Tuesday 3 June 2025
09:30 – 12:15
Lord Clerk Room, GRH
Attendees
- Alison Byrne Chief Executive, Registrar General and Keeper Chair)
- Director of Corporate Services and Accountable Officer
- Director of Information & Records Services and Deputy Keeper
- Interim Director of Operations and Customer Services and Deputy Registrar General
- Director of Census Statistics
- Director of Statistics
- Deputy Director, Information and Records Services
- Chief Finance Officer
- Head of BMU (governance)
- Corporate Business Assurance Manager
- Business Support Officer (secretariat)
- Head of Portfolio and Governance
- Head of Portfolio and Governance (Business Change)
- Head of NRS People Services
- Head of Estates Portfolio
- Head of Facilities and Workplace Improvements
- Digital Preservation System Senior Project Manager
- Archive Services Programme Manager
Apologies
- Interim Digital and Delivery Director
- Corporate Governance Manager
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 1 May 2025.
1.2 A review of the action log was undertaken. The action log would be updated accordingly.
1.3 Members noted the decision log.
2. People Updates
2.1. Workforce Planning (WFP) Update
The Head of NRS People Services provided an update on WFP with the key areas below.
- WFP were prioritising data reconciliation ahead of the end of the financial year
- WFP were updating new reporting requirements for SG and agreeing priorities for next WFP Group Meeting
- A draft WFP was being developed and report due end month to central SG
- WFP were working through all relevant WFP data including NRS staff headcount, live vacancies, expected headcount and externally advertised roles with a monthly look ahead
- WFP were also providing relevant data to NRS Finance, with separate Census and core NRS reporting
- WFP were updating NRS Partnership Board on changes to NRS Senior Management structure
- Next steps after prioritisation work was succession planning for NRS
- NRS were progressing with growing Learning and Development within the organisation.
- A new Capabilities and Talent Lead (B3) would be joining NRS on 23rd June. Priorities for the role would be to refresh training analysis, identify training gaps, talent management, succession planning and investment in current staff
- WFP group meeting on 11th June 2025 to discuss management of approved priority posts
- Eight PBCs had been approved, with 24 PBCs to be approved
- Weekly catch up were held to discuss Census recruitment
- A session was arranged between HR People Services and the Census Team to train up recruitment panel members, draft job adverts and liaise with SG HR
2.1.1. EMB provided the following feedback:
- A3 recruitment was going well. Staff were expected to start by the end of summer 2025
- NRS headcount control was around 445 core staff and figures included all vacancies to be filled over 2025/26 period
- WFP and Delivery were to align capacity and granular information to deliver all NRS work.
- EMB noted a five-year delivery plan was being developed as part of the Deloitte work
- EMB noted this would be added to WFP agenda
- EMB requested visibility of Census 2031 metrics
- EMB noted Census 2031 programme headcount was being reported separately and that SG were aware that the projected headcount for Census may shift
- EMB noted any NRS core staff that were successful in Census 2031 promotion would be time limited. Staff would have to leave NRS following the time limit. EMB noted most staff were successful in recruitment to NRS core following Census 2031 promotion
Action EMB 474: To provide visibility of Census 2031 metrics. Action Owner: Director of Census Statistics
2.1.2. The Head of Portfolio and Governance asked what progress had been made in regard to ongoing Oracle Cloud issues. The Head of NRS People Services advised the following:
- SG and Oracle Cloud were prioritising any payroll issues
- Staff were to raise an iFix if experiencing any Oracle Cloud issues
- Finance, flexi, Data migration issues were still to be resolved
- SG were setting up Oracle support sessions, including a user interface session to improve staff understanding of the flexi system
- HR were raising NRS issues at delivery sessions and senior SBM meetings
- An Oracle patch would be coming June/July 2025
2.2. People Board update
The Head of NRS People Services provided an update on the People Board with the key areas below.
- Terms of reference update and priorities
- People Survey update
- Ways of Working update
- Learning and Development update
2.2.1. EMB noted the updates and discussed NRS hybrid working. Members agreed to arrange a staff survey around hybrid working. EMB noted draft questions would be shared with the Partnership Board.
2.3. Training Spend update
The Head of NRS People Services provided an update on NRS training spend update with the key points below.
