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PIRC Senior Leadership team - Terms of Reference  (November 2025)

Purpose

The purpose of this document is to set out the terms of reference of the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (PIRC) Senior Leadership Team (SLT).

The PIRC follows the guidance to public bodies in Scotland issued by Scottish Ministers and contained within the Scottish Public Finance Manual  and the Governance and Accountability Framework Document  agreed with the Scottish Government.

Membership

Membership of the SLT comprises the Commissioner, Director of Operations, Head of Corporate Services (Accountable Officer), Head of Investigations, Head of Legal Services and Head of Policy and Reviews, supported by the Finance Manager, Head of Communications and Executive Assistant (Secretariat).

Additional members may be appointed or attend at the discretion of the SLT.

Role

The role of the SLT is to provide strategic leadership, direction, support and guidance to ensure the PIRC is committed to delivering its functions effectively, efficiently and independently, whilst recognising the aims, policies and priorities of the Scottish Ministers.

SLT responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Setting and being accountable for taking forward the strategic objectives agreed by the Scottish Ministers and publishing them in PIRC’s Strategic Plan and annual Business Plan.
• Advising the Commissioner on the discharge of their responsibilities - as provided in the Governance and Accountability Framework document, in the founding legislation and any other relevant instructions and guidance issued by or on behalf of the Scottish Ministers.
• Promoting the efficient, economic and effective use of staff and other resources consistent with the principles of Best Value, including, where appropriate, participation in shared services arrangements.
• Determining the steps needed to deal with changes which are likely to impact on the strategic aims, objectives of the PIRC or on the attainability of its operational targets.
• (In reaching decisions) taking into account relevant guidance issued by the Scottish Ministers.
• Acting consistently with principles of good governance, accountability and transparency while demonstrating high standards, including openness in its decision making at all times; determining the actions needed to deal with wider changes which are likely to impact on the strategic aims and objectives of the PIRC or its attainability of its operational targets.
• Ensuring that an effective pay and conditions negotiating framework is in place which will allow a negotiated settlement within the parameters of the Scottish Government’s Public Sector Pay policy.
• Approving the annual accounts and ensuring Scottish Ministers are provided with an Annual Report and Accounts which are provided to the sponsor unit to allow laying in the Scottish Parliament by end of December each year.
• Maintaining suitable management information systems for each area of the business, assessing on a continuous basis to ensure efficient and effective working practices and processes are in place and provide updates to the sponsor unit on request.
• Ensuring that requests for appropriate information from the PIRC in relation to briefings for Scottish Ministers, Parliamentary Questions, ministerial and official correspondence, are forwarded timeously to the sponsor unit.
• Ensuring that effective arrangements are in place to provide assurance on risk management (including in respect of personnel, physical and cyber risks/threats/hazards), governance and internal control.
• Ensuring that the sponsor unit receives, and reviews regular financial information concerning the management and performance of the PIRC and is informed in a timely manner about any concerns regarding the activities of the PIRC.
• Demonstrating high standards of corporate governance at all times, including openness and transparency in its decision making.
• Promoting inclusive practices across all areas of the organisation, ensuring that policies, procedures and decision-making processes actively support equality, diversity and inclusion. This includes fostering a workplace culture that values and respects individual differences, removing barriers to participation, and ensuring we fulfil our statutory duties, including those under the Equality Act 2010 and the Human Rights Act 1998.

Authority

The SLT is authorised to:

• Have access to all available management information relevant to the conduct of its business.
• Seek any information it requires from any employee of the PIRC in order to perform its duties
• In consultation with the Commissioner, Director of Operations and/or Accountable Officer, invite other members of staff to attend SLT meetings to deal with specific items as it sees fit.

SLT Meetings

SLT Meetings will be held monthly or at such times as may be fixed by the Commissioner.

SLT meetings may be held in person, virtually or by a combination of both (hybrid working).

SLT meetings will be chaired by the Director of Operations, who will determine all questions of order, relevancy, and conduct of business during the meeting. In the absence of the Director of Operations, the Commissioner or Accountable Officer will assume that role for the duration of the meeting.

Additional meetings may be convened as necessary on the suggestion of any member of the SLT and with the approval of the Commissioner.

In the event of SLT members being unable to attend a meeting they may nominate a substitute to attend for part or all of the meeting, having agreed the substitution with the Commissioner and/or Director of Operations and/or Accountable Officer in advance.

In the event that the Director of Operations has a conflict of interest, the SLT will appoint another member to chair the relevant part of the meeting.

The SLT may discuss and agree actions outwith the meeting via correspondence or via ad hoc meetings. Any decisions and or actions will be noted and captured at the next SLT meeting.

Quorum

SLT meetings shall be quorate if four members of the SLT are present.

Decisions of the SLT 

Any decision of the SLT shall be taken on a majority basis, in the event of equality of voting, the Commissioner shall have a casting vote.

Agenda, Papers and Minutes of Meetings

The Executive Assistant shall ensure that administrative support is made available for each SLT meeting.

The agenda for SLT meetings will be agreed by the Director of Operations in consultation with the Commissioner and/or Accountable Officer.

The agenda and related papers for SLT meetings will normally be issued via email (where secure) five working days prior to meeting. A template agenda is provided at Appendix 1.

For each meeting, members will normally be provided with.

• Current Performance Management Reports for each department
• Current Management Accounts
• Current Risk Register

Late items may be added to the agenda for SLT meetings subject to agreement by the Commissioner and/or Director of Operations and/or Accountable Officer prior to the commencement of the meeting at which the item is to be considered.

The Executive Assistant will prepare and keep a formal minute for each SLT meeting.

The minute shall include.

• Attendees and apologies, a short summary of any discussions and capture and list decisions and actions.

Draft minutes will normally be prepared within five working days of each SLT meeting and, subject to the agreement of the Commissioner and/or Director of Operations and/or Accountable Officer, will be made available to the members.

Draft minutes will be presented to the following SLT meeting to be approved as the official record of the previous meeting.

A copy of the public portion of the SLT meeting minutes will be publicly available on the PIRC website.

Minutes of matters taken in private will not be published.

Reporting Arrangements

The SLT Terms of Reference will be made publicly available on the PIRC website.

Review of Arrangements

The SLT shall review its Terms of Reference and frequency of meetings in April each year.

The above terms of reference were reviewed by PIRC Senior Leadership Team on 18 November 2025 and are effective from that date.