Corporate report

SIA business plan: 2023 to 2024

Published 20 June 2023

Chief Executive’s foreword

Our new strategic plan, covering 2023-26, is emphatic in restating that public protection is at the heart of everything we do.

In light of that purpose, we will always prioritise delivery of our core statutory functions. These are:

• licensing and decision making to ensure only those who are fit and proper to do so hold a licence,
• running the voluntary business approvals scheme, and
• our compliance, inspection and enforcement work to uphold the Private Security Industry Act.

This is year one of our three-year strategic plan. In this business plan, our drive to fulfil our strategic themes is set out. This includes a greater emphasis on effectiveness and efficiency to enhance our regulatory impact and do so in the most cost-effective way we can. It also includes a focus on standards for both individuals and security businesses, the distinction between the two recognises the disparate nature of the industry and how people work within it. We also recognise the importance of working in partnership, including better engagement with members of the public, the private security industry, and partners who report wrongdoing to us.

We will continue supporting the industry through changes affecting security, including changing and higher public expectations about what security do and the standards they work to, the forthcoming Martyn’s Law (Protect Duty) which will impact the operators of venues and those working within them. There are also the learnings and improvements for security from the Manchester Arena Inquiry and high-profile events such as Brixton Academy and the Birmingham Crane nightclub stabbings. Alongside the incidents of theft, trespass, and violence towards security officers that are experienced on a daily basis, these learnings highlight the critical role security plays in prevention and deterrence of crime and disorder. They also underline the high expectations both users of security and the people they protect have about the standards to which security should and do adhere.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Security Industry Authority. With the number of licence holders now over 400,000, there is much for the industry to be proud of. There have been considerable improvements in private security standards and public safety since regulation began. Over the last few years, the SIA has made changes to the way it works and regulates. But responsibility to improve is never ending and consequently there is more that both the SIA and industry need to do.

On behalf of the full Board, I want to express our thanks in advance to the staff at SIA and our partners, without whom delivery of this plan will not be possible.

Introduction

We set our strategic direction in our three-year strategic plan for 2023-26. This annual business plan for 2023-24 should be read in conjunction with that strategic plan. Over the next three years, alongside delivery of our statutory responsibilities, we will progress work under each of the six strategic themes set out in the strategic plan.

These are regulating effectively, regulating efficiently, improving individual standards, improving business standards, driving strategic partnerships and supporting our people.

Under regulating effectively, our focus is continuing bolstering our inspection activity, increasing our effectiveness in dealing with non-compliance, developing how licences can move from passive to interactive tokens, and enhancing the quality of communications with individual licence holders.

For regulating efficiency, our work includes reducing our office space in London, implementing a new efficiency plan that will run until 2026, delivering value for money as new contracts are agreed, improving the integrity and robustness of the technological systems used by our staff and customers, and conducting our annual fee review.

We will be improving individual standards by publishing guidance on the behaviours expected of SIA licence holders, supporting the industry to embed the Skills Board as it progresses the skills academy and profession maps, producing a digital welcome pack for new licence holders, and developing a new approach to update safety critical training standards.

Whilst we can make recommendations for improvements, our role as regulator is to implement the legislative regime. We are disappointed that our proposals on regulatory changes following the Manchester Arena Inquiry findings are not being taken forward, but we remain committed to doing all we can within the powers we have to improve public safety. We will work to reset the voluntary business standards scheme, pursuing fundamental changes to it in pursuit of improved public safety, as well as promoting the value of good security provision in the meantime through the existing Approved Contactor Scheme.

We will be driving strategic partnerships through working effectively with others to optimise the impact of the regulatory framework. This includes increasing the number of local authorities which can use powers afforded by the Private Security Industry Act 2001, assessing the impact of licence-linked qualifications, formalising data sharing agreements with police forces, running public safety campaigns, and increasing the quality of intelligence received.

Our focus in supporting our people is borne out of our people strategy and includes targeted training covering management, leadership and technical expertise, developing our approach to reward and recognition, improving the recruitment process, and implementing a new equality, diversity and inclusion strategy.

We will focus on stakeholder activities which help deliver our statutory functions and business plan priorities in a number of ways: through the stakeholder forum, our special interest groups, meetings and visits to security businesses and venues, meetings with partners, and subject matter experts. We will maximise opportunities to reach different and wide industry audiences and licence holders voices through speaking at and attending industry events and conferences.

