31 July 2024
09:30 – 12:00
MS Teams
Attendees
- Janet Egdell Interim Chief Executive, Registrar General and Keeper (Chair)
- Director of Information & Records Services and Deputy Keeper
- Interim Digital and Delivery Director
- Interim Director of Operations and Customer Services and Deputy Registrar General
- Director of Statistics
- Director of Census Statistics
- Head of Business Management Unit (governance)
- Head of Facilities and Workplace Improvements (Item 5)
- Head of Physical Security (Item 5)
- Head Of NRS People Services (Item 7 & 8)
- Business Support Officer (secretariat)
Apologies
- Director of Corporate Services and Accountable Officer
- Corporate Business Assurance Manager
- Head of People and Talent
- Chief Finance Officer
1. Welcome, Introductions and apologies
1.1 Janet Egdell welcomed everyone to the meeting. Apologies were noted as above.
2. Minutes and Actions
2.1 The minutes from the meeting held on 25 June 2024 were approved and would be published on the NRS website.
2.2 A review of actions was undertaken. The action tracker would be updated accordingly.
2.3 Members noted the decision log.
2.4 The Director of Information & Records Services and Deputy Keeper noted members had previously agreed to EMB decisions being highlighted in the Directors blog. Janet Egdell asked BMU to pass on recent EMB decisions, to NRS comms colleagues to be highlighted in the
Directors blog.
2.5 Janet Egdell advised that the Directors Blog timetable was being revised to fortnightly. EMB agreed the blog was important for visibility of progress on key projects.
2.6 Janet Egdell advised further staff sessions were being arranged for autumn. EMB noted the updates.
Action EMB 381: BMU to pass on EMB decisions to Comms to be highlighted in the Directors blog from August going forward. Action owner: BMU
Action EMB 382: Interim Digital and Delivery Director to confirm IT Christmas cover and timings around change freezes over the period with EMB. Action owner: Interim Digital and Delivery Director
Action EMB 383: Interim Director of Operations and Customer Services and Deputy Registrar General to confirm Estates Christmas cover with EMB. Action owner: Interim Director of Operations and Customer Services and Deputy Registrar General
3. Portfolio dashboard and IT services update – Interim Digital and Delivery Director
3.1 The Interim Digital and Delivery Director provided an update on the Portfolio dashboard and IT services with the key points below:
- NRS continued to progress key capital projects, including Scotland's People and the NRH Roof Overhaul
- Progress had been made around the Digital Archiving Project. An RFI has been issued to gather information about costs of ‘off the shelf’ preservation systems. The Delivery team advised likely the RAG status would move to amber in the risk register by the next EMB meeting in August
- Progress had also been made with the overarching Archive Services programme, separating out Physical Archiving as a distinct project and drafting a Terms of Reference for a Programme Board
- Positive progress was being made to the re-platforming and refresh of the NRS corporate website. The user research evidence for the corporate website refresh would be shared with EMB
- Two Interim Manager Architects were starting in August 2024 and would be focusing on the IT Back-Up Refresh Project, FOPS, Digital Archiving design and a number of other initiatives. The Interim Digital and Delivery Director gave thanks to Procurement, Finance and IT colleagues for all their support with the IT Back up Refresh Project
- Ways of Working Group would be providing options for EMB decision at the August meeting
- A paper would be presented at the next NRS Digital and Strategy Board (DSB) on 1 August 2024 proposing the allocation of existing IT resource to the readers ticket research project. A copy would be shared with with EMB for awareness
- The Digital Strategy Board (DSB) were looking to review their governance, including the introduction of a DSB Portfolio Delivery Forum for decision making and impact assessments for decision making
- DSB were looking to focus on strategic NRS priorities such as the NRS Digital Strategy and NRS Data Strategy
- An NRS Delivery Plan was being developed to capture and roadmap all NRS projects. A draft plan would be presented to EMB at a future meeting
- IT were continuing to work with SG on the roll out of the new Oracle Cloud system
- Digital Strategy and Cloud Strategy would be brought back to EMB and SB to discuss transition to Cloud based
- IT were carrying out a data mapping exercise in response to the D&G incident and would update EMB at the September meeting
- Telephony roll out was going well
- The Delivery Service Partner contract was being finalised
- Ways of Working were reviewing laptop and monitor supplies
- IT service level reported 100% with eight amber days
3.2 The Director of Census Statistics noted other NRS strategies in development. It was suggested that DSB and EMB were kept updated on these to ensure these were managed strategically.
