Investigations & Enforcement Services

Professional investigation, fair enforcement

Meeting: / IES Directors Meeting / Held on: / 21/11/2011
Venue: / LG05 - 21 Bloomsbury Street / Time: / 10.30 – 15.00
Attendees: / xxxx / Apologies: / xxxx

Actions arising from meeting

Agenda Item / Action Points / Action Officer / Due date
NEW APs
AP 1 / xxxxto ask xxxxwho is working on Criminal Referrals, about the existing process for SARS and should there be a single point of contact to submit to SOCA / xxxx / 5th Dec
AP 2 / xxxxto email relevant person regarding the DS Q&A and ask for heading to be removed as nothing to add at this stage. / xxxx / Asap
AP 3 / xxxxto provide feedback from a meeting with CWS on 1st December regarding the legacy systems, their current status and what they are used for and addressing the concerns of the D2’s. / xxxx / After 1st December
AP 4 / All IES Directors to put staff who have volunteered to assist with the IBIS Project on notice that it may not go ahead / All / Asap
AP 5 / xxxxto advised xxxxif he is required to attend the D2 meeting / xxxx / Asap
AP 6 / xxxxto update the IP guidance and get assistance from one member in CI South and one in CI North. Names to be suggested by xxxxxxxx / xxxx / As soon as
AP 7 / Can we find out if any journalists use the media database? / All / Asap
AP 8 / xxxxto raise with xxxxxxxxthe issue regarding cases not being migrated to ISCIS due to ISCIS issues and the impact it is having for IES. / xxxx / Asap
AP 9 / xxxxto contact xxxxregarding evidence in Scottish cases and its destruction after scanning. / xxxx / Asap
AP 10 / xxxxto put forward a proposal that IES Directors are copied in on the agendas and attend if there are issues. / xxxx / Asap
AP 11 / xxxxto request information regarding the Whitley meetings from HR and establish is an IES presence could be tolerated / xxxx / Asap
ONGOING APs
AP 1 from 7/11 / Need to establish what the process is for Live, Insolvent and ORS regarding criminal referrals / xxxx / Ongoing
AP 2 from 7/11 / Need to devise a mechanism for the process, how it is counted and who collects the data / xxxx / Ongoing
AP 6 from 7/11 / xxxxto escalate issue regarding ORS xxxxinvestigation budget once xxxxhas provided further information / xxxx / Ongoing – remind xxxx
AP 7 from 7/11 / Look into SALA and what is happening with the monthly destroy spreadsheet circulation / xxxx / Ongoing
AP 9 from 7/11 / All to produce bottom line submission WIP figures for 2011-2012 / All / Ongoing - 5th Dec
AP 10 from 7/11 / xxxxto request a folder set up in Wisdom for media issues with general InsS answers, general FOI answers that are IES wide and to allocate responsibility to SPF Directorate / xxxx / Ongoing
AP 7 from 25/10 / xxxxto draft paper regarding organisational strategy for IES / xxxx / Underway
AP 9 from 25/10 / xxxxto produce a process map / xxxx / Ongoing
AP 6 from 27/9 / Research and produce list of categories currently used in IBIS, ISCIS etc for time recording to establish if fit for IES purpose / xxxx / Ongoing
AP 5 from 16/9 / Discussion regarding possible extra resource as reluctant to change from decision made previously for central co-ordination of FOI & DPA as this will keep timeliness in check / xxxx / Ongoing – report from ICO received further discussion to be had
AP 9 from 23/5 / xxxx to write a brief regarding communication and name changes for external contacts re CIB / xxxx / Ongoing and in progress
AP12 from 11/4 / xxxxto draw up criteria and circulate for agreement before publishing in Dear IP. The written criteria for Scottish practitioners’ panel needs to be clearly set out and need to confirm with Procurement that they are happy with what we’ve done before publication. / xxxx / Ongoing and in progress – to be discussed with xxxxand xxxx

Agenda items 1: APs from previous meetings

AP 1 from 7/11: The ORS send to AT, Live refer to it on IBIS on the disclosure screen and Insolvent keep a record locally. SOCA want a single point of contact so we need to look at refining the process. RB suggest this should be referred to TW to take forward

AP 1: xxxxto ask xxxxwho is working on Criminal Referrals, about the existing process for SARS and should there be a single point of contact to submit to SOCA

AP 4 from 7/11: The issue with 41 hours is the hangover from when xxxxwere the agency contracted to provide temporary staff. xxxxstill have this and 41 hours is the maximum anyone can claim. It is a local management decision as to the number of hours staff can work.

DECISION: will be left with local managers to decide what hours but the maximum must be 41 hours and not 42.

AP 5 from 7/11: Adverse costs spreadsheet was circulated on 7th November and will be circulated monthly around the 7th working day.

AP 7 from 7/11: Q&A on the Delivery Strategy – do we have anything to add in or do we take the IES heading out?