Our joint industry and partnership work in pursuance of public protection aims will focus on areas of mutual interest agreed with the industry stakeholder forum:

• improved perception of the industry and public trust and confidence in it
• a private security industry supported by good terms and conditions by both employers and buyers who recognise and pay for good security working to professional standards
• private security as a valued career with an emphasis on skills development, continuous professional development and specialist training
• a more inclusive private security industry

Our data and digital systems are essential enablers to the work we do. We recognise that how we collect, protect and use the data we need to carry out our role as a regulator is important. We want to do more on embedding a healthy data management culture and need to keep deploying good practice in security and monitoring to ensure we look after the data we have custody of. We have more work to do on sharing performance data and analytics to improve policy development and transparency, where it is appropriate to do so.

Information technology, our tech infrastructure and systems underpin every transaction we have with licence applicants and security businesses. We are committed to ensuring changes to our digital services are designed as end-to-end services, from a user’s viewpoint, whether internal or external users. We prioritise the security of our data and systems in everything we do and manage the internal integrity of our assets and external cyber risks. We are reliant on the digital and data activity set out in our digital and data strategy to be supported by government capital funding and to be delivered by our key technology and service partners on time.

We are committed to ensuring changes to our digital services are designed as end to end services, from a user’s viewpoint, whether internal or external users. We have more work to do on sharing performance data and analytics to improve policy development and transparency.

Alongside being clear on what we will do, we also place great emphasis on how we will do it. We are striving to develop a more inclusive culture where all staff feel valued, differences are welcomed and celebrated, and inappropriate behaviours are recognised and dealt with. This approach to equality, diversity and inclusion is reflected in our values, which were developed by our staff.

Our values

Courageous

We are confident in our approach, integrity and independence. We enforce proportionately without fear or favour. We are not afraid to challenge.

Responsive

We listen and we continually strive to improve.

Efficient and Professional

We deliver increasing value for money every year. We recognise and enjoy success; we are brave by recognising poor performance or failure. We put it right, share the learning and move on to the next success.

Together, united

We are one team working with a common purpose. Everyone has value.

Our core regulatory functions and services

Our absolute priority is always delivery of our statutory responsibilities and core functions: licensing individuals, setting standards and ensuring compliance with the regulatory regime set out in the Private Security Industry Act 2001. For 2023-24, we plan to undertake the following activities to fulfil our core responsibilities.

Licensing and Service Delivery

Licensing process improvements

Continue to make changes to improve contact channels and communications with applicants during the licensing processes to improve customer service and reduce avoidable contact.

Improved workforce management

Carry out a review and analysis of our licensing performance (quality, quantity, timeliness) against desired and expected outputs, to identify areas for operational improvement. This will include introducing a new workforce management system to improve understanding of operational team performance and support a more efficient allocation of resource across the teams.

Criminality checks

Work with Disclosure Scotland to understand the impact of its implementation of the Disclosure Scotland Act on current processes for managing disclosure requests for applicants living in Scotland, identifying and implementing any necessary operational changes, and exploring opportunities to streamline the end-to-end process.

Business Standards

Process improvements

Implement improvements identified by Government Internal Audit Agency audit carried out in 2022/23 to enhance the administration of the scheme and better manage risks.

Audit

Conduct an audit of our ACS processes to refresh and assure compliance with public sector equality duty.

Individual Standards

Annual Customer Satisfaction

Conduct a survey and produce a report to inform improvements.

Training provider visits

Make 120 unannounced visits to training providers to assure quality of training and assessment.

Compliance and Inspections, Intelligence and Enforcement

Coordinate and professionalise

Through changes to internal operations, improve SIA investigative and enforcement capabilities, resulting in more effective and efficient ways of working.

Review current working practices and processes

Undertake a from ‘cradle to grave’ review across intelligence, investigations, inspection and compliance activity covering when concerns about security are reported to the SIA and when the SIA proactively identifies concerns.

Intelligence management

Transform how we manage intelligence, information, and third-party contact referrals resulting in better interaction with those who report concerns to us at key points, providing timely individual feedback or collective updates to the private security industry.

Training

Deliver enhanced training for our inspection and enforcement workforce to embed these new working practices, alongside other professional qualifications to ensure appropriate specialist expertise in our work.

Quality assure performance outputs and outcomes

Using improved investigative, supervisory processes and customer feedback (customer surveys) to improve trust and confidence, and act promptly on feedback to continuously improve our service delivery across the private security industry.

