Chief Executive's Foreword
Eleanor Emberson
Chief Executive
The report provides information on how the Scottish Court Service (SCS) performed against our strategic objectives and how we used the funds available to us in the year from April 2003 to March 2004. It gives an overview of some of the ways we have improved the services we deliver to the users of Scotland’s Sheriff and Supreme Courts, and of some of the work underway aimed at future improvements.
Under the leadership of John Ewing, the previous Chief Executive, the Scottish Court Service achieved a great deal in 2003-04, and continued to work on a programme of improvements to raise performance further in the future.
The Sheriff Courts faced a continued rise in workload, with an increase of 3 per cent in the overall number of court sitting days. Sheriff and Jury trials rose by 9 per cent. In spite of the workload pressures, the agency exceeded its headline target by dealing with 84 per cent of summary criminal cases within 20 weeks.
New business in the Supreme Courts dipped from the previous year, but the pressure on appeals continued strongly. The average waiting periods fell a long way short of published targets, which was obviously a concern. A programme of reforms and additional resources was agreed with Scottish Ministers and is now beginning to impact on waiting times for appeals.
The courts rose to the challenge of meeting increased business pressure, and we are already planning for the further challenges ahead. The key area for development is to understand in detail how work flows through the courts as part of the wider justice system, and what opportunities there are to manage that work more effectively. The successful pilot of Quality Improvement Programme work in Paisley in 2002-03 showed the huge potential for applying “systems thinking” to take a fresh look at the way business is managed. This year, the programme was rolled out in Aberdeen Sheriff Court, where the staff have designed a new approach and team structure to deliver a more efficient service to customers. Other courts are taking these ideas up enthusiastically, and we plan to extend the programme further during the coming year.
Against the background of increased business pressure, I am very pleased to report that there has been substantial progress on initiatives to improve the experience of court users. We have extended opening hours and now have the vast majority of courts meeting the target of opening between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday. We have seen two further Sheriff Courts, Edinburgh and Inverness, receive Charter Mark Awards, and we have a further 11 courts and business units throughout the SCS now working towards Charter Mark accreditation. We have established our Diversity Scheme, and are committed to providing the very highest standard of service to every single customer, but especially to potentially vulnerable victims and witnesses.
We have also been involved further in developing and implementing changes initiated by Scottish Ministers. We have continued to forge ahead with the High Court Reform programme, and have taken part in consideration of the proposals on reform of summary justice recommended by the committee chaired by Sheriff Principal McInnes. The youth and drug court pilots have continued, and following an evaluation of the experience to date in Hamilton, the youth court pilot will now be extended to Airdrie Sheriff Court.
Of course, the courts cannot function in isolation, and we have worked closely during the year with partners in the justice system. This joint working is essential to improve the experience of customers, as issues which are a concern to many – such as the time they have to wait within court on a given day – can only be addressed in partnership with others. Through participation in Local Criminal Justice Boards that are now being put in place, and the National Criminal Justice Board, we will be an essential part of a joined-up approach to managing the justice system.
We have also been involved further in developing and implementing changes initiated by Scottish Ministers. We have continued to forge ahead with the High Court Reform programme, and have taken part in consideration of the proposals on reform of summary justice recommended by the committee chaired by Sheriff Principal McInnes. The youth and drug court pilots have continued, and following an evaluation of the experience to date in Hamilton, the youth court pilot will now be extended to Airdrie Sheriff Court.
SCS has continued to invest in modernising facilities, both our court buildings and the equipment within them. The initial phase of work on Parliament House, a much-needed second phase of redevelopment at Dumbarton Sheriff Court and a major redevelopment of Lanark Sheriff Court were the highest profile demonstrations of our commitment to make best use of our estate, and all concluded successfully during the year. There are IT projects underway across many areas of business, but the biggest successes this year have been the increased use of courtroom facilities for electronic presentation of evidence, and the installation of equipment for video links between courts, and for courts to link with prisons.
None of these achievements would be possible without a highly dedicated and skilled staff. We have taken steps in the past year to ensure that the pay and benefits package for staff is competitive and allows us to continue to recruit and retain the people we need. We have also retained our Investors in People accreditation, demonstrating the very high value we put on developing the people who work for the SCS.
Overall, the Scottish Court Service continues to deliver on its commitment to secure ready access to justice for the people of Scotland, and stands ready to face the further challenges it will face in the years ahead.
Eleanor Emberson
Chief Executive
20 July 2004
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