Performance and Resources report quarter 2 2022/23: Evolving our own capability and capacity

Key successes in the quarter

Since the start of 2022/23 we have faced significant pressures, including work to deliver the Retained EU Law Bill, Precision Breeding Bill and Borders Target Operating Model. In response, the Executive Management Team and Business Delivery Group have identified a series of essential changes to our workplan for this year that will create capacity to deliver these additional demands, without compromising our statutory duties.

• We will continue work to evolve our own capabilities and capacity to deliver our strategy, including by setting out a new three-year corporate plan and, over time, a ‘People Plan’ that will provide a blueprint for the ongoing culture and development of the FSA workforce, and by replacing core systems such as finance and payroll.
• However, other deliverables in this space will now change. For example, we will be pausing work to scope out opportunities for additional contributions to healthier and more sustainable food, and delaying the launch of our new people plan. The December prioritisation Board paper contains further details.

We have also agreed a set of goals and objectives for our three year corporate plan with the Executive and Business Delivery Group. These aim to set a realistic expectation for what we will achieve in the coming years, and informs our approach to in-year planning for 2023/24. The three year corporate plan will be brought to the Board for discussion and approval in Q4 2022/23.

Concerns / risks

We may need to revisit these decisions if further pressures emerge, or in response to any savings government may require us to make to our budget for this year. 

Next steps 

• we will continue to implement the changes to our work identified during prioritisation and develop our three year corporate plan.
• the Executive will review prioritisation in January and consider whether any further action is necessary. We will update the board following this discussion.