NRS EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT BOARD MEETING
Tuesday 3 February 2026 from 09:30 to 12:00
Hybrid, LCR and Teams
Attendees:
Alison Byrne Chief Executive, Registrar General and Keeper (Chair)
Director of Corporate Services and Accountable Officer
Director of Customer Service Operations and Archives
Interim Director for Digital & IT Services
Director of Delivery
Interim Director of Statistics
Corporate Finance Lead
Head of NRS Business Management
Senior Assistant Statistician (Item 2.1)
Head of Census PMO (Item 2.1)
Head of Estates Portfolio (Item 2.2)
Head of Facilities and Workplace Improvements (Item 2.2)
Corporate Business Assurance Support Manager (Item 3.1 & 3.2)
Senior Project Manager (Item 3.3 & 3.4)
Head of Portfolio and Governance (Item 4.1)
Strategic Finance Lead (Item 4.1)
Apologies:
Head of NRS People Services
Business Support Officer (secretariat)
Director of Census Statistics
Head of Information and Archive Governance
1. Welcome, introductions and apologies
Alison Byrne welcomed everyone to the meeting. Apologies were noted as above.
1.1 Members approved the draft minutes from the meeting held on 4 December 2025.
1.2 A review of the action log was undertaken via correspondence. The action log would be updated accordingly. It was noted that all ‘in progress’ actions noted on Census 2031 and Finance need to be condensed.
1.3 Members noted the decision log.
2.1 People Survey Results
2.1.1 The Head of Census PMO and Senior Assistant Statistician provided an update on NRS People Survey Results with the key areas below:
· Specific breakdown of the People Survey 2025 results, aligned to each Directorate
· Analytical summaries and key outputs
· Commentary around key themes and considerations for EMB to review
Successes
· Overall, scores had increased across all areas and staff completion rates were higher
· Many areas around leadership, managing change, my manager and culture had significantly improved, to in line with or significantly above benchmarks. Historically, NRS had been behind the benchmarks set by the SG and wider CS
· Expectation of taking action on the People Survey had significantly improved to higher than benchmarks
· Key objectives and actions undertaken within the People Survey Action Plan could be seen in this year’s scores which was very positive to see.
Potential Improvements
· Learning & Development had the largest scope for improvements (even though it has improved over the last 2 years too)
· Further commitment to sharing organisational objectives and ensuring staff had the right tools for the jobs could build upon the great work done in 2025
· Diversity & inclusion (much like reducing bullying & harassment) should be a priority every year, regardless of scores
· Sharing awareness of benefit packages and wellbeing resources could be increased and provided in more ways
· Wellbeing, particularly around work-life balance, should be monitored closely with new service planning outcomes and recommendations
2.1.2 In discussion the following points were noted:
- Performance discussions scored lower than expected, indicating a need to review understanding and delivery
· Confidence in survey follow-up was low; improved visibility would be ensured through regular communication, mid-year updates, and staff engagement
- Directorate-level differences were noted, with Band A results highlighted and further analysis agreed
- A strategic L&D approach aligned with the NRS Strategy was recommended and would consider A Band constraints, legacy systems, and training opportunities
- It was recommended that EMT have regular oversight on People Survey Action Plan
- Suggestion that learning from SG colleagues’ approaches could be used to improve lower-scoring areas, with Time Management highlighted as best practice.