3.3 Members discussed NRS governance and decision-making process and discussed how this could be improved. EMB agreed to review the business case journey at a future meeting, using Readers Tickets as an example. Members noted the importance of finance and procurement
colleagues being included in the business case process.
3.4 The Head of Business Management Unit highlighted BMU sessions were held with variousteams on the governance and decision-making processes. Head of Business Management Unitoffered to arrange more sessions with staff if required.
3.5 The Interim Director of Operations and Customer Services and Deputy Registrar General requested IT reviewed the service level reporting to ensure outages were captured in reporting and lessons learned. The Interim Digital and Delivery Director took an action to review service
level reporting with the Head of IT Service Management and follow up with EMB on how outages were categorised, including what level of reporting was captured under SC1, 2 & 3.
3.6 EMB noted the papers.
Action EMB 384: Interim Digital and Delivery Director to share the corporate website refresh user research evidence with EMB. Action owner: Interim Digital and Delivery Director
Action EMB 385: Interim Digital and Delivery Director to share readers ticket DSB paperwith EMB. Action owner: Interim Digital and Delivery Director
Action EMB 386: Interim Digital and Delivery Director to review change approvals. Action owner: Interim Digital and Delivery Director
Action EMB 387: Interim Digital and Delivery Director took an action to follow up on service level reporting with the Head of IT Service Management, including what level of reporting was captured under SC1, 2 & 3. Action owner: Interim Digital and Delivery Director
4. Census 2022: Evaluation Report Draft/Lessons Learned and Future of Population Statistics (FoPS) – update
4.1 The Director of Census Statistics provided a verbal update on the Census 2022 Lessons Learned Report, Draft Evaluation Report and Future of Population Statistics (FoPS)
• A Census 2022 Evaluation Report was being developed and would be provided by end of 2024
• The report would include any lessons learned and make initial recommendations around the future of population statistics
• NRS would share the draft report with key stakeholders for feedback and verification
• FoPS were continuing to develop the Outline Business Case (OBC), and were reviewing all future potential models and approaches to data collection, including financial costs and resourcing required
• NRS continued to monitor the direction of key stakeholders including ONS, UK Government and devolved administrations
4.2 EMB noted the update.
4.3 The Interim Digital and Delivery Director requested an update on recent changes to the FoPS OBC. Director of Census Statistics confirmed he would provide an update following the meeting.
Action EMB 388: Director of Census Statistics to share recent changes to the FoPS OBC with the Interim Digital and Delivery Director. Action owner: Director of Census Statistics
5. NRS Security Update – Director of Information & Records Services and Deputy Keeper / Director of Corporate Services and Accountable Officer / Interim Digital and Delivery Director
5.1 The Head of Facilities and Workplace Improvements and Head of Physical Security provided an update on Physical Security with the key points below:
- Estates had regular engagement with the contract team and staff at TTH staff to ensure the door upgrade was running smoothly
- Tenders for the security contract were ongoing and would be finalised shortly
- 24/7 security was in place for NRH scaffolding area and no further incidents had been reported
- A baseline security review was being carried out for all four NRS buildings
- Access control policies and emergency response plans were being developed
5.1.1 Janet Egdell asked when the security upgrade was due to be completed for NRS. The Head of Physical Security advised SG had a draft timetable of five weeks for TTH and WRH & NRH by the end of 2024. The Head of Physical Security advised SG had a three-year programme for all buildings included in the project and a request had been submitted to SG for GRH to be included in the upgrade. The Interim Director of Operations and Customer Services and Deputy Registrar General suggested inclusion of GRH should be added to the NRS risk register as an issue. Janet Egdell offered to escalate this with SG if required.
