MICROSOFT TEAMS 09:30 – 12:30
Attendees
- Director of Corporate Services and Accountable Officer
- Director of Information & Records Services and Deputy Keeper
- Interim Digital and Delivery Director (Chair)
- Interim Director of Operations and Customer Services and Deputy Registrar General
- Director of Census Statistics
- Director of Statistics
- Chief Finance Officer
- Corporate Business Assurance Manager
- Head of BMU (governance)
- Head or NRS People Services
- Head of Health and Safety (Item 8)
- Head of Physical Security (Item 6)
Apologies
- Business Support Officer (secretariat)
- Chief Executive, Registrar General and Keeper (Chair)
1. Welcome, Introductions and apologies
1.1 The Interim Digital and Delivery Director welcomed everyone to the meeting. Apologies were noted as above.
1.2 Declarations of Interest
No declarations of interest were noted.
1.3 Action Log Review
The Action Log was updated accordingly.
1.4 Decisions Noted
EMB noted the Annual Procurement report was approved on 19 December 2024.
The Interim Digital and Delivery Director noted thanks for all work in regard to recent urgent approvals in correspondence.
2. Minutes and Actions
Members approved the draft minutes from the meeting held on 27 November 2024.
The Director of Corporate Services and Accountable Officer asked if the EMB decision for additional money for FoPS could be noted as a formal decision. The Director of Corporate Services and Accountable Officer clarified that continued funding of the team would have an impact on NRS core budget. EMB decision for additional money for FoPS noted as a formal decision
2.1 People Survey Results
The Head or NRS People Services provided an update on the People Survey Results and noted the following:
- Overall engagement for People’s Survey was 58% in 2024 which was down from last year’s 74%
- Pride for working for the organisation had increased
- Learning and development had increased
- Both positive and negative changes were highlighted
2.2 People Survey Group Discussion
A discussion regarding staff survey statistics followed and the key points were noted below:
The Interim Digital and Delivery Director noted the lower staff participation rate and the need for NRS to commit as a Leadership team to develop a corporate action plan and ensure EMB follow up on the people survey results – both at a corporate and local level.
The Director of Corporate Services and Accountable Officer noted that flexi balances had increased due to the 35 hour week and advised that NRS would look to encourage staff to use flexi leave. EMB agreed a wider discussion was to be had regarding the approach to this.
The Head or NRS People Services noted that 34% of staff had more than 4 days of flexi and 29% had more than 10 days balance for annual leave as of 30th November 2024. The Head or NRS People Services agreed to share stats on high balances with Directors to discuss with individuals.
The Interim Director of Operations and Customer Services and Deputy Registrar General noted that it would be good to decide what was action based and what was engagement based for NRS action plan surrounding high annual leave balances and flexi.
EMB had a discussion around capacity pressures in NRS and key dependencies lying with a group of individuals being involved in multiple initiatives. EMB agreed that it would be beneficial to map the single points of failure for business resistance to ensure everyone could take annual leave.
ACTION - EMB 432 – The Head or NRS People Services to share stats of high annual leave balances and flexi.
ACTION - EMB 433 – The Head or NRS People Services to share People Board Action Plan with EMB
EMB noted People Survey actions would be added to the People Board meeting. The Interim Digital and Delivery Director asked how the People Board would be resourced and empowered and how it would align with the EMB People meetings. The Director of Corporate Services and Accountable Officer noted that Directors would decide representatives for the People Board and that would feedback to EMB.
The Interim Digital and Delivery Director offered to give EMB an update on DDaT work at SG level – covering both job standardisation and the pay supplement review given the potential impact to NRS from a financial, consistency and fairness perspective.
ACTION – EMB 434 - The Interim Digital and Delivery Director to give general update on D-DAT to EMB and to bring paper detailing financial implications of the pay review.
