Report Summary
This report provides members of the Scottish Police Authority's Audit, Risk & Assurance Committee with an overview of findings from the 2024-25 Committee Effectiveness process. The report is for Members’ consideration and seeks to provide assurance on the effectiveness of their contribution to the Authority’s governance arrangements and subsequent assurance reporting as part of the annual report and accounting process.
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Meeting
The publication discussed was referenced in the meeting below
Audit, Risk and Assurance Committee - 21 May 2025
Date : 21 May 2025
Location : online
Stakeholder Feedback
Three stakeholders responded to the survey providing feedback and comment six of the Authority’s committees.
Generally, stakeholders were positive about all aspects of how the committees are functioning. However, there was no overall agreement from the three stakeholders about what was specifically working well or what specifically could be improved.
Specific feedback from each committee is set out below:
Complaints and Conduct Committee
This committee received one stakeholder response. They ‘Strongly Agreed’ that the Committee’s priorities and workplan were clear. They also either ‘Agreed’ or ‘Strongly Agreed’ that there was clarity on the content of reports to Committee and the overall ask of the Committee, and that there was enough time for members to consider papers; that the Chair was effective in meeting management; and that the Committee is effective overall.
Legal Committee
This committee received one stakeholder response. They either ‘Agreed’ or ‘Strongly Agreed’ that the Committee’s priorities and workplan were clear; that there was clarity on the content of reports to Committee and the overall ask of the Committee, and that there was enough time for members to consider papers; that the Chair was effective in meeting management; and that the Committee is effective overall.
Resources Committee
This committee received one stakeholder response. They ‘Strongly Agreed’ that the Chair was effective in meeting management. They were mostly ‘Unsure’ about the overall effectiveness of the Committee, although they agreed that the Committee’s work enhances transparency and accountability in policing. They ‘Agreed’ about the clarity of reports being submitted to the Committee, but ‘Disagreed’ about there being enough time for members to consider papers. They also ‘Agreed’ about the clarity of the Committee’s priorities, but were ‘Unsure’ about the clarity and alignment of the workplan to the Committee’s priorities.
Audit, Risk and Assurance Committee
This committee received one stakeholder response. They ‘Strongly Agreed’ that the Committee’s priorities and workplan were clear. They also ‘Agreed’ that there was clarity on the content of reports to Committee and the overall ask of the Committee, and that there was enough time for members to consider papers; and that the Chair was effective in meeting management. They also either ‘Agreed’ or ‘Strongly Agreed’ that the Committee is effective overall.
Policing Performance Committee
This committee received three stakeholder responses. They largely ‘Strongly Agreed’ about the effectiveness of the Chair in managing Committee meetings. ‘Priorities and Workplan’ and ‘Reports to Committee’. Respondents were most likely to either ‘Strongly Agree’ or ‘Agree’ in the Reports to Committee and Overall Effectiveness categories. Respondents were also most likely to either ‘Strongly Agree’ or ‘Disagree’ in the Priorities and Workplan category.
People Committee
This committee received two stakeholder responses. Respondents were most likely to ‘Agree’ in the Reports to Committee, Meeting Management, and Overall Effectiveness. Respondents were most likely to ‘Disagree’ in the Priorities and Workplan category.
Overall, the Committee Effectiveness results across all Committees are positive in terms of what stakeholders have provided as feedback.
A reinforcement of committee priorities and workplans, specifically with the Policing Performance Committee and the People Committee is a potential area for improvement.