5.2 The Director of Information & Records Services and Deputy Keeper and Interim Digital and Delivery Director provided a verbal update on NRS security. The following points were noted below:
- IRS were continuing to review and improve data sharing procedures in response to D&G cyber incident
- IRS were reviewing information security requirements for data sharing agreements
- IRS were updating procedures around renewal of data sharing agreements and data impact assessments in response to the internal audit advisory review recommendations
- Azets review of information security incident management had been completed
- UK Government were looking to enable innovative use of data by amending the Digital Economy Act and reforming Data Protection provisions for research use and personal data which would have implications for NRS
- NRS were implementing remedial measures set out in the report
- The SG Phishing Campaign continues throughout 2024 and an article had been issued to NRS staff thanking them for their efforts to date and reminding them to stay vigilant
- IT confirmed NRS were not affected by the Global IT cloud strike outage
5.3 EMB noted the updates.
6. NRS Finance Report
6.1 The Chief Finance Officer sent apologies to EMB in advance of the meeting and provided a paper update on NRS Finances. BMU requested members provide any finance queries via correspondence and they would follow up with Chief Finance Officer on her return.
6.2 Members had a discussion around future financial planning and agreed an agenda item on NRS planning for 2024/25 and 2025/26 be added to the August EMB meeting.
Action EMB 389: BMU to add an agenda item on NRS Planning for 2024/25 and 2025/26 to the August EMB meeting. Action owner: BMU.
7. People Survey Action Plan
7.1 The Head Of NRS People Services presented a paper on the People Survey Action Plan with the key points below:
- Staff Communications would be provided highlighting all the work carried out to improve the four themes: Engagement, leadership management and change, learning and development and wellbeing
- Improvements were made to Learning and Development opportunities in response to low scoring in this area with a lot of training bookings confirmed
- Government Canvas Framework had been introduced to identify existing training providers and links to Civil Service Learning
- Recent Management Training was well received
- Ways of Working Framework would be aligned to SG hybrid working. A draft Terms and Conditions were with union representatives for consultation
- Wellbeing Strategy being finalised and would be launched in August 2024
- Ask EMT sessions were being arranged for staff
- Job Shadowing opportunities would be launched at the end of August 2024
- Hybrid working opportunities were being advertised on the NRS vacancy board
- The next People Survey would be launched on 10 September 2024
- Public and Privilege Holidays
7.2 Members noted this would be The Head Of NRS People Services final EMB and thanked her for all her hard work and were looking forward to working with Steven Andison, the new Head of NRS People Services. EMB noted Ways of Working Group would be providing a Future Options Paper for decision at the next EMB meeting.
8.1. Oracle Cloud Update
8.1.1 The Head Of NRS People Services provided a verbal update on Oracle Cloud with the key points below:
• eHR would be decommissioned and would be read only access from 1 August 2024
• Various contingency plans were in place for potential HR issues that arise
• Oracle Cloud training would be provided to staff online
• The Oracle Cloud system would go live on 1 October 2024
• The Flexi system would go offline for a period of a week and staff would maintain manual spreadsheets
8.1.2 Interim Digital and Delivery Director requested an update from Finance and Procurement on Oracle Cloud changes at a future meeting.
8.2. NRS Employee Passport
8.3 The Head Of NRS People Services presented a paper on the NRS Employee Passport with the key points below:
• An Employee Passport scheme would provide NRS staff with the opportunity to apply for workplace adjustments
• The purpose of the passport was to help create a supportive environment allowing people to function at work at their best
• The passport provided a framework for staff to have a discussion with their line manager about any circumstances that impacted on them at work and to agree adjustments (business permitting) that would help alleviate those circumstances and reduce barriers
• Adjustments were not limited to the “reasonable adjustment” requirements for disability that employers were required to make under the Equality Act 2010, but included circumstances such as a health condition, childcare and caring responsibilities, fertility treatment, religious observance or volunteering commitments
8.4 Members endorsed the implementation of the NRS Employee Passport Scheme and process for agreeing and putting in place adjustments to support staff.
9. Matters Arising From Other Governance Meetings:
9.1 EMB noted the agenda for The Customer Operations Board on 25 July 2024.
10. AOB
11. Date of Next Meeting – 27 August 2024
11.1 EMB noted the forward look and approved the draft agenda for 27 August 2024.
End
