HM Courts and Tribunals Service Board meeting – 7 June 2023
Published 26 March 2024
Applies to England and Wales
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1. Board members present
1.1 HMCTS
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| Sir Richard Broadbent | Chair |
| Victoria Cochrane | Senior Independent Non-Executive |
| Nicky Wilden | Non-Executive |
| Lakh Jemmett | Non-Executive |
| Nick Goodwin | Chief Executive |
| Andrew Baigent | Chief Financial Officer (CFO) |
| Paul Harris | Deputy Chief Executive and Operations Director |
| Lord Justice Andrew Edis | Senior Presiding Judge (SPJ) |
| Sir Keith Lindblom | Senior President of Tribunals (SPT) |
| District Judge Tim Jenkins | Judicial Board member |
| Annabel Burns | Judicial and Legal Services Policy Director (MoJ rep) |
1.2 Presenters and additional attendees
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| Alison Wedge | Deputy Director, Governance and Assurance |
| Richard Wood | Deputy Director Financial Control (Item Head of Financial Accounts) |
| Head of Financial Accounts | |
| Clare Farren | Deputy Director, Judicial Private Offices |
| Board Secretary | |
| Head of Corporate Governance and Board Secretariat |
2. Welcome and Introductions
The attendees were welcomed, apologies were given and appropriate introductions were made.
3. Minutes and actions
The minutes from the meeting on 3 May 2023 were approved and updates on actions were noted.
4. The future work of the board
On the basis of the Chair’s conversations with many people, his own observations and taking into account the recent Board Evaluation, the Chair proposed changes to the future work and approach taken by the Board.
The Board endorsed the proposals and agreed that Richard Price and Jerome Glass should be invited to attend future Board meetings.
5. Performance updates
Key success and ongoing challenges were noted. The senior management changes within HMCTS, following the departure of Gemma Hewison, were noted
The Board discussed the concordat letter from the Lord Chancellor, and it was agreed that the Board’s advice to be drafted and approved by correspondence.
An overview of the performance of all jurisdictions was provided.
There was discussion around legal advisor retention and recruitment to meet future requirements.
6. HMCTS corporate business plan 2022-23
The Board reviewed the year end position relative to the Corporate Business Plan and provided its feedback in relation to future reporting.
7. Quarterly principals review of HMCTS performance
It was agreed that the report would be updated to reflect the Board’s feedback for submission alongside a cover note from the HMCTS Board Chair.
8. HMCTS audit and risk assurance committee (ARAC)
An oral report in relation to the HMCTS Audit and Risk Assurance Committee (ARAC) meeting on 6 June 2022 was presented, which referenced the annual report from the Government Internal Audit Agency and areas of focus going forward.
9. Draft HMCTS annual report and accounts 2022-23 & Draft HMCTS trust statement 2022-23
Subject to the outstanding issues being addressed, the approval of the 2022-23 HMCTS Annual Report & accounts and HMCTS Trust Statement was delegated to Nick Goodwin (as Accounting Officer) and Andrew Baigent (as CFO) subject to final agreement from ARAC.
10. AOB
The Board thanked Gemma Hewison for her invaluable services to HMCTS in relation the Reform programme.