2.1.3 EMB agreed that the following actions would be taken forward by the NRS People Board:
Action EMB 534: Develop and implement a year-round communications plan for the People Survey and action plan to ensure staff were regularly informed of progress and actions taken. Owner: NRS People Board / Communications Team
Action EMB 535: Conduct further analysis of People Survey Scores by grade. Owner: NRS People Board
Action EMB 536: Agree a strategic, organisation-wide L&D approach aligned to the NRS Strategy Owner: NRS People Board
2.2 Estates Highlights to end FY
2.2.1 The Head of Estates Portfolio and Head of Facilities and Workplace Improvements provided an update on Estates Highlights to end FY with the key areas below:
· There was significant pressure to complete all funded estates projects by the end of March, with contractors working extended hours
· Most projects remained on track: the Heritage Room and radio upgrades were due to complete in February, treatment space refurbishment by the end of March, and the roof project was nearing completion
· The chiller and environmental control project remained complex and was expected to extend into the next financial year
· Ongoing estates upgrades included collaboration spaces, media suite, accessibility and entrances, toilets, and conservation and treatment areas
· Statutory compliance remained stable, with strong progress on life safety; fire risk assessments were updated, and a Fire Safety Manager was in post
· The asset protection and storage capacity review (Thomas Thomson House) was nearing completion
· Budget pressures have increased due to inflation and a flat settlement, with future funding limited to critical maintenance posing risks to essential work
· Renewal of the Professional Services Framework commenced with contractor capacity under strain from combined routine and project delivery work
2.2.2 EMB noted the following:
· Concern over reliance on the core contractor, creating capacity risks, particularly near year-end
· Noted storage capacity study considered crucial for long-term planning decisions
· Noted budget pressures highlighted; essential maintenance may become critical without additional funding
· EMB agreed communication about estates projects should be strengthened internally and externally
Action EMB 537: Prepare a paper for DG/Cabinet Secretary setting out critical vs essential maintenance needs, a five-year projection of affordability risk, and a heat-map of key risk areas. Owner: Head of Facilities and Workplace Improvements and Director of Corporate Services and Accountable Officer
3.1 Review Risks & 3.2. Review Issues
3.1.1 A review of live issues and corporate risks was undertaken by EMB. The Corporate Risk Register and Live issues log would be updated accordingly.
3.3. Fees, Charges, and Income (FCI) update and 3.4. FCI Delivery Stage 2
3.3.1 The Interim Director of Statistics and FCI Senior Project Manager provided an update on FCI with the key areas below:
- Oversight of statutory projects had increased through the corporate portfolio approach, with development of an FCI dashboard underway
- The team had proposed issuing a high-level executive summary to EMB every two months
- A provisional FCI Programme Board had been meeting bi-monthly, though terms of reference and delegated authority were still pending agreement
- Two governance options had been presented: proceed with the planned board or establish an elevated board of key directors for faster decisions
- Resource risks were highlighted, including the Business Analyst contract ending in March and limited project and programme management resilience
- The team stated they were confident in delivering the 26/27 plan, contingent on maintaining current resources and securing a four-month BA extension
- Delivery capacity remained tight, with PMs operating at maximum load and minimal flexibility for additional support or slippage
- Forward plans for 2026–2029 showed full capacity, with statutory projects prioritised and limited resource available for non-statutory work
- Dependencies on finance resource, annual reviews, and future charging policy development were noted as ongoing challenges
3.3.2. EMB agreed to proceed with a FCI Programme Board with the delegations outlined in the TOR.
3.5. Finance Report: 25/26-year end plan & Finance: Budget setting 26/27
3.5.1 The Interim Chief Finance Officer provided an update on Finance Report: 25/26-year end plan & Finance: Budget setting 26/27 with the key areas below:
· It had been recommended that EMB undertake regular workforce reviews, aligned to the organisation’s longer‑term strategic plans, to mitigate future‑year underspend on staffing budgets and maintain financial sustainability
· Finance had undertaken a different approach to income forecasting going forward and had continued to report assured forecast findings to EMB
· Finance had monitored capital and programme expenditure against the updated budget and had informed EMB of any variances
· Finance had continued to work with Delivery to support the final proposed Programme Budget through Corporate Planning
· Finance had worked across the organisation to ensure business cases for capital spend were developed in a timely manner where required
· The 2026/27 budget had been confirmed by SG, and EMB had participated in early discussions to ensure a balanced budget; Finance had begun budget commissioning, issuing Staffing Lists with Goods and Services to follow
· An EMT decision for the 2026/27 budget had remained outstanding, and it had been recommended that the remaining £401k be allocated to staffing
· The 2025/2026 Interim Audit had been planned to start on 26 January 2026, and Finance had updated EMB on progress
· The 2025/2026 year‑end audit had been scheduled to start on 29 June 2026, with Finance preparing to share the Annual Reporting and Accounts timeline for EMB approval
Action EMB 538: EMT to review update vacancy list and confirm any updates or missing posts. Owner: EMT