Corporate services and central governance

A range of corporate services facilitate and enable the delivery of our regulatory functions and services. These functions include human resources, legal, technology, finance, procurement, project management, knowledge and information management, data analysis, assurance, governance, policy, strategy and communications. These ensure the effective operation of the organisation and compliance with statutory requirements.

Corporate Services

External Communications strategy

Implement year 1 of our three-year strategy to support delivery of both the Strategic Plan and the year 1 Business Plan to ensure we are communicating as effectively as possible with our stakeholders.

20th anniversary

Organise a national conference and activities for the 20th anniversary of the regulator highlighting the benefits of a regulated industry and its contribution to public safety over the last 20 years.

Enterprise resource planning system

Implement and embed a new enterprise resource planning system for HR with improved functionality, to enable higher quality management information to inform decisions that is user friendly for staff.

HR policies and controls

Improve our HR policies and controls to support our people strategy, including performance and appraisal processes.

SIA employee survey

Seek feedback from our employees through a survey and act on the themes identified to inform our people approaches in the future.

Services catalogue

Through the development of service catalogues for Corporate Services’ functions, work with the business to ensure effective support is provided.

Debt recovery process

Embed SIA’s debt recovery process to ensure funds are recovered from those who refuse to pay or default on costs orders imposed by the courts.

Strategy, Governance, Risk and Assurance

Board effectiveness review

Implement accepted recommendations from the independent review.

Risk appetite statement

Refresh to accompany the new strategic plan.

Risk management framework

Embed by implementing a new second line assurance testing mechanism on 11 key control deliverables and migration to a new system, supported by training.

Quality monitoring

Roll out new assurance system, together with training in new software.

Public bodies review

Participate fully in any independent review and implement accepted recommendations in the agreed timescales.

Transformation

Digital and data strategy

Refresh and secure approval from the Home Office and the Government Digital Service for its implementation.

Knowledge and information

Conducting a review of data, knowledge and information management maturity levels and implement an action plan to address the data review’s recommendations.

Business continuity processes

Review through external facilitation and implement the accepted recommendations and test preparedness.

Key statistics

This is a snapshot of some of the key volumes we have forecast for 2023-24 (the forecast volumes for 2022-23 are in brackets):

• 1,500 licences revoked (1,200)
• 72 criminal investigation cases completed (60)
• 160,000 incoming paid licence applications (140,000)
• 1,250 intelligence items generated from SIA investigators and assessed (1,150)
• 5 Approved Contractor Scheme events held (6)
• 3 Round table events organised with seniors from largest security companies (3)
• 100,000 qualifications registered leading to 68,000 first time paid applications (85,000) and (62,000)
• 210,000 service requests handled (230,000)
• 80 Subject Access Requests completed (80)
• 1,700 appeals against licensing decisions (1,600)
• 43,000 calls handled (38,000)
• 12,000-15,000 licence decisions made each month (9,000-14,000)
• 700 complaints handled (500)
• 6,500 items of information and intelligence assessed from members of the public, private security industry, partners and SIA staff (4,400)
• 65,000 right to work checks conducted (62,000)
• 3,600 licence checks (3,000)
• 6 public safety exercises organised (6)
• 840 compliance and intervention cases opened (760)
• 90 Freedom of Information requests completed (100)
• 800 Approved Contractor Scheme annual returns and renewals processed (840)
• 820 compliance and intervention cases closed (820)
• 64% licence applications processed requiring manual intervention (64%)
• 137,000 Social media followers (new)
• 90 new Approved Contractor Scheme applications processed (120)
• 600 venues inspected (500)
• 56 procurement campaigns completed (65)
• 40 Staff recruited (new)

Strategic themes

This section sets out our planned activities under each of our strategic themes, and how those activities contribute towards the outcomes we are seeking to achieve by the end of our strategic plan.

Regulating effectively

We will improve our effectiveness by focussing on improved public protection outcomes as we operate a robust, risk-based, licensing and compliance regime.