- NRS were aiming to achieve investment in the development of the current workforce, aligned to key services and outcomes identified in the recent target operating model (TOM)
- NRS hoped to achieve this within the existing budget envelope, however there were benefits (and risks) when recommending investing a little more (£37k) to support a wide range of training priorities
- Finance forecast £100k for job related training for the 2025-2026 financial year
- Business areas returned £266k of job-related training bids to People Services
- People Services had reviewed the bids and had brought recommendations for EMB to consider
- EMB were asked to review and provide feedback on the best approach on how to invest NRS training budget (100k) against the training need of (£260k)
2.3.1. EMB requested a further breakdown of proposed training spend figures via correspondence.
Action EMB 475: The Head of NRS People Services to circulate further breakdown of proposed training spend figures for EMB consideration. Action Owner: Head of NRS People Services
2.4. Kings’ Honours NRS nominations
EMB discussed NRS nominations for Kings’ Honours.
2.5. NRS Estates update
The Head of Estates Portfolio and Head of Facilities and Workplace Improvements provided an update on all NRS Estates work with the key areas below.
- Key Contracts: Hard FM, Soft FM, Security, Professional Services Framework
- Highlights in 2024/25 FY
- Project delivery activities in 2024/25 FY
- Workplace Planning Group update
- NRH Roof Overhaul Programme
- Priorities for 2025/26 FY
- Challenges and risks
2.5.1. EMB noted the update.
2.5.2. The Director of Census Statistics asked how NRH Roof Overhaul Programme costs may impact future SG funding requests. The Head of Estates Portfolio advised that roof work was funded by NRS capital funding. The Chief Finance Officer advised SG appreciated NRS had a challenging capital budget. The Director of Corporate Services and Accountable Officer advised the journey was NRS Life Safety to Asset Protection and that Climate Change Adaptations were also key in NRS decision making. The Chief Finance Officer advised finance were proposing changes to SG revaluation of buildings.
2.6. Covid 19 action plan review update
The Director of Corporate Services and Accountable Officer provided an update on Covid 19 action plan review work. EMB noted Susan Tannahill would provide a further update to EMB via correspondence.
3. Delivery updates
3.1. Review of live issues and corporate risks
The Corporate Business Assurance Manager provided an overview of live issues with the key points below.
- NRS had eight live issues recorded with one issue marked as red (NRS005) Physical archiving and storage. Significant ongoing work post Deloitte report was being delivered and a subgroup had been established to take this work forward
- Progress was being made across all other issues including the following updates since EMB last met
- NRS 008 – Digital Archiving - significant progress made to the business case
- NRS 009 – WRH wracking – continuation of estates team repairing/replacing cables. Once completed this issue would be closed
- NRS 013 – Intellectual Property – included since last meeting and work was ongoing around licenses and copyright materials
- D&G cyber-attack was also likely to be brought to EMB for closure in the coming months
- NRS007 - Business Continuity plan was closed as the plan had been shared and agreed by EMB with Corporate Business Continuity Lead undertaking a programme of work to implement the framework
- Updates on issues for next EMB in July were Cyber Essential Plus + & accreditation
3.1.1. EMB noted the update and requested Ancestry issues path to green were provided in future dashboard updates. The Director of Corporate Services and Accountable Officer advised Cyber internal audit work was being scoped
3.1.2. The Corporate Business Assurance Manager provided an update on NRS Risks with the key points below.
- The Corporate risk update was based on the current draft risk register which had been developed as part of the Director risk workshops undertaken
- The content from risk NRS001 to NRS015 had been agreed at the workshops
- Risks NRS016 to NRS020 were still to be considered and would be discussed at the final Risk Workshop with Directors
- Planned final risk workshop (date tbc) with all Directors to cover the remaining risks as well as consideration of and finalising the risk appetite scoring and controls confidence, This was unlikely to be completed ahead of ARC this month due to the availability of key attendees
- Proposed format of the next workshop would include NRS risk leads/owners to attend alongside Directors to see a presentation on risk escalation and the new material which would be made available
- The plan also included the proposal to invite all NXDs to a future session (including newly appointed NXDs) to explain the risk ‘journey’ in a little more depth and the proposed structures and supporting material in place
- Further progress has been made to develop a draft of supporting material (in addition to the already accessible SG framework/guidance and mandatory risk training) for all colleagues within NRS to utilise when considering and developing risk
- This included draft documents which had been shared as links in the risk dashboard paper, including :-
- Risk and Issues escalation and de-escalation forms
- Risk and Issues escalation process framework document with diagrams – a stage further than what was currently considered under risk by SG
- Risk and Issues draft template
- RACI Matrix outlining each role played by Boards, EMB and individuals across the organisation.