3.5.2 EMB noted the forecast outturn position at December 2025 (Period 09) and HR vacancy progress updates.
3.5.3 EMB agreed to progress next steps and recommendations, including delivering the additional asks set out in the NRS Finance Report 2026 paper.
Decision EMB-D258: EMB agreed to progress next steps and recommendations including delivering the additional asks set out in the NRS Finance Report 2026 paper.
4.1. Portfolio Report on Delivery to 31st March 2026 & Project Financials
4.1.1 The Head of Portfolio and Governance and Strategic Finance Lead provided an update on the Portfolio Report on Delivery to 31st March 2026 & Project Financials with the key areas below:
· Governance – The refreshed arrangements had been finalised, and stakeholder feedback had been incorporated where relevant to shape the final approach. A proposed structural change had subsumed the DSB and the cross‑organisational change forum into a new Change and Portfolio Board. This new board had been made responsible for overseeing delivery of the annually reviewed and refreshed corporate plan and the strategic change portfolio
· Corporate Plan – Detailed planning to agree the corporate plan that would support strategy delivery had been scheduled for completion by spring 2026. The planning approach had been agreed by EMT and had been designed to be delivered in two phases. Phase 1 had delivered for each programme and project: (i) a description and scope, (ii) objectives, (iii) outcomes and outputs, and (iv) how those outcomes and outputs supported achievement of one or more strategic objectives. Phase 2 had focused on the detailed planning required to deliver the programmes and projects within the corporate plan, documenting milestones, activities, resourcing, and timelines
· Corporate Portfolio Office (CPMO) – In addition to its day‑to‑day activities, the CPMO team had supported and led a number of corporate and portfolio‑wide change initiatives and had carried out non‑major project assurance health checks
4.1.2 EMB noted the update.
4.2. DEA accreditation approach
4.2.1 The Director of Customer Services Operations and Archives presented a paper on DEA accreditation approach.
· EMB noted that DEA accreditation for the NRS Indexing Team expires in December 2026, and that an application for renewal would require to be submitted to the UK Statistics Authority in October 2026 for NRS to continue to fulfil its role in the Scottish Data Linkage Framework
· EMB agreed that the work should be recognised as a priority for all directorates in addition to the corporate plan objectives for 2026/27. Progress towards meeting the requirements for accreditation renewal would be monitored by Statistical Services
4.2.2 EMB noted the proposed approach to renewal of DEA accreditation for the NRS Indexing Team.
4.2.3. The Director of Delivery took an action to share the closure report, lessons learned and key documents/plans from the initial DEA accreditation exercise as a starting point.
Action EMB 539: Director of Delivery took an action to share the closure report, lessons learned and key documents/plans from the initial DEA accreditation exercise as a starting point. Action Owner: Director of Delivery
4.3. Security update
4.3.1 The Director of Corporate Services and Accountable Officer and Interim Director for Digital & IT Services provided an update on Security with the key areas below:
· The SG security project team had sought final clarification on the number of doors requiring integration into the new GRH access control system before confirming costs for EMB consideration
· The existing GRH access system had continued to function but had been outdated, failure‑prone, and difficult to maintain, leaving security gaps that made replacement urgent
· Funding for the GRH access control upgrade remains uncertain, as the Scottish Government security programme was nearing the end of its available budget
· WRH had been surveyed and a quote for a full CCTV upgrade had been submitted and approved, with installation work expected to commence shortly
· The WRH CCTV upgrade had been designed to deliver full camera coverage with compatible recording systems aligned to planned improvements in other buildings
· NRH had been surveyed for replacement of its disparate locking systems, and a submitted quote had been agreed while commencement dates were being explored
· Cornerstone had confirmed they would no longer pursue installation of a mobile phone mast at WRH following discussions highlighting associated risks and constraints
· Planned refurbishment works at TTH had been expected to disrupt the main entrance, requiring temporary use of a fire door and additional security coverage, potentially 24/7.