ACTION – EMB 435 - BMU to put action plan re people board/ people survey on next EMB Agenda
3.1 Portfolio dashboard
The Interim Digital and Delivery Director formally noted EMB thanks to all staff working collaboratively to deliver the refreshed corporate website.
- EMB noted the portfolio dashboard
- The Interim Digital and Delivery Director advised that a draft Change Management Strategy had been developed and would be presented to EMB at a future meeting. The Interim Digital and Delivery Director noted this work would be important to underpin the Deloitte work and engaging NRS staff through change
- The Interim Digital and Delivery Director advised three new interim BA’s would be commencing their roles in January 2025
3.2 IT Service Update
The Interim Digital and Delivery Director noted the following updates:
- The Interim Digital and Delivery Director gave thanks for SWAN approval – and noted this would save NRS money
- The back up refresh was going well
- Infrastructure road map for procurement was ongoing – to be shared at a future EMB
- No major incidents reported, ITECS issues had occurred in the last week but was now stabilised
- GX Domain replacement really successful which was a much more secure way for LAs to share data
- IT change freeze under way until January 2025
The Director of Corporate Services and Accountable Officer asked if Deliotte one to one sessions were going well. The Interim Digital and Delivery Director advised conversations were productive and had taken forward suggestions from her session.
4.1 FoPS OBC Update
The Director of Census Statistics noted that SG were considering funding options for 25/26. ONS were to meet and discuss a contingency strategy. The Director of Census Statistics noted that if funding was unsuccessful, it could drastically impact delivery for 2031. If this were to happen NRS would need to adjust the scope of FoPS.
The Director of Census Statistics noted that there were areas of the digital platform and security clearance that would be worked on prior to 2025.
4.2 Census 2022: General Report
The Director of Census Statistics noted that the report was successfully launched on 17 December 2024. The Director of Census Statistics advised there was media surrounding the launch and noted that there was more than a Billion statistics created from the Census. An outcome from a lesson’s learned conversation the Cabinet Secretary for Constitution highlighted that Census needed to be appropriately funded.
Thanks was given to Head of Census PMO for all his work on Census General Report.
ACTION – EMB 436 - to discuss potential impact for NRS re Census and budget for Census
5. NRS Security Update
The Head of Physical Security noted the following updates:
- NRS Vetting process was being reviewed. Access control was ongoing, and work would start at New Register house on 13 January 2025
- New pass distribution would begin in January 2025
- The Head of Physical Security asked if department heads could encourage staff to attend buildings to collect passes. The Interim Director of Operations and Customer Services and Deputy Registrar General asked if The Head of Physical Security could contact Head of NRS Customer Communication and Marketing re Comms for passes.
The Director of Corporate Services and Accountable Officer gave thanks to the Head of Physical Security for his report and his work around the collections audit and advised EMB would follow up on these actions.
The Director of Corporate Services and Accountable Officer suggested it would be beneficial to build an action plan of activity surrounding this.
The Interim Digital and Delivery Director asked if there were wider security learnings. The Director of Information & Records Services and Deputy Keeper noted there were several strands of work regarding document security underway between now and the end of March which could be presented to EMB for visibility.
ACTION – EMB 437 – The Director of Information & Records Services and Deputy Keeper to bring back report regarding security for visibility for EMB members
The Head of Physical Security noted that The National Archives undertook additional security vetting for staff as part of their processes for determining access to archive material of different sensitivities. The Head of Physical Security noted that if NRS were to introduce a similar process, there would also need to be robust HR processes developed to deal with any case of a member of staff failing the vetting. Information Security Committee would feedback into EMB regarding further investigations into this issue as work progressed.
ACTION – EMB 438 – ISC to feedback into EMB as work progressed.
