Minutes

Minutes of the special meeting of the Finance and Resources Committee held on 18 June 2009 at 10 Dean Farrar Street, London, SW1H 0NY.

Present

Members

• Steve O’Connell (Chairman)
• John Biggs
• Reshard Auladin
• Dee Doocey
• Deborah Regal
• Graham Speed
• Richard Tracey

MPA officers

• Catherine Crawford (Chief Executive)
• Annabel Adams (Deputy Treasurer)
• John Crompton (Committee Services)

MPS officers

• Jane Bond (Acting Director Property Services)
• Michael Brooker (Programme Manager, Language Programme)
• Paul Daly (Director of Exchequer Services)
• Anthony Doyle (Director, Procurement Services)
• Tristam Hicks (Proceeds of Crime Act Implementation)
• Paul James (Director of Finance Services)
• Anne McMeel (Director of Resources)
• Phil Scutchings (Director of Technology)
• John Whittaker (Director of Logistical Services)
• Assistant Commissioner Chris Allison attended for agenda item 24

171. Apologies for absence

(Agenda item 1)

Apologies for absence were received from Faith Boardman, Cindy Butts, Dee Dainton, Kit Malthouse and Deborah Regal (members).

172. Declarations of interests

(Agenda item 2)

Graham Speed declared a personal interest in exempt agenda item 21, details of which appear in the relevant item.

173. Minutes of the meeting held on 23 April 2009 (part 1)

(Agenda item 3)

Resolved – That the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 23 April 2009 be agreed and signed as a correct record.

174. Sub-committees

(Agenda item 4)

In the absence of the Chairmen of both of the Sub-Committees no updates were provided.

175. Revenue and capital budget monitoring 2008/09 – provisional outturn

(Agenda item 5)

The report provided an update on the provisional and unaudited outturn position for revenue and capital budgets in 2008/09. The revenue budget is underspent by £29.5m (1% of budget). The provisional outturn for the Capital Programme is £297.6m, which is £46.2m below the revised budget of £343.8m.

Members requested more information on police overtime and transport costs in order to gain a better understanding of the issues involved. It was agreed that a report on both of these points be submitted to the Resources Sub-Committee.

Resolved – That

1. the provisional and unaudited outturn position against the revenue and capital budgets for the year be noted;
2. the proposal to impair an amount of £6.7m relating to funds deposited with the Icelandic bank, Landsbanki as detailed at paragraph 5 be agreed;
3. the proposed transfers to reserves of £32.9m as detailed at paragraph 6 be agreed;
4. the previously agreed transfer to reserves of £22m be noted;
5. the proposed transfer to General Reserves of £0.8m as detailed at paragraph 7 be agreed; and
6. it be noted that a detailed review of the capital outturn is underway and that a report will be produced in July for members to consider the re-phasing of projects into future years.

176. Efficiency plan monitoring –outturn 2008/09

(Agenda item 6)

A report was submitted which provided an update on the monitoring of the MPA/MPS efficiency plan for 2008/09 -2010/11. The outturn showed an over-achievement against the 2008/09 efficiency target by £3.9M.

Members asked for more information in respect of the apparent large under achievement in respect of Special Constables. It was agreed that this information be included in the next quarterly report.

Resolved –That the outturn position for the efficiency plan for 2008/09 be noted.

177. Treasury Management Financial Review

(Agenda item 7)

This report presented the Annual Review of Treasury Management for the 12 month period ended 31 March 2009.

Resolved – That the annual report of the Treasury Management function be noted.

178. Tamil Protests at Parliament Square – financing additional costs

(Agenda item 8)

This report set out details of the recent Tamil protest in Parliament Square and the impact this had on budget and performance and how the costs could be met.

The Chief Executive advised that the Strategic and Operational Policing Committee would consider the operational aspects and the implications for performance on borough policing and crime reduction.

In reply to a question from a member the Director of Resources said that the costing information had been compiled using the established procedure. She would be happy to provide the detailed breakdown.

Resolved – That

1. the action taken to manage the Tamil protest and to mitigate the impact on police performance was noted
2. it be agreed that MPA reserves can be used, up to a total of £6.1m, to meet the direct cost of the actions being taken subject to consideration of the application of general underspends identified as part of the regular financial monitoring process.

179. Additional borrowing to support the capital programme

(Agenda item 9)

This report provided further information which had been requested when an earlier report had been considered at the Committee at its meeting on 19 March.

The Chairman said that, on the basis of the arrangement being a draw down facility to be used when needed, he would support the recommendations.

Resolved – That

1. approval be given, in principle, to additional borrowing over the three years 2009/10 to 2011/12 in the sum of £60M to support additional capital infrastructure and/or deferral of police property disposal;
2. review appropriate new capital schemes to advance at its July meeting; and
3. agree to finance the additional revenue costs of borrowing in 2009/10 from balance sheet reserves, and to include additional costs for 2010/11 and future years in the medium term financial plan.

