Projects (SB(09)16)
18. Ken Thomson introduced paper SB(09)16 which updated the Strategic Board on progress on the National Conversation/Referendum projects since the last report received by the Board in December 2008.
20. The Strategic Board agreed:
(a) That the momentum on the projects should continue.
[Andrew Goudie left the meeting]
Part of the record of discussion under this agenda item is considered exempt from publication at this time and has been redacted.
Agenda Item 7: Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2014 (SB(09)17)
21. Liz Hunter introduced paper SB(09)17 which provided an overview of the Scottish Government's activity to: ensure the success of the Commonwealth Games 2014 (the Games); and to provide a lasting and positive legacy from the Games. The paper outlined current issues on which Strategic Board steer would be welcomed.
22. Points made in discussion:
(b) It might be worth reviewing the experience of the Commonwealth Games of 1986 and identifying key learning points;
(c) The governance arrangements, at each level of planning, should make clear the remit of the different groups;
(f) It was anticipated that the Games Legacy Plan would be launched in Summer 2009. Suggestions for inclusion in the plan should be made in the next few weeks;
(g) The formal handover from the games in Delhi in 2010 would be an important landmark event; and
(h) The roles and opportunities for volunteers would be substantial. Information on the timeframe for volunteering would be provided in due course.
23. The Strategic Board agreed that:
(b) Suggestions for inclusion in the Games Legacy Plan should be provided by the end of April.
Part of the record of discussion under this agenda item is considered exempt from publication at this time and has been redacted.
Agenda Item 8: The Case for a Corporate Digital Strategy (SB(09)18)
24. Sarah Davidson introduced paper SB(09)18 which invited the Board, as part of its role to look ahead, anticipate and be ready for the opportunities and challenges which may lie in the future, to agree next steps in digital communications. The purpose of the proposals were two-fold: first, to maximise effective engagement with the public; and, second, to enable the Government to take advantage of future opportunities. It would involve a change in approach to communications across the organisation and would require sustained effort to realise the benefits of this new approach.
25. Points made in discussion:
(a) The creation of web content must be taken seriously and carefully across the organisation and, when appropriate, given priority over other forms of communication;
(b) Discipline would be needed to maintain properly, with appropriate professionalism, the Government's corporate identity on websites. The current use of Web Information Coordinators (WICs) and Super WICs as a form of quality assurance of website content did not appear to working to full effect;
(c) Substantial shifts on current practice would be required to deliver the changes in approach proposed. It would be important to recognise that not all staff would immediately understand how to deal with the new media and this would present particular challenges, requiring elements of cultural change;
(d) It would be important to recognise and consider the potential tension between the informality of engagement often experienced when using the newer media and the need for Government to engage in an appropriate, professional manner;
(e) The benefits of the new way of working would need to be explained clearly to staff; changes should be phased in; and
(f) Given the scale of the changes proposed, there might be merit in using a formal project management approach, such as PRINCE. Such an approach might provide a more effective method to deliver and mitigate risks than the Digital Advisory Panel proposed in the paper.
26. The Strategic Board agreed that:
(a) The Scottish Government website ( www.scotland.gov.uk) was the appropriate, principal and most important medium of mass communication;
(b) The Communications Directorate should deal with ineffective and inappropriate websites and content, to ensure the Government on-line presence is presented in a unified, strategic and cost-effective manner; (Action: Communications Directorate)
(c) Directors-General should seek assurance from Directors that web-based communications are given priority and due consideration and engagement in their area; (Action: All) and
(d) Communications Directorate would consider how best to deliver the substantial changes proposed in the paper, including the potential role of a Digital Advisory Panel and of a formal project management tool. (Action: Director of Communications and Communications Directorate)
Agenda Item 9: Review of Policy Making in the Scottish Government (SB(09)19)
27. Philip Rycroft introduced paper SB(09)19 which set out the findings of the recently completed Review of Policy Making (the Review). Anita Morrison said that Annex C of the paper set out the new characteristics of good policy making arising from the Review.
28. Points made in discussion:
(a) The outcome of the Review would be taken into account in the current review of the Government's Skills and Learning Strategy. The characteristics of good policy making could be turned into attributes (skills and knowledge) required by policy makers;
(b) The political dimension in policy making might require further consideration; and
(c) The previous discussion on the digital strategy highlighted the need to change the nature of engagement with stakeholders and partners. This should be reflected in the characteristics of good policy making.
29. The Strategic Board agreed that the broad model outlined in the paper was acceptable and that the next step would be to turn the 'characteristics' into desired skills and attributes for policy makers. This would be linked to the Skills and Learning Strategy. (Action: Director General Education; Director General Finance and Corporate Services; and Office of the Chief Researcher)
Agenda Item 10: Any Other Business
30. The Strategic Board noted that the UK Government intended to hold a Cabinet meeting in Glasgow on 16 April 2009. This might present an opportunity to hold events and meetings with Sir Gus O'Donnell and consideration was underway as to how best to utilise the limited time available.
Date of Next Meeting
31. Thursday, 16 April at Meridian Court, Glasgow.
Cabinet and Corporate Business Secretariat
March 2009