People Committee

The formal minutes of the public items of business will be available at the meetings scheduled for 4 November 2025. These will also be published on the SPA’s website. A full recording of the public items of business taken at these meetings can be accessed here.

KEY ISSUES RAISED
Wellbeing, Inclusion & Health & Safety
The Committee discussed Health & Safety and Health & Wellbeing Reports at length. The effort to embed a culture of robust near miss accident/incident reporting across all areas is welcomed by the committee as Members recognise the benefit gained from understanding this data. Assurance was provided that close monitoring of completion rates for Officer Safety Training continues to be a priority area for Police Scotland to ensure officers are safely deployable.
Members heard that the recent restructure has created greater capacity for the Police Scotland People & Development function which will mean that the next bi-annual Wellbeing Report is expected to evidence further progress against the Health & Wellbeing Action Plan milestones.
A continuing request of this committee is that governance reports include evidence of impact and evaluation of wellbeing provision, so that the Authority can be assured the workforce is effectively supported.
Bi-Annual YVM Report
Members recognised the good progress in this regard and discussion focused on how Police Scotland ensure feedback and improvements are recognised and experienced both locally and nationally. It was agreed the next committee update report on this would provide some examples of locally tailored improvement activity.
Strategy, Policy and Planning
Q1 Workforce Strategic Dashboard
The workforce impacts following a busy period of operational activity due to high profile events was noted. Members are keen to consider further the resulting impact on officer Re Rostered Rest Days as soon as that data is available, along with plans to address the level of days due to be taken or compensated.
Modified Duties – improvement plan update
The Committee recognise a variety of reasons may determine if and how officer duties are modified and recognise not all modifications mean that an officer will not be deployable. To support Members oversight, it is requested that future reports provide a breakdown of reasons for duty modifications so that we can be assured the steps being taken to keep our workforce safe are proportionate and effective.
People Strategy & Workforce Planning/ Year 2 People Strategy / Strategic Workforce Planning (SWP) Implementation Plans/ HMICS Strategic Workforce Plan Assurance Report
The Committee welcomed assurance that work has been done to align workforce planning activity to the delivery of the 2030 Vision. Members are supportive of a Deep Dive into people related areas that have been identified as relevant to this mapping work.
Learning Training & Development & Leadership & Talent - Joint Thematic Report/ Police Driver Training Update
We heard that a session is scheduled at which Police Scotland’s Leadership Team will explore how Police Scotland can reset its approach to employee performance management. Work is underway to develop a catalogue of available options for the workforce that enable development in roles and career. This committee welcomed the work and look forward to future updates.
It was agreed that future reports on Driver Training will include training completion data so that assurance can be provided on completion rates and legal compliance.
Fair Work Annual Report
Fair Work continues to be mainstreamed across all activity, demonstrating commendable commitment to the principles of fair work and a close partnership approach involving SG colleagues.
Bi-Annual Policing Together Update
The improvements in reporting are recognised by the Committee and Members agree future reports should seek to demonstrate evidence of change and improvement. Members are keen to see better articulation of the overall benefits and impacts from the Policing Together activity.
ACC Paton responded to a committee request for clarity about Police Scotland’s handling of the Sex Equality and Tackling Misogyny and Violence Against Women and Girls Report. The ACC stated that Police Scotland has consistently acknowledged and committed to addressing the challenges faced by the organisation in this respect. Members welcomed the assurance that Police Scotland is fully committed to transparent public reporting of delivery against the Policing Together objectives.
Supreme Court Ruling on Sex & Gender
Members noted the ongoing work to address people policy impacts from the UK Supreme Court ruling on Sex & Gender.
Pay Award, Voluntary Redundancy/Voluntary Early Retirement Scheme and Potential Pension Forfeiture
Verbal updates on ongoing Pay Award matters were considered and noted. An update on an ongoing Pension Forfeiture matter was noted in private session.

CONCLUSIONS/ACTIONS REACHED

• Future reports to provide this committee with appropriate oversight of the evaluation of the impacts of wellbeing provision so the committee can be confident the workforce is being appropriately supported.
• This committee to consider evidence of how Police Scotland is shaping actions taken in response to the Staff Survey to be locally nuanced so that improvements are experienced by officers & staff.
• Briefing to be prepared that gives the Committee an understanding of the impact recent major events have had on the Re Rostered Rest Day balances. Members request for this, along with the plans to address the issue, to be provided at the earliest opportunity and before the next committee meeting.
• Policing Together – session to be arranged so that committee can understand how the Policing Together work is strategically aligned to the 2030 Vision.
• Driver Training - future reporting to this committee will include (previously reported) data that provides oversight of levels of driver training completion.