The Interim Digital and Delivery Director noted that physical security and non-physical security processes would be linked
ACTION - EMB 439 - The Interim Digital and Delivery Director to have initial conversation about vetting process regarding non-physical security with cyber and IT
The Head of Physical Security noted that GRH was not part of the SG programme for the updated access control system. The Head of Physical Security asked if EMB could approach SG have it included on the programme. The Director of Corporate Services and Accountable Officer noted that they would welcome a conversation with The Head of Physical Security and the Head of Facilities and Workplace Improvements to discuss the financial implications of this.
ACTION – EMB 440 – The Director of Corporate Services and Accountable Officer to have a conversation with The Head of Physical Security and Head of Facilities and Workplace Improvements to discuss GRH’s access control system
The Interim Digital and Delivery Director advised that cyber security plans were in place for the festive closure.
The Interim Digital and Delivery Director also noted the impact of SG’s recent announcement re: the removal of mobile messaging apps. The Interim Digital and Delivery Director advised the Head of Cyber Security, Risk and Resilience was leading on this work and would work with the Head of Information Risk, Security and Governance and Corporate Business Continuity Lead on impact from security, information governance, recording decisions, FOIs, BCP, plus potential financial cost if NRS needed to provide work phones for corporate decision making.
The Director of Information & Records Services and Deputy Keeper additionally noted DEA accreditation was successful and the great collaborative effort across multiple NRS teams.
6. Finance Report
The Chief Finance Officer paper was taken as read by the board. The Chief Finance Officer noted that NRS buildings should be aligned to local libraries etc and not be estimated as prime real estate in Edinburgh.
The Chief Finance Officer discussed projected expenses, and she noted that staff budget set. The Chief Finance Officer noted that she was content with the income generated. The Chief Finance Officer noted that Directors had to deliver what they have asked for in relation to 2024/25 budget.
The Chief Finance Officer noted that there were still complexities with the Oracle Cloud system regarding underspend and overspend. The Chief Finance Officer advised this was being investigated.
7. Strategic review of NRS’s response to the pandemic
The Head of Health and Safety was welcomed to the meeting and noted the paper was for information. The report was approved by CSWG in September and was shared to the Health and Safety committee. The Head of Health and Safety noted the paper has been well received.
The Head of Health and Safety noted the feedback of the report was well aligned and noted the key findings:
- Senior management kept staff safe
- Robust governance set up during the pandemic had put NRS in a better position for future critical incidents
- NRS followed SG advice and evaluated risks well
For improvement:
- The controls agreed though NRS risk assessments found that NRS weren’t always carrying these out
- Stakeholders needed more communication from NRS
The Head of Health and Safety noted she were creating a blueprint for future pandemics and critical incidents and was working closely with the business continuity lead.
The Interim Digital and Delivery Director noted it would be beneficial if NRS could be less reactive and more proactive around how to better transition from incident to project/BAU mode. The Interim Digital and Delivery Director noted staff engagement and wellbeing levels were strong during the pandemic due to additional corporate efforts. The Director of Corporate Services and Accountable Officer noted that plans created by Corporate Business Continuity Lead and The Head of Health and Safety would help.
A discussion took place regarding lack of contingencies surrounding Census. EMB highlighted the vulnerabilities of the organisation and discussed resilience tactics.
The Director of Statistics asked following the strategic report going to the partnership board, if the action plan would come back to EMB who had oversight of this. The Head of Health and Safety noted that CSWG would have oversight of this, and would be fed back to EMB.
ACTION – EMB 441 – Covid 19 Action plan review to be added to forward look
9. NRS Publication list 2025
The Head of BMU noted the publications list had been updated and would continue to be reviewed/updated and brought back to EMB in 6 months.
10. Matters Arising from Other Governance Meetings
Internal auditors were proposing to review workforce planning, legacy systems (IT) and cyber in 2025/26.
11. AOB
The Interim Digital and Delivery Director thanked EMB for all contributions and hard work this year. The Interim Digital and Delivery Director highlighted BMU’s contribution to governance meetings and thanked the team for all their hard work.
12. Date of Next Meeting – 30 January 2025
