Report Summary
This report provides members of the Scottish Police Authority's Audit, Risk & Assurance Committee with an overview of best value progress across SPA Corporate and SPA Forensic Services.
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Meeting
The publication discussed was referenced in the meeting below
Audit, Risk and Assurance Committee - 6 February 2025
Date : 06 February 2025
Location : online
Report detail
BACKGROUND
The Authority, Chief Constable and Accountable Officer have specific
responsibilities with respect to Best Value.
Audit Scotland and HMICS will be undertaking a Best Value audit of police and fire during 2025.
The previous update to ARAC provided an overview of Best Value responsibilities, guidance, expected timelines and progress to date. ARAC Members have requested regular updates on progress.
FURTHER DETAIL ON THE REPORT TOPIC
The 2024 HMICS Inspection of the Authority, whilst not a Best Value audit, considered the SPA’s Best Value self-assessment in detail.
SPA Corporate staff had considerable learning from this experience which will help with the forthcoming audit and this learning has been shared with colleagues in Forensics and Police Scotland. SPA Corporate staff have formally presented to senior police officers and staff on their experience.
The approach in the current financial year is consistent across SPA Corporate and SPA Forensic Services, with SPA Corporate staff supporting and working closely with Forensics throughout the year.
SPA Corporate Update
Full detail of progress is included at Appendix A.
Following the 2024 HMICS inspection the Authority is focused on continuous improvement by addressing the areas for development.
These have been incorporated into the SPA’s Annual Delivery Plan, with progress monitored and reported as part of that plan. Staff have met with HMICS to agree expectations for the closure of the single recommendation from this review.
Two deep dive reviews of ‘performance management’ and ‘equalities’ have been completed this year with some new actions included in the SPA Annual Delivery Plan for the current year and next year.
Given the recent inspection and detailed self-assessment work undertaken, SPA Corporate is currently updating and rolling forward its assessment.
SPA Forensic Services
Forensic Services have continued to progress work to undertake a self-assessment of Best Value. This initiative is nearing completion, and Forensic Services are on track to have a full self-assessment package prepared in advance of HMICS and Audit Scotland starting their Best Value review.
Indicative results of the Best Value self-assessment as well as a progress update is provided in Appendix B.
The self-assessment has considered 87 indicators across seven Best Value themes.
The self-assessment highlights areas of good practice, as well as areas where further improvements can be made. Forensic Services have self-assessed full compliance with 65 (75%) of indicators and partial compliance with 18 (21%) of the indicators where further improvements can be made. Four indicators (4%) were not applicable to Forensic Services.
Work is underway to prepare a full package of evidence to support HMICS and Audit Scotland to undertake their review. This package will include a full assessment against each Best Value indicator, complimentary evidence, case studies and a historical narrative of the continuous improvement that has taken place within Forensic Services.
In the future, the Best Value self-assessment will be embedded into the organisation and will be subject to an annual light touch refresh. This will allow an up-to-date picture to be made of how the organisation is performing against the Best Value criteria.