Outcome 1: Improved compliance and enforcement of the Private Security Industry Act: deterring, disrupting and sanctioning

Actions to achieve the outcome – Year 1 (2023-24):

• New proactive approach to inspection and enforcement across UK – increasing inspection activity by 20%. Implement the agreed new model of pro-active risk-based compliance, supervision and inspection activity aligned to SIA control strategy priorities resulting in improved outcomes deterring and disrupting non-compliance, increasing public re-assurance.
• Pursue improvements to investigatory powers to address gaps – new money laundering offence, POCA powers, HMRC and other agency information exchange powers (subject to legislative opportunities) with business cases for RIPA, and other inspection powers (subject to Home Office approval) – to enable SIA to better undertake inspection and investigations work which effectively protects the public from harm.
• Increase impact of and the range of non-judicial sanctions available to deal with lower order criminal offences.
• Implement the portal for the Register of Licence Holders.
• Continue steps to making digital smart licences (or other solutions) a reality by exploring the feasibility of smart licences and/or other digital solutions to minimise fraudulent licences and make real-time information about valid licences more accessible for SIA field inspection officers (and in turn the industry).
• Deter non-compliance with improved public and industry updates on inspection and enforcement results. Undertake or contribute to a minimum of 4 external facing events/publications to highlight our criminal prosecution enforcement outcomes and capabilities. 

Outcome 2: Better management of the regulatory gaps on public protection, the risks they pose and the means of mitigating those risks

Actions to achieve the outcome – Year 1 (2023-24):

• Compliance by football grounds with sports ground exemption requirements. Partnership with the Sports Ground Safety Authority (SGSA) to deliver a minimum of 18 jointly run educational activities aimed at improving compliance with and mitigating any risks arising from the interface between different regulatory regimes.
• Evaluate and develop solutions with SGSA and others on demand for and feasibility of possible top up training/fast pathway for event stewards that could enable individuals to move from an event stewarding background with a NVQ level 2 qualification for stewards to be a licenced security operative.

Outcome 3: Improved our understanding of the private security industry: the individuals and the businesses within it

Actions to achieve the outcome – Year 1 (2023-24):

• Improve individual licence holder communications through:
  • better messaging with licence accounts and the individual licence holders’ special interest group
  • better engagement, reach and effectiveness of the SIA’s social media activity with individual licence holders and industry partners
• Applicant surveys to improve knowledge on deployment: introduce new optional survey broadcast to applicants during their application process where the content informs understanding of licence holder work patterns and behaviours.

Regulating efficiently

We will provide value for money for licence holders by spending well and being efficient in discharging our responsibilities and delivering our purpose.

Outcome 1: Consistent, quality service availability and improved licensing process, evidenced by customer feedback

Actions to achieve the outcome – Year 1 (2023-24):

• Licensing system improvements: implement essential in year updates and improvements to licensing system and processes.

Outcome 2: Sustainable, future-proofed technology and data systems underpinning the core licensing and compliance systems

Actions to achieve the outcome – Year 1 (2023-24):

• Further the service improvement strand as defined under the data and digital strategy:
  • Completion of the strategic integrations work programme which will replace essential components required to provide links to external interfaces.
  • Completion of essential licensing customer relationship management system upgrades to 2015 prior to contractor handover.
  • Scoping and preparation work for updating the essential technical systems used for compliance, decisions and enforcement work including work with business teams on defining requirements.
  • Carry out other essential cyber and outage risk protections, including resolving (subject to funding) hardware and product replacement long term solution.
  • Complete procurement of ICT managed service contract before current contract ends (December 2023) and as appropriate manage transition.

Outcome 3: A budget outturn of no more than 3% either way, demonstrating a discipline of effective budget setting and management which incorporates delivery of efficiencies and passing on benefit to licence applicants

Actions to achieve the outcome – Year 1 (2023-24):

• Agree new three-year efficiencies plan to counteract end of £20 subsidy from historical surplus in 2026, including keeping to a minimum the need for specialist contingent labour and consultancy resource.
• Review the licensing fee in line with Managing Public Money responsibilities.
• Review the volumes forecasting model to incorporate any significant changes to the regulatory regime, such as in-house licensing.
• Develop and implement a new procurement strategy and policy which ensure the best outcome for SIA delivery as well as value for money for licence payer, generating efficiencies where possible.
• Reducing residual hard copy storage needs resulting in a reduction of storage costs.
• Reduce the London footprint by subletting part of the London office yielding efficiency savings in line with SIA estate’s strategy.

Improving individual standards

We will ensure entry training and behavioural standards keep pace with public expectations and support the private security industry in taking responsibility for improving standards further.

