Minutes
Title:
Executive Team Meeting
Date of Meeting:
13 May 2015
Location:
Blue Room, 1st Floor, Kew
Attendees:
Jeff James (JJ - Chair)
Clem Brohier (CB)
Carol Tullo (CT)
Mary Gledhill (MG)
Caroline Ottaway-Searle (COS)
TNA
TNA
TNA
TNA
TNA
Patrick Mallett (PJM - minutes)
Sam Whaley (SW)
Marketing Manager (item 2)
Rachael Corver (RC – item 2)
Principal Records Manager, Public
History (item 2)
Emma Allen (EA – item 3)
Blackthorn representative 1
Blackthorn representative 2
John Sheridan (JS – item 4)
HR Manager - Organisational
Development & Business Partnering
(item 5)
Strategy & Research Manager (item
6)
Jane Craigie-Payne (JCP – item 8)
TNA
TNA
TNA
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Blackthorn
Blackthorn
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TNA
TNA
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Apologies: Valerie Johnson (VJ)
Action
1.0
Minutes and Declarations of conflicts of interest
1.1
The minutes of the previous meeting held on the 29 April 2015 were reviewed and
approved.
1.2
There were no conflicts of interest declared.
2.0
What’s on
2.1
The Executive Team are being asked to note progress made and support a
number of proposals set out in the paper to improve our public events and
exhibitions’ programme.
2.2
RC noted the need to be on a journey of increasing quality through, amongst
other things, bringing in outside expertise and looking at how other organisations
did things.
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2.3
CT advised that professionalising was a positive move and echoed the move to
centralising web learning.
2.4
JJ said that the Executive Team would still need to advise on key / large scale
decisions. Thought had to be given as to whether the aim of events was cost
recovery or income generation.
2.5
MG advocated the focus should be on quality over quantity. A realistic estimation of
our capacity needed to be made.
2.6
JJ highlighted that there was an opportunity cost associated with the forming of a
team and this needed to be carefully considered.
2.7
JJ stated that thinking around the use of our space should be bold; we were
developing relationships that could allow the use of certain other offsite venues.
2.8
The Executive Team noted progress, supported the proposals and overall
direction of travel.
3.0
Blackthorn report
3.1
The Executive Team was being asked to note a presentation by Blackthorn.
Blackthorn had completed a skills audit in Technology to act as a baseline of skills
and development requirements.
3.2
Blackthorn representative 1 and Blackthorn representative 2 presented the report.
3.3
Blackthorn representative 1advised 21.5K data sets would be available for The
National Archives to use.
3.4
JJ commented that the timing of this piece of work was interesting as it came at the
end of one business plan at a time that the next business plan was new to staff.
3.5
MG noted that feedback would be given to staff, much good information had been
produced and the momentum would be kept up.
3.6
The Executive Team noted the report.
4.0
Legislation drafting and amending tool Partnership
4.1
This item is an update for the Executive Team following a Gateway Review of the
Legislation Drafting, Amending and Publishing Project. The Executive Team are
being asked to note the outcome of the review and support the next steps.
4.2
JS noted that the Head of Procurement had supported the proposals outlined in the
paper.
4.3
CT advised that this project crossed jurisdictions and Parliamentary Counsel and
others performed a steering group role.
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4.4
JJ stated that there needed to be clarity on asset ownership and how it would be
accounted for.
4.5
Action: Audit Scotland’s view on matter to be sought, if appropriate.
CB / JS
4.6
Action: CB’s team to provide financial management oversight to the project.
CB
4.7
The Executive Team noted the reviews findings and the next steps.
5.0
Clore Applications
5.1
The Executive Team’s view was sought on whether to support two Clore Emerging
Leaders course applications.
5.2
CT noted that Clore provided excellent feedback on applications.
5.3
The Executive Team supported the two applications.
6.0
Transition to 20 Year Rule: impact on NHS operational retention
6.1
Support was sought for the proposal that a ‘blanket’ retention instrument for NHS
patient and staff records, along similar lines to that for civil service staff records, is
submitted to the Advisory Council as soon as possible.
6.2
The Strategy & Research Manager introduced this item.
6.3
The Executive Team discussed a number of issues around 20 year rule and NHS
patient and staff records.
