1. Portfolio/Number/Name:COPFS/C3 Increase in Sheriffs Solemn
Sentencing Powers |
2. Programme/Activity: Please
include a short description The project covers the effect of the
increase in Sheriffs sentencing powers to
five years. This means that around 350
cases which would formerly have been heard
in the High Court will now be heard in the
Sheriff Court instead. |
3. Planned Savings | | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 |
Cash (m) | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 |
Time Releasing (m) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
4. Accountable Officer for
delivery | Norman McFadyen, Crown Agent and Chief
Executive |
5. Project Manager | Bill McQueen, Deputy Chief
Executive |
6. EGDG account manager | Carolyn Girvan, Efficient Government
Delivery Group |
7. Quality Impact | Describe any impact on the quality
of service delivery. Be specific and
explain if the expectation is positive,
negative or neutral. It is anticipated that this will have a
positive impact on quality of service with
the efficient progress of cases through the
criminal justice system and by increasing
public confidence in the system. |
8. Dependencies | Explain if your savings are
dependant on legislation or other
structural changes being achieved. Savings are not dependent on
legislation or other structural changes
being achieved. Reforms will be implemented
with effect from 1st April 2005. |
9. Description of efficiency and
actions to be taken | How will the saving be made? Be
specific about number/size of contracts,
staff, posts dates etc. Savings arise because Sheriff and Jury
trials are generally shorter, are more
likely to be disposed of with a plea of
guilty and there is no need to employ
counsel. |
What action is critically needed to
secure delivery of this saving? Be
specific, and name the key action managers
if they are outwith your immediate
management chain (e.g. in an
NDPB.) Actions and guidance have been put in
place. |
10. Impact on Staffing to achieve the efficiency
gain | If there are to be any changes in
staff numbers (at activity level) to
achieve the efficiency gain, please
indicate how many full time equivalents and
how far you expect savings to be achieved
by natural wastage (show additions as + and
reductions as -). |
| 2005- 06 | 2006- 07 | 2007- 08 |
Gross | | | |
Net | | | |
Explanation | N/A |
11. Benefits | In general, the benefits of the
Scottish Executive Efficiency Plan are the
enhanced outputs from the resources
Ministers have been able to allocate in
SR04. But if there is a direct connection
between this efficiency saving and the
enhancement of a particular service please
describe it here. N/A |
12. Gross/Net Cash Savings | 12.1 Please set out the gross
recurring saving and any offsetting
recurring expenditure. 0.4m a year |
12.2 Against what budget does this
expenditure and saving fall? Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal
Service. |
12.3 Has this saving been built
into your budget? Yes |
12.4 If so, what is the maximum allowable
expenditure against the budget data, in each
year, for that saving to be
delivered? 2005-06 - 88.6m, 2006-07 - 92.1m,
2007-08 - 94.6m |
12.5 If not, how do you propose to
invest the additional cash back into public
services? N/A |
12.6 What plans do you have to exceed the
required saving? Explain by how much in each
year. There are no plans to exceed the
planned savings. |
13. Time - release savings | 13.1 Please explain any time-releasing
savings indicated at question 3. N/A |
13.2 Please describe the method you
plan to use to calculate the cash
equivalent of those time release
savings. N/A |
14. Measurement and
Monitoring | 14.1 How are you proposing to measure the
expected efficiency benefits (e.g. in terms of
costs, level of output or quality of
service)? Efficiency benefits will be measured in
terms of cost savings arising from a
reduction in High Court business. |
14.2 What monitoring & reporting
procedures will be put in place to measure the
efficiency savings (How often will progress
towards the target be monitored? Who will have
lead responsibility for reporting progress and
what procedures will be in place?) We will monitor and report to our
Management Board mid-year (September) and
at financial year-end. This will be lead by
the Director of Finance who is a member of
the Management Board. |
14.3 Monitoring Data: Sources, Validation
and risks - What data will be used to
measure progress? Is all the required
information quantifiable and readily
available? If not what action will be
taken to rectify this?
- What measures will be in place
to validate the accuracy of the data.
Who will take responsibility for this?
- Are there any issues or risks
relating to how you plan to use the
data? (e.g. accuracy, difficulties in
collection)
Efficiency savings will be
measured using readily available data
from our case tracking system managed
by our Business Innovation and
Improvement Unit who will validate the
output.
|