Our Board
There is an annual cycle, set in statute, of planning our budgets and operating plan, consulting on these, finalising them and laying them in the Scottish Parliament. We then report at year end through externally audit annual accounts, which are again then laid in Parliament.
On a quarterly basis the Board reviews KPIs and performance data, risk registers, financial reports, reports on our progress with our operating plan, reports on customer service feedback, HR reports and reports from the Audit and Remuneration Committees.
The Board also debates key issues of relevance to the SLCC, including tracking progress with reforms which may change our legal powers and focus. This year the Board also considered issues relating to our operating model, including our hybrid working pilot, our property options and our health and safety policy.
They also scrutinised key issues affecting our work, including accessing solicitor data to notify them of complaints, responses to statutory requests for files and information, and updates to our rules to support digital processes and to make provision for the new ABS regime.
They ensured the organisation was listening to the sector by discussing input from the legal profession via a survey, roundtables and our outreach work, and listening to consumers through receiving reports from the Consumer Panel. Other important discussions focused on cybersecurity, digital and AI and reviewing the members’ code of conduct.
As well as their governance role, our Board members also make important decisions on individual complaints as non-staff commissioners.
Departing board members
In our 2021-22 year we said farewell to four members who reached the end of their terms and welcomed three new members (with another two joining early in 2022-23).
- Kay Springham
- Denise Loney
- Sara Hesp
- Sarah McLuckie
New board members
- Richard McMeeken
- John Stevenson
- Jean Grier
Two further members depart the SLCC Board in December 2022, the Chair and one lay member. We will be welcoming a new lay member on 1 January 2023. Scottish Ministers have been recruiting for a Chair, but to date no appointment has been made. Contingency plans are being made in case no appointment is made before 31 December 2022.