Outcome 1: Better public protection by ensuring updates to entry training standards we require for individuals are updated and implemented routinely

Actions to achieve the outcome – Year 1 (2023-24):

• New approach to updating safety critical content in training standards: develop and implement a new structured approach to make timely safety critical updates to licence-linked specifications and maintain relevance throughout accreditation cycles.
• Take forward the recommendations from the Manchester Arena Inquiry Volume 2 to identify the most appropriate and proportionate response to first aid trauma training across the private security industry.

Outcome 2: Improved public trust and confidence in the private security industry

Actions to achieve the outcome – Year 1 (2023-24):

• Develop and publish post licence guidance on core SIA behaviours expected of SIA licence holders and reminders of key areas in the entry level training.
• Create at least one new searching, interventions and crowd control reminder /signpost guides to ensure every licence holder has the knowledge, skills and values to enable them to carry out their duties to keep the public safe.
• Produce a digital ‘welcome’ pack for all licence holders to provide individuals with the SIA’s key licence expectations.
• Work with the Home Office on responding to the recommendations in the independent review of the disclosure and barring regime which relate to the effectiveness of criminal record checks in the private security industry.

Outcome 3: Greater industry proactivity and leadership to improve public safety standards after obtaining a licence; an industry that is pushing itself to be better than the basic entry level requirements set by its regulator

Actions to achieve the outcome – Year 1 (2023-24):

• Support Skills Board skills summit industry call to action: delivery of skills summit and industry call to action with outcome of an agreed industry skills charter.
• Skills Academy: support industry Skills Board in development of business plan for publication and launch of a new skills academy in early 2024, with funding streams, workplans and long terms infrastructure arrangements for the academy.
• Skills Board profession map: facilitate delivery by Skills Board of a profession map defining industry agreed skills and knowledge requirements for specific sectors: commission research and develop map and use to develop and validate career pathways plan.
• Launch and support new apprenticeship framework: support the trailblazer group future developments.

Outcome 4: Enhanced attractiveness of the industry to potential employees and balanced retention in private security as a valued career with an emphasis on continuous skills development and recognition of specialisms

Actions to achieve the outcome – Year 1 (2023-24):

• Industry EDI initiatives: SIA support to IPSA led new industry led EDI coordinating forum supporting the various membership body and security business EDI groups and initiatives.
• Publish industry demographic data and characteristics data for the first time.

Improving business standards

We will work with the industry to improve the standards security businesses work to and promote the value of good standards in security provision.

Outcome 1: Increased consistency and standards of service delivered by private security businesses

Actions to achieve the outcome – Year 1 (2023-24):

• Launch specific proposals for resetting a voluntary business standards scheme.
• Develop and publish guidance for businesses: support an increase in consistency of service delivered by security businesses through the provision of published guidance, best content and tools and engagement activities with the industry.

Outcome 2: More businesses that provide security sign up to SIA voluntary business approval scheme

Actions to achieve the outcome – Year 1 (2023-24):

• Activities to attract and retain good quality businesses: in line with the ACS buyers strategy, run a campaign promoting uptake of current Approved Contractor Scheme amongst the private security industry.

Outcome 3: Venues and other buyers recognise and prioritise supply by good quality security businesses in the SIA business approvals scheme

Actions to achieve the outcome – Year 1 (2023-24):

• Informed buyers: develop a programme of work to persuade buyers of the value and benefits of good security provision and its importance for public protection so that buyers of security contract security providers that adhere to high standards and use SIA licensed individuals where appropriate.

Driving strategic partnerships

We will use our influence as a respected regulator and work jointly with key partners to secure compliance, higher standards and improved public confidence in private security provision.

Outcome 1: Improve integrity of the standards we set for training

Actions to achieve the outcome – Year 1 (2023-24):

• Assess effectiveness and impact of licence-linked training: deliver evaluation of the impact and efficacy of licence-linked training.

Outcome 2: The SIA’s ability to proactively detect and effectively disrupt non-compliance and poor standards increases as better information feeds result in successful SIA compliance actions

Actions to achieve the outcome – Year 1 (2023-24):

• Increase uptake by partner organisations of Section 19 Delegated Powers by a further 15% on 22/23 baseline. 
• New guidance on submission of intelligence by partner organisations with section 19 delegated powers.
• 2023 Strategic Assessment: share assessment of the strategic threats the industry faces with partners.
• Better data sharing by police forces across UK: resolve data sharing issues and complete outstanding memorandum of understanding with the National Police Chiefs’ Council to improve the quality and quantity of information feeds from the police, industry and other organisations that generate positive leads on non-compliance activity.