6.4
JJ advised it was the department that should submit proposals of this nature; we
would provide help and advice where necessary.
6.5
The Strategy & Research Manager noted that there may be difficulties in the
definition of health records.
6.6
JJ stated the importance of who presents the proposal to the Council and the
approach used.
6.7
The Executive Team noted the proposal ahead of further work to develop a
proposal for consideration by the Advisory Council.
7.0
Corporate Vacancy Management
7.1
JJ advised that he was cognisant of issues arising since the corporate
management of vacancies had been implemented, however the alternative was
less palatable.
7.2
MG noted the need to move resources to areas that were stretched.
7.3
JJ said that for the budget to balance there had been an agreement to reduce
headcount. There was a need for control and rigor ahead of the next CSR.
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7.4
Action: JCP to provide a vacancy list at the next Exec team meeting.
JCP
7.5
Action: JCP to discuss vacancy management issues with Executive reports.
JCP
8.0
AOB
8.1
CB noted that we are providing advice to the British Postal Museum and Archive
regarding duplicate posters.
8.2
Action: CB to check guidance and to bring this issue to the attention of the Forum.
8.3
There being no further business the meeting was brought to a close.
CB
Minutes
Title:
Executive Team Meeting
Date of Meeting:
27 May 2015
Location:
Blue Room, 1st Floor, Kew
Attendees:
Jeff James (JJ - Chair)
Clem Brohier (CB)
Carol Tullo (CT)
Mary Gledhill (MG)
Caroline Ottaway-Searle (COS)
Valerie Johnson (VJ)
TNA
TNA
TNA
TNA
TNA
TNA
Patrick Mallett (PJM - minutes)
Sam Whaley (SW)
Simon Lovett (SL – item 2)
Jane Craigie-Payne (JCP – item 4)
TNA
TNA
TNA
TNA
Apologies:
Action
1.0
Minutes and Declarations of conflicts of interest
1.1
The minutes of the previous meeting held on the 13 May 2015 were reviewed and
approved.
1.2
There were no conflicts of interest declared.
2.0
Grants – Scoping Scrutiny study
Page 4 of 6
2.1
The Executive Team was being asked to support a research bid looking at digital
sensitivities as part of on-going work with the Digital Transfer Project.
2.2
VJ noted that the submission date on the form was incorrect.
2.3
SL advised that the hope was that this system could be brought to market and be
of use to government departments.
2.4
VJ said that at Grants Panel there was an awareness of a number IP issues and
Malcolm Todd would need to be consulted as this was a complex area.
2.5
JJ stated that it needed to be made clear on the form which director was
supporting the proposal.
2.6
SL highlighted the benefits to be had from this bringing together of the various
component parts together in this project.
2.7
CT noted the importance of having the necessary software and licensing
arrangements in place.
2.8
MG suggested that it would be useful if we could explore an ‘agile’ approach i.e.
breaking the project down into smaller parts so that elements of the system could
be tested by users as the project progressed.
2.9
Action: Gasp forms layout to be reviewed.
VJ
2.10 Action: Directors to be informed of all decisions made at Grants Panel.
VJ
2.11 Action: JJ requested early sight of larger scale proposals.
VJ
2.12 Action: Grants Panel to be a regular 15 minute standing item at Executive Team
meetings. Summary to be provided for noting.
PJM
2.13 The Executive Team supported the proposal.
3.0
AOB
3.1
JJ noted the need to be very clear why we would enter into collaborations with
other cultural institutions and where The National Archives added value rather
than duplicating activity provided elsewhere
3.2
VJ advised that we had recently hosted a successful event with the InterPARES
Trust, a multi-national, interdisciplinary research project.
3.3
CB advised that a major IT migration was planned next Wednesday as part of the
Network Infrastructure project which was progressing well.
3.4
Action: CB to investigate options of Dashboard presentation once a replacement
Head of Corporate Planning was in place.
CB
3.5
Action: COS to send directors the lead non executive board member job spec.
COS
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4.0
Corporate Vacancy Management
4.1
JCP advised that the vacancy list included 7 in DSD, one in Estates and one in
Education.
4.2
Action: COS to review the DSD paper and distribute to the Executive Team ahead
of discussion at next week’s meeting.
4.3
The Executive Team discussed and agreed a number of vacancies to be recruited
to.
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COS