AP 2: xxxxto email relevant person regarding the DS Q&A and ask for heading to be removed as nothing to add at this stage.

AP 11 from 7/11:The Agency Workers Directive is being discussed at the DB on 23rd Nov. A paper has been sent to be considered by HR. The temps we do have are covering maternity leave and Edinburgh. Only two in post not covering but once vacancies filled they will leave.

AP 5 from 15/9: ICO report received regarding FOI & DPA and xxxxis looking into it to see if InsS should have a central team manage it or do we go back to using xxxxxxxx?

Agenda items 2: Updates from meetings

  • No Delivery Strategy visits since the last meeting. They have all been concluded
  • xxxxis going to the Corporate Services meeting on 22nd Nov and will raise the issue regarding the KDS link not working and access is intermittent.
  • xxxxnoted that the Blackberry system will be down between 5th & 6th Dec for improvements.

Agenda item 3: Performance

This was discussed in detail at the ESG last Friday. We may hit total planned outputs but it won’t be done comfortably.

xxxxdid want it to be recognised that the current performance is commendable especially in the current times.

xxxxsent an email out saying that the legacy systems would be being switched off by CWS (LOIS, EMS & Central Index) but this would cause serious problems. He wanted to establish what problems would be caused by these being switched off and what we can do to mitigate these issues. There is a real concern that if we don’t have a proper Corporate Reporting system that we cannot switch off the spreadsheets as they provide so much information.

AP 3: xxxxto provide feedback from a meeting with CWS on 1st December regarding the legacy systems, their current status and what they are used for and addressing the concerns of the D2’s.

Agenda item 4: IBIS replacement

xxxxmet with CWS (xxxx), xxxxxxxxregarding IBIS. CWS stated they do not have the capacity to do all the work they have coming up (Virtualisation, Desktop 21, Estates etc) and as a result are thinking of asking the Directing Board to list priorities, one impact of which might be the shelving the IBIS replacement.

IES will get left behind the ORS yet again. We need some assurance as to the stability of IBIS and we need to get the ISCIS bits fixed for us in order that we can actually use ISCIS. Capital funding has been secured to pay for IBIS this year, and ISCIS next year. This allocation would have to be switched.. It is clear that any issues are being raised by CWS and not us as we are ready to go with any changes.

It was agreed there was little merit in going ahead with the workshops,The workshops that have been fixed for IBIS need to be stopped now as it will be wasted resource and time to go through with them if they are not going to go any further forward with integration and improvement. There is a Project Board on 23 November. Can all IES Directors put volunteer staff on notice that the project may be shelved.

AP 4: All IES Directors to put staff who have volunteered to assist with the IBIS Project on notice that it may not go ahead

Agenda item 5: Business Planning

xxxx, Head of Agency Planning & Reporting attended the meeting. The Key Planning assumptions table presented at the Leadership Group was created by xxxxand were his own thoughts on figures and not to be taken as fixed. The 1st draft of the business plan is not due at the DB until January. What xxxxwould like is input assumptions for the DB on the 14th December.

It was noted that the traditional use of the hotline (to complain about breaches) has merged with general complaints. It is also hard to split them out to show live complaints so easier to record all complaints as one figure.

We need to work out what we are counting and when and this can be discussed at the D2 meeting on 19th December. xxxxoffered to attend if required.

AP 5: xxxxto advised xxxxif he is required to attend the D2 meeting

The format of the business plan is to be discussed as not always completed in the same way but there will not be any radical changes. It was also noted that the balanced scorecard has not been completed this year as we have not been asked to report on it.

Agenda item 6: Dear IP

xxxxaddressed the recent suggestion at a DB that we should report IPs who fail to report on time to their RPB. It was agreed this was not a sensible idea. In relation to Dear IP letters, we had covered late submissions recently so no real need to put it in again. It is a difficult situation as we have been working at this for a long time and its unclear what else can be done to gain co-operation. The guidance is out of date and that it would be prudent to update this with the recent legislation and provide them all with a check list of what is expected and when. We need to get the IPs to think about the facts and present them and allow us to determine the allegations.The new D form might assist but this requires a change in legislation and would not happenfor many months.

AP 6: xxxxto update the IP guidance and get assistance from one member in CI South and one in CI North. Names to be suggested by xxxxxxxx.

Agenda item 7: D2 meeting

The meeting is set to take place on 19th December and xxxxhas allocated the task of ordering food through the M&S lunch to go service to xxxxwith xxxxsupervising. Catering will be for 25. The timings were agreed at the last meeting.

