Community engagement conference April 2009

Report: 8
Date: 12 February 2009
By: Head of Engagement & Partnerships on behalf of the Chief Executive

Summary

The Engagement and Partnership Unit hosts an annual Community Engagement Conference in order to bring community representatives and volunteers who work with the MPA and the MPS from across London together. The aim of the conference is to share relevant information around emerging issues, examples of good practice, to promote the work of the MPA, to encourage networking between boroughs and to offer thanks to all those who support the MPA on a voluntary basis.

A. Recommendation

None provided

B. Supporting information

1. The Engagement and Partnerships Unit holds an annual Community Engagement Conference to bring together up to 300 Community Police Engagement Group (CPEG) representatives, Safer Neighbourhood Panel members, Stop and Search Community Monitoring representatives, Independent Custody Visitors, Independent Advisory Group members, key partners in community safety and crime reduction and specialist advisors on emerging issues and topics.

2. The aim of the conference is to offer thanks and recognition to all the volunteers across London who give up their time offering valuable support, feedback and guidance to the Police, the MPA and our statutory partners.

3. It is intended that the conference will enable a greater opportunity for the recognition of good practice in community engagement and crime reduction and, to this end it is proposed that the conference will provide the venue for an annual community engagement award to encourage innovation, creativity and good practice.

4. The Conference is also an opportunity to showcase the work of the MPA and the intention is that there will be workshops and information stalls reflecting the current work of the Authority and how this relates to their work at the local level. This will include, for example, the work of the Planning and Performance, Oversight and Review and Engagement and Partnerships Units.

5. It is also the intention to include key note speakers who will be able to inform stakeholders on emerging policy and Government legislation (such as the Green Paper and its implications for community engagement) and to highlight work and planned initiatives from within the Mayor’s office and Government Office for London.

6. The proposals for this year’s conference are broader than in previous years, where the focus has been closely related to the development of the new funding regime. Now that that has been embedded, and in support of the Authority’s stated aim to transform community engagement, it seems appropriate to broaden the focus to include other areas of the Authority’s work to increase the participants’ skills and knowledge in the field. This event will also indirectly support the Authority’s broader strategic aims of reducing crime and criminality, increasing confidence in policing and delivering better value for money.

 Draft proposed agenda

09:00 – 09:30 Registration & Coffee
09:30 – 09:35 Welcome TBC
09:35 – 09:45 Opening Address TBC
09:45 – 10:00 Key note address TBC
10:00 – 11:00 Move to break out rooms to attend pre chosen workshop
11:00 – 11:30 Refreshments & Market Place
11:30 – 12:30 Back to main hall where questions stemming from the workshops are addressed to panel of experts who will be on the main stage.
12:30 – 13:30 Lunch & Market Place (S&S DVD on continual play in one of the breakout rooms for people to view at their pleasure)
13:30 - 13:40 Key note speaker (Emerging legislation and impacts)
13:40 – 14:00 Annual Community Engagement Award nominations (Tamsin)
14:00 – 15:00 Move to break out rooms to attend pre chosen workshop
15:00 – 15:30 Refreshments and Market Place
15:30 – 16:30 Back to main hall where questions stemming from the workshops are addressed to panel of experts who will be on the main stage.
16:30 – 17:00 Announce award winner, Final Q&A and Closing address

C. Race and equality impact

Both the venue and the conference workshops will be impact assessed to ensure they are accessible, including meeting the needs of deaf and disabled people and ensuring that other matters such as faith and childcare are taken into consideration when setting date, time and venue. In addition, delegates will be invited to indicate any additional requirements on their booking form.

D. Financial implications

The total budget for the conference is £20,000 and is within existing budgets.

E. Background papers

None

F. Contact details

Report author(s): Tamsin Kelland and Naomi Simpson, MPA

For information contact:

MPA general: 020 7202 0202
Media enquiries: 020 7202 0217/18

Appendix 1

Aims & objectives of business plan

The EPU is responsible for delivering the MPA’s borough based statutory responsibilities.

The proposed conference adheres to the both the MPA’s corporate, and EPU objectives, and will assist with delivering the following priorities specifically:

• Understanding community views on policing
• Consultation on police objectives
• Supporting the development of ‘Community Police Engagement Groups
• Improving participation in local partnerships and more effective community engagement at borough level in conjunction with partners
• Sharing good practice across 32 Boroughs and with partner agencies
• Building partnerships with pan-London community based organisations to undertake community engagement with specific target groups.

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