Outcome 3: Improved understanding and effectiveness of industry in achieving compliance with regulatory regime (and so greater public confidence and reduced public harm from non-compliance)

Actions to achieve the outcome – Year 1 (2023-24):

• Improve the quality and quantity of information feeds to SIA from the industry and other organisations that generate positive leads on non-compliance activity.
• Share more positive stories of licensed, compliant and professionally deployed security to encourage further compliance and positive conduct.

Outcome 4: Influence on the public protection agendas where private security industry plays a critical role, achieving appropriate authority within our remit (crime, violence, women and girls’ safety, counter terrorism)

Actions to achieve the outcome – Year 1 (2023-24):

• Proactive partnership work with police, local authority licensing and other partners on counter terrorism and serious and organised crime agendas through:
  • SIA secondments into policing to build and maintain networks and relationships within the counter terrorism, serious and organised crime business areas and police forces/other law enforcement agencies and regulatory bodies.
  • Events to promote key public protection and security role messages including support for security’s role in the proposed Martyn’s Law (Protect Duty).
• Supporting licence holders in applying their learning on counter terrorism: deliver at least three simulated exercises focused on security risks across the UK – Operation Sentry.
• Develop alternative mediums and methods to deliver the benefits of Operation Sentry to more operatives and significantly increase intended audience.
• Develop and deliver a product for stakeholders which captures learning from the Operation Sentry.
• Supporting the government agenda on violence against women and girls and harm reduction: in partnership with the Safer Business Network, deliver and promote welfare and vulnerability engagement (WAVE) e-learning and develop a new WAVE learning app or online training for licence holders.
• Public safety campaigns: support public protection with two public safety related awareness campaigns on roles and actions of security.

Outcome 5: Increased use of SIA scheme businesses by public sector bodies support contracting for security provision

Actions to achieve the outcome – Year 1 (2023-24):

• Improve uptake of the ACS by public bodies: expand work with Crown Commercial Service and Scottish Government to other bodies involved in procurement to influence their buying habits and recognise the Approved Contractor Scheme.

Supporting our people

We will support our employees to give their best, perform at the highest level, continually improve their skills and fulfil their potential to ensure that we meet our public protection aims and deliver high quality services.

Outcome 1: An improved recruitment and induction experience, so that SIA attracts the right talent to achieve its objectives

Actions to achieve the outcome – Year 1 (2023-24):

• Improved employee journey: deliver and embed improvements in the SIA’s end-to-end recruitment process.

Outcome 2: Turnover is maintained at a manageable level through effective workforce and succession planning

Actions to achieve the outcome – Year 1 (2023-24):

• Develop a strategic workforce plan to inform longer term planning and resourcing strategies.

Outcome 3: Improved, consistent performance management drives increased personal responsibility for self-development

Actions to achieve the outcome – Year 1 (2023-24):

• Introduce an improved performance management process for all employees.
• New development planning; develop and implement a new development planning process for all employees.

Outcome 4: Good leadership and line management cadre with the requisite knowledge and skills, supported by aspiring, motivated staff

Actions to achieve the outcome – Year 1 (2023-24):

• Leadership values: embed the SIA’s leadership charter to ensure SIA values are upheld by leaders.
• Deliver technical training for specialist staff in line with new training and development plan.
• Ensure staff have smart digital tools for job: agree a long-term solution for the provision and management of key digital assets.

Outcome 5: Staff are aware of and compliant with the organisation’s code of conduct

Actions to achieve the outcome – Year 1 (2023-24):

• Implement an SIA code of conduct, aligned with the Nolan Principles of Public Life and the Civil Service Code, through briefing sessions for existing staff, as part of induction for new staff, and include in the annual performance development review.

Outcome 6: Line managers are equipped with the requisite knowledge and skills and uphold the SIA values and standards of behaviour

Actions to achieve the outcome – Year 1 (2023-24):

• Managers’ training and support: development and implementation of a new line management training offer, including the organisation’s code of conduct.

Outcome 7: Employees are and feel fairly rewarded for their knowledge, experience and performance

Actions to achieve the outcome – Year 1 (2023-24):

• Reward and recognition: refresh the SIA’s approach to reward and recognition, framed in the context of our overall reward package.
• Pay and reward for the future: explore options for a new capability-based pay structure that meets SIA needs, working with the Home Office and Cabinet Office to see what may be possible, and developing a business case proposal.