180. 2010-2013 Budget and business plan

(Agenda item 10)

This report sets out the proposed approach for delivering the 2010-13 Budget and Business Plan in line with the Mayor’s guidance.

The Committee noted that additional joint meetings with the Strategic and Operational Policing Committee would be held at appropriate times in the budget planning process.

Resolved – That the proposed approach for delivering the 2010-13 Budget and Business Plan in line with the Mayor’s guidance.

181. Small and medium enterprises – early payment of invoices

(Agenda item 11)

An update was provided which informed the Committee of the status of the previously approved actions in support of the Mayor’s Early Payment to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Initiative and the current payment profile for such suppliers.

Following a suggestion from the Director of Exchequer of the Chairman it was agreed that unless there is an adverse trend the future monitoring reports would be submitted to the Resources Sub-Committee.

Resolved –That the actions taken to date to improve the time to make payment on undisputed invoices to SMEs with the ultimate aim being payment within 10 working days of the receipt of a valid invoice and the current payment profile for SMEs be noted.

182. Proceeds of Crime Act

(Agenda item 12)

This report relates to the London Criminal Justice Board ‘London proposal’ on POCA funding which was agreed in March 2009, Following further consideration by the Home Office some changes have been proposed.

Resolved – That

1. the following changes be agreed to the London proposal:
2. A reduction of costs and an increase in the guarantee in 2009/10
3. The extension of the guarantee to include 2010/11
4. An increase in the guarantee from £8m in 2009/10 to £10m in 2010/11
5. The MPS to be exempted from Prime Minister’s £4m community projects funding as the Authority has already agreed £500k per year to Safer London Foundation
6. All income guarantees to the Home Office are dependent on current legislation remaining in force throughout the period of agreement
7. The Regional Asset Recovery Team funding to be provided via the LCJB grant as proposed by the Home Office;
   • subject to 1 above, any surplus in 2009/10 be transferred to the POCA reserve to cover potential future costs/liabilities; and
   • the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Chairman of the Committee, be given delegated authority to agree variations to the final agreement.

183. Property Services update

(Agenda item 13)

An update on the responsibilities covered by Property Services and issues addressed since the last report,

Resolved –That the updates be noted.

184. Report from Resources Sub-committee 4 June 2009

(Agenda item 14)

This report sets out the comments made by the Resources Sub-Committee on reports which are also on the agenda for this meeting of the Finance and Resources Committee. The comments were noted in conjunction with the relevant reports.

185. Procurement Strategy 2009/12

(Agenda item 15)

The revised strategy for the period 2009/12 was presented.

Resolved – That

1. subject to agreeing the recommendation from the Resources Sub-Committee, that the Routine Contracts programme should indicate where an innovative procurement method was to be used approval be given to the Procurement Strategy including the various procurement models; and
2. it be agreed that an action plan be brought back to Resources Sub Committee in September detailing how the Procurement Strategy will be implemented over the three year period.

186. MPS network hardware standardisation

(Agenda item 16)

This report recommended proceeding to an open tender for the selection of a corporate telecoms network hardware vendor(s) and the award of a framework agreement(s)

Resolved – That authorisation be given to proceed to tender for the selection of one or more corporate network hardware equipment, software and professional service providers to meet the increasing demand for our voice and data telecommunications network and data centre requirements.

187. MPS Language programme

(Agenda item 17)

A report was submitted which advised that the MPS systems for linguistic support need to be overhauled in order that the service can keep pace with change and maintain a good quality of service. This report asks for financial support for the MPS Language Programme in order that it can put in place an integrated solution which will not only improve levels of service but in doing so will pre-empt the need for £17.5m of costs over a period of 4 years.

Resolved – That the decision of the MPS Investment Board be noted and agreement be given to the provision of £5.6m capital investment to support the above programme.

188. Exclusion of press and public

(Agenda item 18)

Resolved - That under section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involved disclosure of exempt information as detailed in paragraphs 3 and 7 of Schedule 12A to the above Act.

Summary of decisions made on exempt items

189. Exempt Appendices to Property Services update

(Agenda item 19)

The appendix was noted.

190. Report from Resources Sub-committee

(Agenda item 20)

This report sets out the comments made by the Resources Sub-Committee on agenda item 21. A supplementary report 20a was tabled which contained additional information requested by the Sub-committee was tabled. Agenda items 20 and 20a were considered in conjunction with agenda item 21.

191. Disposal of Johnson House

(Agenda item 21)

Agreed to the disposal of this property to the bidder identified in the report.

192. Request for authority to let accommodation at 93/109 Lambeth Road SE11

(Agenda item 22)

Approved in principle the terms and conditions.

193. Authority to write off bad debts

(Agenda item 23)

Agreed to write off three bad debts

194. Opportunity costs in relation to policing the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games – implications for the MPS

(Agenda item 24)

The information be noted.

195. Minutes of the meeting held on 23 April 2009 (part 2)

(Agenda item 25)

Agreed and signed as a correct record.

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