HMRC Executive Committee: Agenda and summary - 24 March 2009 9.00 am

Attendees

Lesley Strathie – Chair
Dave Hartnett
Mike Eland
Steve Lamey
Bernadette Kenny
Anthony Inglese
Deepak Singh
Melanie Dawes
Cathy Wilcher
Simon Bowles

Apologies

Bernadette Kenny (for the first part of the meeting)

Invitees

Simon MacDowall, Simon Hopkins, Jeremy Greenfield, Alicia O’Neill, Leonora Robertson, Helen Daniels

Secretariat

Peter Hankins, Jackie Riley

1 Minutes, matters arising, action points

Lesley Strathie opened the meeting by welcoming Simon Bowles and offering congratulations to Melanie Dawes on her substantive appointment.

2 Business Plan

The Plan was progressing well, but needed some further editing. Simon MacDowall would produce a further version and final comments could then be taken.

The Plan would need to be signed off by the Board, so it was important that NEDs should have early sight of it.

Turning to the corporate communications plan, Simon explained that development was proceeding with LOBs, supported by central activity.

3 Performance contracts

Introducing the discussion, Steve Lamey said there were three things to address. First, the current state of the contracts themselves, and anything which might need attention; second, the hierarchy of measures; and third, the cascade process.

The Committee discussed each section of the contracts in turn and agreed some changes.

Cabinet Office had given guidance that contracts could be used in place of the relevant sections of their standard paperwork.

Lesley Strathie said that the Performance Contracts were members’ individual contracts to deliver to her. It was important that members’ direct reports should understand this.

Cathy Wilcher said that accountability letters would not be issued this year. A generic database would be built containing details of which accountabilities attached to which role.

4 Funding

Simon Hopkins provided an update.

Lesley Strathie said that in future she would be reporting to the Board every month on Finance as a separate item, as well as on Performance and Risk.

The Committee noted the importance of robust forecasts based on correct practice.

5 Capability Review

Members discussed the Capability Re-review in a closed session.

6 AOB

The Committee reviewed the Forward Look and decided to cancel the scheduled meeting on 14 April.

Executive Committee Secretariat