The agenda was looked at to ensure we had presenters and facilitators for each section. The following was agreed:

  • xxxxto present Setting the scene and to add in reference to the staff survey and IiP.
  • xxxxwill present and facilitate The Future focussing on people disbursement, remote working etc. There will be a short presentation, table exercises and feedback at the end.
  • xxxxnominated xxxxto introduce the section on Business Planning which will run from 12/30 to close.
  • xxxxwill facilitate the feedback session on Business Planning

It was also agreed how the tables would be split up and that we needed questions set for the tables such as, What can we achieve? How do we bridge the gap between what minsters want and what we can achieve? When is a cell not a cell? Table plan agreed. To be provided to xxxxfor cascade to xxxxteam to facilitate the day.

xxxxwill provide a process map on A3 to be put up in the room for attendees to put post it notes on throughout the day

xxxxwill provide a table of WIP figures for review and assistance with the day and to encourage attendees to think about how we can improve them and who they need to support

Agenda item 8: BRO & DQ database

xxxxhad put a paper to the OPC regarding the media database but in addition it appeared thatcases are not falling off after 6 months as they should. The OPC broadly agreed with what was being suggested in the paper. Agreed to look at why the cases were not falling off after 6 months as this is a concernand xxxxis to arrange a meeting with xxxxto discuss IES taking ownership of the database and to de-clutter it and run it better.

The database is on a stand alone machine and xxxxcurrently maintains it. We will find resources in IES to conduct the editing function. The cases on the media database are supposed to be there for a limited time and to act as a deterrent affect. This started when BROs started as they were no longer having a press release issued in every case. Do we know any journalists who use it? Can we find out?

AP 7: Can we find out if any journalists use the media database?

Agenda item 9: Risk 12

Is there a risk at all because of ISCIS?

Do we add in IBIS?

This is more complicated than we thought to input the cases so we have not been able to get a temp in to complete it. The issue is that a lot of the cases are corrupt due to not being migrated and as a result the initial stage would need to be competed by ORS to get the cases into ISCIS in order for our aspect to be completed and there BROs to register. There are some 500 cases that need to be sorted and of these approximately 250 are BROs. It is unsure how this was spotted in the fist place.

AP 8: xxxxto raise with xxxxxxxxthe issue regarding cases not being migrated to ISCIS due to ISCIS issues and the impact it is having for IES.

The question was raised is this still our risk? Is it on the Agency risk register? We don’t own the EIIR so really it should be an agency risk.

Agenda item 10: Solicitor conference

xxxxsaid that this would take place as it had last year and that money had been put aside for it to be spent in this financial year.It will be the same format as last year, off site and low key and want to make sure it is interactive as well. A date is yet to be set and it is suggested early March 2012. We also need to bear in mind topics for the conference. An interesting results presentation on which they could be asked to give feedback by choosing one from each solicitors could be held as an interactive session. The framework agenda needs to be created and venues need to be looked at for pricing, though it was put forward that we should think about holding it in-house to reduce costs as it was approximately £2,500 last year.

Agenda item 11: Scanning & Criminal Evidence

xxxxraised that at the Corporate Services Committee this issue was on the agenda again and she wanted clarification regarding the current situation. The ICM project had originally sought guidance regarding the use of electronic documents as evidence in court and it was agreed at the Risk Management Committee that the risk was accepted. This was regarding third party documentation, not original evidence.

Do we need to introduce special measures for Scotland? Is it permissible to destroy documents and rely on electronic copies in Scotland?

AP 9: xxxxto contact xxxxregarding evidence in Scottish cases and its destruction after scanning.

xxxxwill also raise at the Corporate Services Committee tomorrow 22nd Nov.

Agenda item 12: AOB

  • xxxxrequested that all directors, if they are doing work that may be of interest to others in-between the directors meetings, that they cc everyone in so that we are all kept in the loop all the time.
  • xxxxrequested that as soon as the minutes of these meetings have been agreed that they are circulated to all rather than just with the agenda for the next meeting.
  • xxxxraised an issue with paying for legal advice with xxxxwhich xxxxthought had been answered. He has spoken with xxxxand ascertained that what was mentioned at the last meeting was correct and that any work should be taken back if there are issues and that any legal advice should go through Technical and not be paid for by individual directorates.
  • xxxxstated that she had been getting emails about wording in section 13’s. We need to get a liaison meeting sorted to discuss but not change the policy.
  • xxxxhad raised an issue with the Regional Whitley meetings and that xxxxalways attended them but that should the directors in IES not be invited as well and to possibly chair them? xxxxproposed that we should be invited if their were issues/

AP 10: xxxxto put forward a proposal that IES Directors are copied in on the agendas and attend if there are issues.

AP 11: xxxxto request information regarding the Whitley meetings from HR and establish is an IES presence could be tolerated

  • xxxxstated that he has regular meetings with xxxxthat xxxxand xxxxalso attend now.
  • xxxxmentioned Snapshot and that they were struggling to populate it with information and that as it was not an IED production only but for all in IES to contribute to. He asked that all directors provide information/articles regularly. xxxxstated she would do a staff profile and xxxxstated she would do an article on search warrants.

Dates of next Meetings

5th December – LG05

19th December – D2 meeting LG08/LG09, break out rooms LG05, LG06, LG10

9th January – LG03

23rd January – LG03 – xxxxnot available for minutes