People Committee

ITEMS OF BUSINESS CONSIDERED
• Quarterly reports for wellbeing, workforce, policy assurance, and health and safety
• Bi-annual reports on Your Voice Matters and Senior Officer Pipeline Planning
• Ill health retirement review
• Police Scotland response to HMICS Review of Culture
• HMICS Front Line Focus – Wellbeing
• Health and Wellbeing Programme – The Way Forward
• People Strategy and Strategic Workforce Planning implementation plans
• Learning and Development
• Prioritisations of Workload following budgetary reductions
• Part time and flexible working applications
• VR/VER and Pay
• Pension forfeiture

KEY ISSUES RAISED
• Wellbeing and Inclusion
o Q4/ End of Year Wellbeing Report. Discussion focused on the average ill health retirement age: the reasons for retirals, the work done by Police Scotland to identify alternative roles; and the impact on the workforce. Members suggested further focus should be given to the end stage of health and wellbeing of the workforce as well as continuing work to support health and wellbeing as a preventive measure.
o Police Scotland response to HMICS Review of Culture. This review was published in December 2023 and HMICS has agreed to extend the usual timeframe for Police Scotland to provide a response. The Committee were provided a verbal update on progress undertaken through a newly established Short Life Working Group. Actions have been discussed between Police Scotland and HMICS, and a draft recommendation improvement plan has been circulated to business leads for feedback. A commitment was given to present the Organisational Culture and Improvement Plan to the next Committee meeting in August.
o Your Voice Matters Bi-annual Update. Members welcomed the report which focused on longer term ambitions. Attendees requested consideration is given to repeating survey questions to provide comparative data and to disaggregate results. Members also asked for clarity on what actions had been taken in response to the responses to the survey.
o HMICS Front Line Focus – Wellbeing. The Committee welcomed the report. There was dialogue about wellbeing assessments – that had first been raised by Police Scotland as an action. HMICS stressed there was value in pursuing assessments to identify impacts and how they can be mitigated. HMICS are expecting an action plan from Police Scotland by mid-July.
• Strategy, Policy, and Planning
o Q4/ End of Year Workforce Report. The Committee praised the new dashboard templates and encouraged there use for other reports. Discussion focussed on intake numbers and the requirement to flex against scenario planning.
o Part time and flexible working applications. Members discussed whether the number of female officers exiting the organisation was attributed to lack of part time and flexible working options. Police Scotland advised steps are being taken to encourage part time roles whilst balancing personal and organisational needs. Members heard of work undertaken to make training more flexible, with non-residential probationer training at Jackson now an option. Members heard the biggest challenge in recruiting part time working was a mixture of recruitment and vetting timescales, and the overall ‘brand’ of policing throughout the UK. Members heard that recruiting a higher number to backfill and facilitate part time requests could be considered under the revised model of policing.
• Health and Safety. Members discussed the increase in assaults on officers and staff and heard most take place during first contact, in custody facilities and getting in and out of vehicles. Further analysis is being undertaken on the data to provide more insight. Members heard of challenges around availability of sure-fire earpieces but were assured stock was expected in the next 3-4 weeks which would ensure all members of the workforce would have access to the appropriate protection. Members were all informed of discussions between Police Scotland and the Procurator Fiscal regarding storage of nitrous oxide productions. The Committee discussed the decrease in operational safety compliance levels and the backlog in driver training. Police Scotland assured the Committee that work was ongoing to improve levels in both areas. The Committee will monitor this area.
• Senior Officer Pipeline Planning Report. The Committee heard an overview of recent promotion workshops and told more would take place. Discussion also focussed work to provide more nuanced data and current promotion pool sizes.

CONCLUSIONS/ACTIONS REACHED
• The Committee request future Wellbeing Reports provide more detail and analysis on staff wellbeing activity.
• A deep dive of staff and Officer injuries on duty is to be undertaken, with outcomes provided to the Committee.
• The Health and Safety and Learning and Development Report both identified concerns on Operational Base Levels (OBL), therefore the Committee requires clarity on the definition of OBL in different areas, and its impacts on training, annual leave and staff wellbeing.
• The learning and development and prioritisation of workload following budgetary reductions reports both highlighted issues which had arisen from the pausing of training. Further detail on outcomes of mandatory and statutory training were requested to be reported to the next meeting,
• Further detail on operational compliance levels and driver training to be reported to the next meeting.
• The Committee made one approval in relation to pension forfeiture.