· Communications had been planned to ensure staff were aware of TTH access changes during the four‑week works period
· The Vigilant security team had continued to maintain a strong and positive working relationship with NRS
4.4. Digital Roadmap Update
4.4.1 The Interim Director for Digital & IT Services provided an update on the Digital Roadmap with the key areas below:
· Storm ID had been engaged to support NRS in shaping and planning the digital elements required to deliver the wider NRS Corporate Plan
· Multiple digital initiatives, projects and workstreams had been identified, but structured delivery planning had remained limited
· The project had aimed to create a consolidated, validated log of all digital initiatives from the corporate plan and SME inputs
· Work had also focused on enriching initiative data to enable prioritisation based on consistent attributes
· The team had been developing both a detailed one‑year digital delivery roadmap and a high‑level one‑to‑three‑year roadmap aligned to priority, feasibility, and strategic fit
· The project had formally launched on 25 November 2025, followed by a period of desk research across corporate plan materials and SME‑provided documentation
· Engagement sessions with several SMEs had been completed, and initial planning sessions had informed a work‑in‑progress initiative log
· Upcoming work had included final SME engagement, baselining initiative data, and drafting and refining both the year‑1 and year‑1‑to‑3 roadmaps
· The project had been progressing well and was expected to complete in late February 2026, slightly later than planned due to SME availability before Christmas
· The project plan had been revisited and accepted, with no open issues reported
4.5. Cloud Migration – Azure update
4.5.1 The Interim Director for Digital & IT Services provided an update on the Cloud Migration – Azure with the key areas
· The NRS Azure tenant had been activated, and technical delivery had started with several tasks completing faster than estimated.
· The main Azure cloud order had been completed in early December after delays caused by external processing times.
· Technical tasks had begun on 12 January, with around ten tasks completed, though progress had been blocked by outstanding domain and licence issues.
· The project had been awaiting approval for the new nrs.gov.scot domain required for the Azure tenant.
· Licences purchased for the new Azure service had not appeared in the tenant due to further required action from suppliers.
· The team had anticipated recovering some lost time once the domain and licence issues were resolved.
· The estimated completion date had shifted to 10 April 2026, extending beyond the original contract end date.
· Contingency planning had been initiated to explore extending the StormID contract to support continued delivery.
· Several key milestones had been completed later than baseline but remained within acceptable tolerance.
· A key risk had been logged that delays could push delivery past March 2026, requiring further contractual extensions.
4.6. Outputs of Data Strategy
4.6.1 The Interim Director of Statistics provided an update on the outputs of the Data Strategy with the key areas below.
· NRS had commissioned Data Orchard to develop a data strategy to support corporate objectives and improve data maturity
· Draft outputs had been reviewed by the NRS Data group and were being finalised following feedback
· Data Orchard would present the final data strategy and delivery approach at an in-person EMT deep-dive session on 12th February 2026, with papers issued in advance
5. AOB
5.1 A visit request from the Cabinet Secretary was discussed, with plans to provide a short briefing and tour focused on key estate challenges and ongoing project work.
Action EMB 540: Cabinet Secretary was planning on visiting NRS on 04/02/2026, short a building tour of NRH Owner: Head of Facilities and Workplace Improvements
Next meeting: Thursday 5 March 2026.
