Senior Management Team Meeting - Minutes - 31 July 2024

Attendees

• Alison Irvine, Interim CEO - Chair

Aviation, Maritime, Freight and Canals

• Gary Cox (GC)

Bus, Accessibility and Active Travel

• Mary Docherty (MD)

Finance and Corporate Services

• Kerry Twyman (KT) - Director
• Andy Pope (AP)
• David Swanson (DS)

Ferries

• Roddy Macdonald (RM)

Low Carbon Economy

• Susan Cameron (SC)

Major Projects

• Lawrence Shackman (LS) - Director

Rail

• Bill Reeve (BR) - Director

Roads

• Hugh Gillies (HG) - Director

Transport Strategy and Analysis

• Fiona Brown (FB) - Interim Director

CEO Office

• Pam Yorke
• Mark Dunlop

Apologies

• Bettina Sizeland
• Morna Cannon

Update

AI provided an update on the 24/25 savings exercise and Peak Fares. HG was asked to prepare a note for Cab Sec on Road Safety issues and a SCANCE..

AI asked GC to review the ADS paper for Cab Sec and FB to prepare a note to FM on Concessionary Fares proposal.

Actions from last meeting

AP was asked to provide a post action note on the expenses.

DS advised there was still quite a lot of work required on the Storage Audit. Another reminder will be circulated around BMs and Directors were asked to speak to their teams again.

All Directors confirmed that they had spoken to their teams in regard to the Customer Contact enquiry phone number in particular BAAT and Roads. HG and MD were asked to speak to their teams.

Corporate Dashboard

All of SMT were in agreement that the correspondent should be added to the restricted correspondence register.

AP provided an update on correspondence figures for the year which showed a decrease in terms of volume. Directors agreed this was positive and the improvement in information we publish was reducing the amount of correspondence. MD was asked to check if cases in BAAT were being registered on MiCase correctly.

AP was asked to create an article for Saltire promoting these stats for staff to see the trends and how we compare to the rest of SG.

AP advised that the recent Internal Audit (IA) report and next steps would be discussed at a future SMT. One of things Audit Scotland had raised was monitoring performance. AI advised that monthly monitoring reports are sent to the Cab Sec. KT will pick this up with AP.

AI asked that all Directors review the red rankings in the BP to satisfy they are correct and come along to the next Performance meeting ready to discuss on 21 August.

Risk

AP advised that Climate Change will be discussed at the next meeting. He provided a summary of the SG guidance and scoring. AP was asked to reshare the risk appetite.

Sponsored Bodies Risk

GC advised this was a new risk and asked Directors for their feedback. AI advised the risk was how we manage the public bodies rather than their performance. GC was asked to review the mitigating actions based on the discussion.

Oracle Risk

DS discussed the introduction of the new Oracle system. The team are handling questions from staff and awaiting more detail on functions and training. A training list has been prepared and a list of payments which may be impacted. KT was asked to circulate a note on the payments and to speak to MD about any impact on BAAT.

Comms

AI advised that DGNZ had provided good feedback on the summer tours and asked for this to be fed back to teams. DC advised they are planning a programme for Ministers returning in September. AI reminded all Directors to consider the diversity of attendees at events. AI asked for FM to offered opportunity to do comms around Tomatin to Moy.

Finance

KT provided a brief update on 2024/25 savings and advised she would send the letter sent to DFM with Directors. She advised there would be a commission on the 25/26 RDEL budget.

TS Partnership Colleagues

AI welcomed colleagues from Prospect, FDA and PCS to the meeting. The representatives requested more regular meetings with SMT to improve engagement and dialogue. AI suggested that DS and Partnership colleagues work up a proposal on what forum would be best and how frequent they should be.

The clearance process for submissions was discussed with Partnership colleagues suggesting a working group could be set up to look at the process as members had highlighted delays in waiting for Director clearance. AI advised that she was not aware of any delays and that anything being sent to Ministers required to be cleared by a Director. As CEO she requires assurances from her SMT and Directors are often aware of other and wider issues that staff and teams may not be aware of. AI invited colleagues to share with her specific examples.

Colleagues asked for an update on the OD work. AI advised there were reasons that this had not moved on which would be shared in the next few weeks. She advised that partnership colleagues would be included in next steps.

Colleagues asked for an update on the bullying and harassment scores in the People Survey. AI advised we now have a Wellbeing Champion who has been with Directorates and a strategy and action was being signed off. DS advised bullying and harassment workshops had been trialled in FCS and these had been well received. They will be rolling these out across TS . FB had been working on organisational purpose, vision and values and the first of the leadership training events had gone well with more planned.

Hybrid working has been working well. AI reflected that she had seen more office engagement and that we continued to work with the SG hybrid policy team. The Disabled Network had also recently attended an SMT. 

AI thanked colleagues for attending the meeting and agreed DS would circulate actions.

HR Update

DS advised there had been a slight increase in the AWDL. HRMI packs will be circulated and discussed at a future SMT.

Resourcing

AI discussed the exceptions report with the SMT and advised that she would send her decision to HR for circulation.

AOB

The next meeting will be on 27 August.