Outcome 8: An inclusive workforce, fully reflective of all the customers it serves, with improved employee satisfaction

Actions to achieve the outcome – Year 1 (2023-24):

• One inclusive workforce: launch a new equality, diversity and inclusion strategy and implement year 1 of the associated action plan.
• Implement a new governance structure on EDI to embed an inclusive culture.
• Employee engagement: continue to evolve the SIA’s approach to employee engagement.

Outcome 9: The HR service is consistent and easily accessible

Actions to achieve the outcome – Year 1 (2023-24):

• Implement actions from the HR continuous improvement plan.

Resources

We have developed this business plan based on assumptions about the availability and deployment of resources from our forecasted income. Our funding is generated from fees for licence applications and the voluntary Approved Contractor Scheme, except for a grant from the Home Office for capital expenditure.

Funding

Budget 2023-2023	£’000
Total income	30,380
Total expenditure	32,207
Surplus/(Deficit) before depreciation	(1,827)
Depreciation	1,238
Surplus/(Deficit) after depreciation	(3,065)
Licence rebate contribution	3,085
Adjusted surplus	20

Income 2023-24

We expect to receive around 160,000 licence applications in 2023-24 generating £28.4m. We expect to receive a further £2m in relation to the ACS fees.

Expenditure 2023-24

We expect our expenditure in 2023-24 to be £32m. There is an additional £1.2m relating to depreciation charges in the year.

Outcome 2023-24

We expect to break even in 2023-34 which aligns to our £184 fee model. A section 102 agreement is in place which enables us to adopt this approach.

The assumptions underpinning our budget for 2023-24 take into account:

• Demand modelling is based on a three-year licensing cycle: the three-year profile of income and expenditure assumes break even in year 1 followed by a surplus in year 2 and a deficit in year 3. This is year one of the three-year licensing cycle.
• The licence fee (reduced from £190 to £184 from April 2023) continues to be part funded by accumulated historical surpluses, exceptionally agreed by HM Treasury to be retained and drawn down over a six-year period, concluding in 2026.
• Licensing demand is expected to remain high during the year overall, based on continued pipeline, recent performance and the apparently buoyant market. An estimate of 160,000 applications has been made, based on a combination of previous average renewal behaviours for the corresponding period in the three-year cycle and recent new application rates.
• Salary costs are based on an approved headcount position, supporting the strategic intent to increase the activity and resource in our compliance, supervision and enforcement activities.
• Vacant posts profiled to include appropriate planning and lead time which accounts for recruitment lead time, staff turnover and planned and unplanned repeat recruitment campaigns.
• Home Office recharge costs to the SIA for their policy and sponsorship services remain in line with 2022-23.
• A capital delegation of £1.5m has been provisionally approved by the Home Office for 2023-24.

People

Our planned headcount for 2023-24 is set out below.

Directorate	Posts
Licensing and Standards – comprises Business Standards, Individual Standards, Licensing and Service Delivery	150
Inspections and Enforcement – comprises Compliance and Inspections, Criminal Investigations, Inspections and Enforcement Support Unit, Intelligence, Professional Standards	126
Corporate Services – comprises External Communications, Finance and Procurement, Legal and Policy, People Services	58
Transformation – comprises Corporate Information, Estates, Technology, Transformation Programme Management	48
Chief Executive – comprises the Board (including non-executive directors), Risk and Assurance, Strategy and Governance	34
Totals	416

Measuring performance against plan

Achievement of the plan and deliverables against the three-year strategic plan is the collective responsibility of the Senior Leadership Team. This is made up of the chief executive, the executive directors and heads of functional areas. Progress of specific deliverables will be monitored by the relevant heads of function and individual directors and material updates provided to the Executive Directors at their monthly meetings, chaired by the Chief Executive. In addition, progress against the plan is collectively scrutinised, monitored and tracked at quarterly Senior Leadership Team meetings.

Performance against the plan will also be reported quarterly at board meetings. In addition, we will be held to account on this business plan and our performance by the Home Office, our sponsoring department, through regular engagement with the senior policy sponsor (director level), and quarterly meetings with the Home Office Sponsorship Unit. Our performance is reported to Parliament by the minister responsible for the SIA, the Minister for Safeguarding.

