Policing and performance plan 2003/04

Report: 7
Date: 27 March 2003
By: Commissioner

Summary

The paper seeks the Authority’s agreement to the draft annual plan and the arrangements for its issue. It also seeks agreement on the outstanding targets and measures that will support the objectives in the plan.

A. Recommendations

That

1. the Authority agrees the Policing and Performance Plan 2003/04 and, in particular, the outstanding targets and measures that were not agreed at its last meeting; and
2. the final approval of the plan’s format and presentation be delegated to the Clerk.

B. Supporting information

Background

1. At February’s full Authority meeting members accepted the measures and targets supporting the complete set of objectives proposed by the MPS, with the exception of those relating to criminal justice, resources and visibility (where an additional measure and target reflecting public satisfaction with foot patrols was requested).

2. The MPS has reviewed those objectives and presented a revised set of measures and targets to the Planning Performance and Review Committee (PPRC) on 13 March. The Committee endorsed the proposals and the Authority is now asked to agree them (the templates relating to these four objectives are attached at Appendix 1).

3. On the objective ‘to develop a professional and effective workforce with the appropriate numbers and skills to deliver the priorities of the MPS’, the measure and target proposed by the MPS were made up of the preliminary forecast strengths of police officers and Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) by March 2004, still subject to final budgetary arrangements. The template containing the respective provisional figures was agreed by the full Authority in February. These forecasts have been subject to ongoing review; and the relevant template, included as part of the draft plan has been revised accordingly (police officers have been revised from 30,058 to 29,856 and PCSOs from 1,200 to 1,506).

The full 2003/04 Policing and Performance Plan

4. In view of its size, the draft final version of the plan is attached separately for members. It will be available for the public on the MPA website and on request, including all annexes required by legislation (a blank page has been temporarily inserted for each of those templates where the target and measure await agreement – see Appendix 1). The document still contains some minor formatting errors which will be rectified before the plan is issued.

5. The plan does, however, contain the complete set of agreed objectives, targets and measures (except those described in paragraph 2 above which are still subject to final agreement at the meeting) with all the key activities and supporting activities underpinning each one. The presentation of the plan is broadly similar to last year as described in the paper ‘Content and Format of the Annual Policing Plan’ that was agreed by the Planning Panel on 13 January, and complies with the imperatives set out in the National Policing Plan.

Next steps

6. The next stages in the process are:

• 18 March: MPS/MPA is scheduled to receive Home Office feedback on the strategy plan ‘Towards the Safest City’
• 18-27 March: MPS continues to modify annual plan in light of HO comments and emerging data received from within MPS departments
• 27 March: Full Authority agrees final plan including outstanding targets and measures
• 28 March: The Clerk gives final approval to the plan’s format and presentation, if required
• 31 March: The annual plan is issued alongside the strategy plan
• April: Summary documents for the two plans prepared
• By 30 June: Annual plan and strategy plan published

C. Equality and diversity implications

The MPS has made progress in implementing the arrangements set out in the Race Equality Scheme. The main developments are summarised in the annual plan. Other key activities underpinning the diversity and hate crime objectives are shown in more detail on the templates at Annex B of the plan.

D. Financial implications

There are no specific financial implications arising from these proposals, although the development of the objectives and targets will determine in broad terms how the MPS proposes to use its resources in the coming year.

E. Background papers

Email and letter received from those wanting to ask questions.

F. Contact details

Report author: John Zlotnicki and Michael Debens, MPS.

For more information contact:

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

Appendix 1: Priorities

Priority for Londoners A: In partnership, to promote safer communities for Londoners

Objective 1. To increase visible police presence

Measure

1. The number of police officers, Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) and civil staff in visible posts
2. Public satisfaction levels with the number of foot patrols (as recorded in the Public Attitude Survey (PAS))

Targets

1. An increase of 4% of officers in visible posts by March 2004 compared with March 2003.
2. To achieve a satisfaction rating of 20% for foot patrols

Current performance

There are currently approximately 15,000 officers in visible posts. This data is being quality assured to provide an accurate figure at the end of March.

MPS lead

• Assistant Commissioner Territorial Policing

Business Group lead

• Commander, Operational Performance Improvement & Co-ordination

Examples of key activities in support of objective

• Allocate additional 600 police officers to BOCUs in line with the Resource Allocation Formula
• Allocate additional 400 officers to non-borough OCUs in Territorial Policing, Specialist Crime and Specialist Operations to support communities in handling serious crime and other threats to safety
• Recruit additional PCSOs for BOCUs
• Develop the recruitment of PCSOs in conjunction with community partnerships
• Continuing development of the Operational Policing Measure (OPM) [1] which it is anticipated will be suitable for the purposes of setting corporate visibility targets with tested data for 2004/05

Examples of supporting activities from other business groups

• A project is underway to consider the introduction of corporate clothing to staff such as crime scene examiners, photographers and other staff dealing with the public, aimed at making this contribution more visible but meeting the practical needs of the job.
• Specialist Operations will increase their high visibility patrols to include the south bank of the Thames.

Further information (background or context)

Visible police posts are those where officers work in uniform and are principally visible to the public, for example, foot patrols, police drivers, building security, school and sector officers.