- This work had been shared with the upcoming Stats Board and with the Information Security Committee. Work would be developed further upon initial feedback
- NRS recently engaged with NRS Stats team around the development of a corporate wide dashboard. This work was also likely to include development of visuals as part of the dashboards (risk and issues plus others) aimed at reducing paper content while improving the narrative
- Once the risk work was finalised and agreed all staff would be updated via an internal saltire article in autumn 2025 on all the risk progress and links to the framework/documents etc
3.1.3. EMB noted the updates. EMB also noted the next risk workshop would be arranged following completion of Deloitte TOM work.
3.1.4. Interim Director of Operations and Customer Services and Deputy Registrar General
requested Ancestry Tribunal risk be added to the risk register. EMB noted this risk had been escalated to SG and ARC would be updated at the June meeting.
Action EMB 476: Add Ancestry Tribunal risk to NRS Risk Register. Update ARC. Action Owner: The Corporate Business Assurance Manager
3.2. Delivery Portfolio update
The Head of Portfolio and Governance provided an update on the NRS Delivery Portfolio.
3.2.1. EMB provided the following feedback below.
• Corporate Plan and Delivery Portfolio Plan work would need to be joined up following completion of the Deloitte TOM work
• EMB noted an extra week of stakeholder review and assurance validation work was required on the Corporate Plan
• EMB noted additional budget and resourcing would be required to progress this work
• EMB suggested future EMB paper to wrap up all corporate plan work including PIDs and thresholds linked to NRS governance for EMB to consider
3.2.2. The Director of Statistics advised as SRO he was awaiting plan on implementation for SAS to Open Source. The Head of Portfolio and Governance advised a plan had been requested from the Project Manager and he would follow up on this request.
3.3. Future of Population Statistics (FoPS) update
The Director of Census Statistics provided and update on FoPS with the key points below.
- The FoPS outline business case would be submitted to SG
- The outline business case (OBC) would be circulated to EMT
- Proposed figures were validated by ONS
- A refreshed OBC would be submitted in 2026
- Move to multi-year funding
3.3.1. EMB noted the update.
3.4. Update on Operational KPI review
3.4.1. EMB noted the update on the Operational KPI review paper. Members agreed any further feedback would be provided via correspondence.
3.5. Finance - AR&A Statutory audit progress
The Chief Finance Officer provided an update on AR&A Statutory audit progress with the key points below.
- Audit work would commence on 13 June 2025
- All information requested was to be submitted to Finance as soon as possible
3.5.1. EMB noted the update.
3.6. Digital Preservation System business case
The Digital Preservation System Senior Project Manager presented the draft Digital Preservation System business case with the key points below.
- The Digital Archiving Project objective would scale up NRS’ capability to accept, preserve and make available archival digital records
- The business case proposed the implementation of a new Digital Preservation System
The recommended option was a hybrid solution: buying a ‘core’ supplier platform and to build & integrate NRS components (such as the NRS cloud storage instance)
- The procurement route identified was the Digital Preservation Systems Dynamic Purchasing System Framework
- The project would be delivered with a cross-functional team, requiring availability of subject matter expertise within delivery, digital services, archiving, IT and information governance
- Digital Preservation was not a one-time solution but a sustained institutional commitment requiring incremental development, in perpetuity
- The project would deliver a foundational platform that enabled the development of other digital archiving capabilities, such as cataloguing and access
- The business case would be submitted to BMU for circulation to EMB once refinement has taken place following feedback received
3.6.1. EMB provided positive feedback on the draft business case and noted the final business case would be circulated for EMB approval via correspondence. EMB noted big shift from capital to resource and asked costings be checked.
3.6.2. Alison Byrne left the meeting. The Director of Corporate Services and Accountable Officer chaired the remainder of the meeting.
4.1. AOB
4.1.1. No AOB was raised.
4.2. EMB Forward Look
4.3. EMB noted the forward look.
Next meeting: 1 July 2025
