Minutes of the CPS Board Meeting on 18 May 2011

Attendees:

Keir Starmer (Chair)

Peter Lewis

Mike Kennedy

David Green

Paul Staff

Rob Sykes

Apologies:

Doreen Langston

Guest:

Michael Fuller

Secretariat:

Tamara Moore

Simon Jeal

Item 1: Note of the Last Meeting and Actions Arising

  1. The Board agreed the note and actions arising from 23 February 2011.

Item 2: Director’s Update

Casework

  1. The Director updated the Board in relation to recent high profile cases.

Charging

  1. The increase in police charging powers means that the police will now have the ability to charge in approximately 72% of cases, up from 67%. This reflects what has been agreed between the CPS and police.

Advocacy Panels

  1. The Scheme opened in March, and has been extended by two months to July.

Committee Evidence

  1. The DPP had given evidence to a number of committees including the Joint Committee on Human Rights, the Home Affairs Select Committee, the Select Committee on Culture, Media & Sport, and the Special Committee on the Detention of Terror Suspects.

NEDs

  1. Interviews for the appointment of two new Non-executive Board members have been scheduled.

Other Prosecutors

  1. Peter Lewis advised that discussions were ongoing.

T3

  1. Work on T3 rollout is progressing satisfactorily.
  1. Peter Lewis has been confirmed as the SRO for CJS digital working, within the CJS Efficiency Programme.

Item 3: CPS Scorecard

  1. The Board agreed the recommendations made to the new CPS Scorecard

Item 4: People Strategy

  1. Mark Summerfield presented an item to the Board on the development of CPS People Strategy.

Item 5: Area Voluntary Early Release Scheme

  1. Mark Summerfield provided the Board with an update on arrangements for Voluntary Early Release (VER).

Item 6: Central Fraud Group (CFG)

  1. Matthew Wagstaff presented a summary of the Central Fraud Group’s major cases audit.

Item 7: Financial Management

  1. Paul Staff asked the Board to note the overall outturn against budgets was satisfactory at 1.5% underspend.

Item 8: Area Restructure

  1. Mike Kennedy presented the Board with an update on Area Restructure.

Item 9: Risk

  1. Paul Staff presented details of the revisions to the Corporate Risk Register 2010/11.

Item 10: AOB

External Recruitment

  1. The Board agreed the continuation of current arrangements for approval to advertise externally.

Next meeting: Wednesday 21 September, Rose Court