We have established a set of key performance indicators to track progress against each strategic priority in the Strategic Plan 2023-26 and monitor key performance in our core functional activity and service delivery. These enable us to track progress against our plan and help us make informed decisions where those plans may need to be updated or refreshed.

Strategic theme	Key performance indicator	Regularity	Lead director(s)
Regulating effectively	1a. Increase inspection activity by 20% in one year across the private security industry	Monthly	Director of Inspections and Enforcement
Regulating effectively	1b. Provide qualitative feedback to individuals or companies in 80% of compliance cases (unless being prosecuted, under criminal investigation or subject to subsequent compliance activity)	Monthly	Director of Inspections and Enforcement
Regulating effectively	1c. Ensure 90% of businesses or controlling minds, issued with formal warnings, improvement notices or are prosecuted, are re-assessed as compliant	Monthly	Director of Inspections and Enforcement
Regulating effectively	2a. Evidence 5% or more savings to meet the planned expenditure across the three-year cycle	Quarterly	Director of Corporate Services
Regulating effectively	2b. Make annual efficiencies over a three-year period to minimise the impact of the rebate scheme which ends at the start of FY2026-27	Six monthly in years 1 and 2	Director of Transformation
Improving individual standards	3. Reduce the average actions raised at unannounced visits to training providers to 4.0 in year one, 3.5 in year two and 3.0 in year three	Quarterly	Director of Licensing and Standards
Improving individual standards	4. 90% of eligible businesses re-register or renew their ACS approval	Monthly	Director of Licensing and Standards
Improving individual standards	5. 85% of the businesses on the annual list of top 65 UK security companies are ACS registered	Quarterly	Director of Licensing and Standards
Driving strategic partnerships	6. Increase year-on-year public protection joint activity and outcomes with key partners, to reduce harm across the private security industry	Quarterly	Director of Inspections and Enforcement
Supporting our people	7. Staff retention rates remain 85% or higher	Monthly	Director of Corporate Services
Core activity	8a. 85% of all complex individual licence application decisions are made within 25 working days	Monthly	Director of Licensing and Standards
Core activity	8b. 90% of all simple individual licence applications decisions are made within 5 working days	Monthly	Director of Licensing and Standards
Core activity	9. 99% of decisions to suspend a licence are made within 5 working days from receipt of sufficient information to public protection outcome	Monthly	Director of Inspections and Enforcement; Director of Licensing and Standards
Core activity	Obtain a net promoter score of 50+ (“Excellent”) on our user satisfaction survey	Quarterly	Director of Licensing and Standards

We will also be applying and monitoring internally stretch targets to several of the indicators above, as well as developing during the year a new Equality, Diversity and Inclusion key performance indicator through our EDI committee work.

Our strategic plan sets out success measures for each strategic theme and where we want to be by 2026. Besides these key performance indicators, we will use departmental performance indicators to gauge progress, alongside further research on public trust and confidence, customer satisfaction, industry surveys and tracking usage of the guidance provided on gov.uk.

Strategic risks

The management of our corporate risks is a key process which underpins the successful achievement of our priorities and outcomes and is compliant with HM Treasury’s Orange Book. We maintain active oversight, management and tracking of key risks in line with our risk assurance framework and the risk appetite statement set by the Board. Our risk register was improved in 2022-23 and now operates at directorate, cross-directorate and strategic levels, as well as capturing risks related to projects, health and safety, and integrity.

We cannot manage all risks effectively alone and there are some where the SIA has limited ability to improve controls or take action without the support of others. These include potential gaps in the regulatory framework and oversight.

We are alert to heightened risks around security and cyber security across government and society. Alongside this, there are several other corporate but more routine functional and directorate risks we are managing around operational delivery, reputation, security, data, ICT, and health and safety.

All our corporate strategic risks are and will continue to be regularly reviewed and actively managed, with a range of mitigations in place. Each is managed by the register lead, with the Risk and Assurance function continuing to monitor their management and quarterly scrutiny collectively by the Senior Leadership Team continuing into 2023-24.

Throughout 2023-24 we will continue to review the risks identified across all business areas, being alert to identifying new risks where they emerge and compliance checking the validity of mitigations. We will report independent findings from the Risk & Information Assurance function to our Chief Executive, Authority members and through the Board’s Audit and Risk Assurance Committee. The management assurance framework created by the Risk & Information Assurance team will work as a compliance checklist for all areas of the business.