Costs incurred by Community Justice Scotland: FOI release

Information requested

(i) the total costs incurred by Community Justice Scotland from 2014 to the present day, including all secretariat staffing costs, daily board member fees and expenses, events, publications and officerunning costs; and

(ii) a record of all engagement between board members and Scottish Government Ministers and Cabinet Secretaries from 2014 to the present day.

Response

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have some of the information you have requested.

We are able to advise that the total net operating costs incurred by Community Justice Scotland (“CJS”) from 2016 to 2021 is £8.6m.

The reasons why we don't have the information from 2014 to 2015 is because CJS was not formally established until 2017. I should also advise that we have included an indicative figure of £2.383m for the 2020 to 2021 net operating costs as CJS have not yet finalised its Annual Accounts for that financial year.

You also requested a record of all engagement between CJS board members and Scottish Government ministers and Cabinet Secretaries from 2014 to the present day.

After a search of our electronic system(s), I can provide the following:

• 14 August 2019: Meeting took place between Cabinet Secretary for Justice and CJS Chair
• 28 October 2020: Meeting took place between Cabinet Secretary for Justice and CJS Chair and officials
• 4 November 2020: Cabinet Secretary for Justice attended a CJS Board meeting
• 20 May 2021: Letter from CJS Board to Cabinet Secretary for Justice
• 27 May 2021: Response from Cabinet Secretary for Justice to CJS Board
• 8 July 2021: Meeting took place between Cabinet Secretary for Justice and CJS Acting Chair and officials
• 7 October 2021: Meeting took place between Cabinet Secretary for Justice and CJS Acting Chair and officials

About FOI

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