Report detail

Chief Executive Recruitment

We have now completed a procurement exercise to identify a recruitment partner for the Chief Executive Recruitment process. The advert for the post will go live on Monday 7 April 2025 with a closing date of Friday 9 May 2025. Interviews will take place week commencing Monday 16 June 2025.

Annual Delivery Plan 2025-26

Members approved the Scottish Police Authority Corporate Strategy 2023-26 at the Authority meeting in March 2023. The strategy is underpinned by a three-year implementation plan, detailing the activities we have identified to support delivery of our strategic outcomes as an organisation.

As reported in March 2023, as part of our corporate approach we put in place an annual delivery plan containing key milestones and actions. This informs reporting of progress towards delivery of the Corporate Strategy through the Authority’s Audit, Risk and Assurance Committee on a quarterly basis, and the annual assessment of the Authority’s own performance which is included in the Annual Report and Accounts.

The annual delivery plan for 2025-26 is now in place, developed in consultation with the Authority’s Corporate team. This plan reflects a focus on key priority areas and commitments and progress will be reported regularly to the Audit Risk and Assurance Committee.

Police (Ethics, Conduct and Scrutiny) Act 2025

The Police (Ethics, Conduct and Scrutiny) Act 2025 received Royal Assent earlier this month, and some of its provisions are likely to brought into effect in the coming months. The Complaints and Conduct Committee has received detailed briefings on the Act, most recently at its February meeting. Below is a brief summary of the provisions which may come into effect in the near future, and which affect the Authority directly.

• Section 2 – This requires the Chief Constable to prepare and consult on a statutory code of ethics. The Act requires the Chief Constable to involve the Authority in preparing the draft code.

• Section 4 – This requires the Chief Constable to prepare a vetting code of practice. Again, the Chief Constable must involve the Authority in preparing the draft code.

• Section 9 – This requires the Authority to establish the barred and advisory lists. Police Scotland is carrying out work in this connection and the Authority will require to be involved in these preparations.

Review of Sex and Gender

At the Authority Board meeting in September 2024, Police Scotland committed to a wide-ranging review of Police Scotland policy and practice regarding sex and gender. The Authority’s Policing Performance Committee (PPC), in December 2024, received assurances on the wide-ranging nature of this review and a commitment to the inclusion of operational policies and engagement with stakeholders. A further progress update was provided to PPC members on 19 March 2025 describing Police Scotland’s proactivity in this space moving toward external engagement.

The external landscape continues to be dynamic and there is ongoing debate regarding the proportionate balancing of human rights to protect all individuals. The Authority would look to consider advice from Human Rights regulatory bodies in this field. The Authority has therefore sought, and continues to seek, both clarity and guidance from EHRC on possible implications. Since the Police Scotland review started there has been an Intervention by the EHRC in relation to a Supreme Court Appeal and a further letter from EHRC to the First Minister in February 2025 regarding the 2010 Equality Act and the 1992 Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations.

More recently, on 7 March 2025 the Chair of the Scottish Human Rights Commission wrote to the Convenor of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee clarifying their role and giving a position statement on Women’s Rights and notes the EHRC provides guidance for Scottish public bodies.

On 12 March 2025 this was debated in the Scottish Parliament on Protecting Single Sex Spaces in the Public Sector. The debate considered the position of a range of public sector bodies and institutions policies across education and health relating to single sex spaces and referenced that the Police Scotland Sex and Gender Review was ongoing. The debate concluded reinforcing the role of the Equalities and Human Rights Commission in providing codes of practice and guidance.

The Authority remains supportive of Police Scotland’s wide ranging and inclusive approach to its Sex and Gender Review, in order to come to a proportionate and considered position. We expect the outcome of any relevant legal cases to inform that work. However, as Accountable Officer, understanding and assessing financial risks is a priority and I will be exploring the most appropriate mechanism to assess this risk within the current and evolving debate.

Scottish Railway Policing Committee

A meeting of the Scottish Railway Policing Committee took place on Wednesday 5 March 2025. Tom Halpin and Mary Pitcaithly were in attendance and represented the Authority at this committee.

A report summarising the key issues covered at this meeting is included at Appendix A. Further detail can be found on the British Transport Police Authority website. The next meeting of the committee is scheduled for Wednesday 4 June 2025.

Farewell and Thank You

On behalf of the staff in the Authority I want to add to the Interim Chairs thank you, our best wishes to the retiring board members Caroline Stuart, Grant Macrae and Catriona Stewart. Over the years we have benefitted from their insight and support to the oversight of policing in Scotland. Their commitment to ensuring the public interest is served in the work of the Authority has been invaluable and we wish them all the best for their future endeavours.