Priority for Londoners D: In partnership, to revitalise the criminal justice system

Objective 15. To bring more offences to justice

Measure

1. Number of offences brought to justice (ie. conviction /caution / taken into consideration (TIC))
2. Number of sites where Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) lawyers are available at point of charge

Targets

1. An increase of 5% (6,183) for 2003/04 compared with 2001/02
2. 20 sites by the end of March 2004

MPS lead

• Assistant Commissioner Territorial Policing

Business Group lead

• Commander Investigation & Criminal Justice

Examples of key activities in support of objective

• Introduction of National Strategy for Police Information Systems (NSPIS) Case and Custody
• Development of Prisoner Processing Teams
• MPS/CPS Joint performance meetings at BOCU level
• Implementation of secure e-mail systems and audit procedures between the CPS and the MPS

Examples of supporting activities from other business groups

• Resources Directorate will provide suitable accommodation at the point of charge and establish accommodation protocols with all partners.
• Forensic Services, Specialist Crime will continue to move from measuring forensic identifications (outputs) to forensic judicial disposals (outcomes), recognising that forensics play a significant role in the conviction of offenders.

Further information (background or context)

The target increase of 6,183 is a London Criminal Justice Area target, i.e. joint with the City of London and in partnership with the CPS. Offences brought to justice data is not sufficiently timely to use for internal performance monitoring, however it remains the ‘highest level’ target. In order to reach this target the following supporting targets are proposed:

• 15% reduction in discontinuances (current figures are 31,975 at Crown and Magistrates’ Courts for April-December 2002)
• 35% reduction in discharged committals (based on an approximate figure of 2,100 for 2002; this baseline may be revised)

The MPS will monitor the number of judicial disposals to ensure that sufficient cases are entering the system.

In addition to these targets, the London Criminal Justice Action Plan sets out targets to reduce the number of ineffective trials due to witness non-attendance / no evidence offered, and to increase the proportion of effective trials, both of which will also contribute to the headline increase.

It is proposed that these supporting targets will be revised over the course of the year in line with the most recent available data to ensure that the high level target is reached.

Discontinuance and discharged committal data is supplied by the CPS.

Objective 16. To improve the service to victims and witnesses

Measure

1. Victim satisfaction with police initial response to a burglary
2. Victim satisfaction with police initial response to a violent crime
3. To develop agreed standards for information and communication to witnesses and victims through the introduction of victim focus desks on boroughs

Targets

1. Victim satisfaction with police initial response to burglary of 85%
2. Victim satisfaction with initial police response to violent crime of 75%
3. To pilot a victim focus desk, evaluate and begin roll-out

Current performance

% of victims satisfied with police initial response to a report of a burglary of a dwelling

 % of victims satisfied with police initial response to a report of violent crime

MPS lead

• Assistant Commissioner Territorial Policing

Business Group lead

• Commander Investigation & Criminal Justice
• Commander Crime Operations

Examples of key activities in support of objective

• Further development and roll out of the sole burglary response pilots on the boroughs of Enfield and Southwark
• Development of victim / witness satisfaction information through the London Criminal Justice Board reflecting experiences throughout the criminal justice system
• Development of Victim/Witness Focus Desks on Boroughs
• Recruitment of five volunteer co-ordinators who will develop the use of volunteers in the MPS, including the support of victims and witnesses

Examples of supporting activities from other business groups

• As part of the MPS Policing Model, Forensic Services, Specialist Crime will attend the majority of burglaries in London within 4 hours of reporting by a scene examiner, so improving the service to victims of crime

Further information (background or context)

The victim satisfaction survey information is the only baseline data available regarding victim or witness satisfaction with the Criminal Justice Service; the performance measures are also best value performance indicators. It is recognised that this does not fully reflect the priority and objective.

Priority for Excellence C: To make best use of our staff and resources

Objective 24. To maximise MPS resources and their most effective use

Measure

1. To carry out the activities described below in relation to five key areas of activity by 31 March 2004

Targets

1. To increase the value of income generated from £1.2m to £2m by 31 March 2004 [2]
2. To publish “Building Towards the Safest City” by 30 April 2003
3. Establish a database of 2003/04 partnership schemes by June 2003
4. Deliver the accommodation requirements for C3i at Hendon by 28 February 2004, Lambeth by 31 March 2004 and Bow by 30 April 2004
5. Increase the number of MPS marked vehicles from 1,868 to 1,961 by 31 March 2004

MPS lead

• Director of Resources

Business Group lead

• 1. Director of Procurement
• 2. & 4. Director of Property Services
• 3. Director of Finance
• 5. Director of Transport

Examples of key activities in support of objective

1. Increase the level of income generation through:
   • Recruiting staff and establishing a unit
   • Identifying and collating all income generation (including sponsorship) opportunities
   • Ensuring the delivery of a revised key holder database
2. Review the approach to estate management with a view to providing a co-ordinated, flexible and responsive service in respect of accommodation. To include:
   • Publishing “Building towards the Safest City”
   • Agreeing proposals for flexible estate management
3. Promote funding through partnership including:
   • Establish a database of 2003/04 partnership schemes
   • Provide Operational Command Units with guidance on financial requirements for partnership funding opportunities when they are announced
   • Arrange training workshops in partnership funding for individual boroughs and other operational command units within two months of requests
4. Support C3i [3] including:
   • Preparing update reports (confirmed by the C3i programme manager) on the procurement of radio, telephone and CCTV requirements
   • Delivering accommodation requirements (eg call centres provided and partnering Directorate of Information in the provision of Airwave aerials)
   • Providing ongoing financial support to ensure that C3i and related projects are developed and controlled from a financial perspective (regular monitoring reports on project expenditure and forecasts, financial advice and briefings to C3i related project teams and other groups)
   • Reviewing business case submissions
5. Optimise the MPS marked fleet including:
   • Increasing the number of MPS marked vehicles
   • Increasing the number of silver base vehicles

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