Minutes

Minutes of the meeting of the Metropolitan Police Authority held on 27 March 2003 at 10 Dean Farrar Street, London, SW1.

Present

Members

• Toby Harris (Chair)
• Richard Barnes (Deputy Chair)
• Anthony Arbour
• Jennette Arnold
• Reshard Auladin
• Cindy Butts
• Lynne Featherstone
• Nicky Gavron
• Kirsten Hearn
• Peter Herbert
• Elizabeth Howlett
• Diana Johnson
• Jenny Jones
• Nicholas Long
• Eric Ollerenshaw
• Sir John Quinton
• Richard Sumray
• Graham Tope
• Abdal Ullah
• Rachel Whittaker

MPA officers

• Catherine Crawford (Clerk)
• Ken Hunt (Deputy Treasurer)
• Simon Vile (Head of Secretariat)

MPS officers

• Sir John Stevens (Commissioner)
• Ian Blair (Deputy Commissioner)
• Keith Luck (Director of Resources)
• Tarique Ghaffur (Assistant Commissioner)
• Bernard Hogan Howe (Assistant Commissioner)
• Richard Bryan (Commander)

Part 1

97. Communications and apologies for absence

(Agenda item 1)

Apologies for absence were received from R David Muir and Cecile Wright.

On behalf of the Authority, the Chair welcomed Diana Johnson as a new member of the Authority (following the resignation of John Biggs). She had agreed to sit on the Finance Committee until the Annual General Meeting and to act as link member for Barking & Dagenham and Havering.

98. Community Police Consultative Groups and Independent Custody Visiting – funding for 2003/04

(Agenda item 13)

It was proposed by the Chair and

Resolved –

1. That the report be withdrawn for further consideration;
2. That as an interim measure, groups be paid a quarter of the allocations proposed; and
3. That the proposed allocations be finalised by the end of the month, including a justification for these proposals.

99. Declarations of interest

(Agenda item 2)

No declarations were made.

100. Minutes

(Agenda item 3)

Resolved – That the minutes of the Authority meeting held on 27 February 2003 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

101. Minutes of committees

(Agenda item 4)

The Authority received the draft minutes of the following committees:

• Professional Standards & Complaints 20 February
• Consultation Committee 27 February
• Co-ordination & Policing Committee 7 March
• Equal Opportunities and Diversity Board 13 March

Resolved –That the minutes of committees be noted.

102. Chair’s, Members’ and Clerk’s updates

(Agenda item 5)

The Authority noted tabled and oral updates given by the Chair and other members.

103. Commissioner’s update

(Agenda item 6)

The Commissioner updated the Authority on a number of issues:

Community reassurance

The aim of the MPS was to play its part in ensuring that international conflict did not sour relations in the U.K. The MPS would, as it did following 9/11, do all it could to keep communities safe, for instance by an increased patrolling presence and meetings with various community and faith groups. So far there had been no particular tensions within these communities.

The Commissioner also commented that he and Reshard Auladin had appeared on Sunrise Radio for a question and answer session. Reshard commented that there were anxieties in the Asian community generally about a possible backlash, but that the Muslim community in particular was nervous and aggrieved about the war. Peter Herbert cautioned that, as had happened in 1991, there would inevitably be an increase in racist activity as a result of the war.

The Chair said that these events demonstrated the importance of local police being involved with their local communities. It was also vital for the MPS to demonstrate that religious premises were being given protection.

Stop the War demonstrations

The Commissioner thanked the organisers of these demonstrations, who had maintained good liaison with the police.

Members discussed the issues around the presence of schoolchildren at some of the demonstrations during the school day.

Jenny Jones referred to some complaints she had received from some demonstrators about the policing of a small demonstration near Park Lane. The Commissioner said that any complaints would be investigated.

Terrorism appeal – ‘Life Savers’

The Commissioner reported that this five-week advertising campaign had been launched on 17 March, encouraging people to call a confidential anti-terrorist hotline.

Recent murders

The Commissioner referred to the ‘stranger’ murders of Margaret Muller, Marsha McDonnell and Suvi Aronen and informed the Authority of the resources that had been assigned to these cases. In the longer term, research was to be commissioned to examine the partnership between police and care in the community organisations.

Some members commented on the need for equity of response, suggesting that in some cases the media dictated the police response and that some communities experienced violence and murder as a regular occurrence without necessarily the same degree of interest that these three murders had occasioned. The Commissioner referred to the excellent work being carried out by Operation Trident and emphasised that the MPS responded to all murders equally in different communities. He stressed the importance of community reassurance, noting that homicide was down 6% on the preceding year. He referred to murder modelling work being carried out by the MPS and said that it would be reported to a full Authority meeting.

National Firearms Amnesty 2003

This was to be held between 31 March and 30 April, with the aim of encouraging the surrender of illegally held firearms, air weapons and imitation firearms. The Commissioner reported a 25% fall in gun crime since December.

Launch of Youth Crime Strategy and Youth Independent Advisory Group

The Commissioner reported on the launch of this strategy, which had taken place on 7 March. He also reported reducing figures relating to youth crime. For instance, compared to the previous year, the number of youth victims of street crime had reduced by 37% between April 2002 and January 2003 and the total number of youth accused of crime by 14%.

He also reported that the MPS were in the process of setting up a Youth IAG, the first in the country.

Non-emergency 999 calls

The Commissioner reported on the launch of a campaign to test the public’s perception of what a non-emergency situation is, with the aim of reducing the non-emergency demands on the 999 systems.

Graham Tope referred to the wider issue of how the general public are received at police stations. Many police stations have physical restraints but there are also cultural issues about how the police interact with the public.

The Chair asked for a report on how mystery shopping exercises could be used more widely in the MPS.

Mobile phone crime clampdown

On 4 March, the mobile phone industry and the MPS, backed by the Home Office, launched an ‘immobilise phone crime’ initiative with the message that stolen phones will no longer work.

General

The Chair referred to the recent CPS decision in relation to the death of Derek Bennett. The Commissioner expressed regret for this tragic death. The CPS decision that there was not enough evidence to prosecute had followed a lengthy investigation by Northumbria Police. The Deputy Commissioner commented that the normal processes would be followed, including an inquest and disciplinary considerations.

104. Policing and Performance Plan 2003/04

(Agenda item 7)

The Authority considered a report by the Commissioner seeking agreement to the draft annual plan and the arrangements for its issue, together with agreement of the outstanding targets and measures supporting the objectives in the plan.

At the request of Rachel Whittaker, the Authority considered whether to include ‘65% of Performance Development Reviews completed on time’ as a measure for Objective 21: ‘to develop a professional and effective workforce with the appropriate numbers and skills to deliver the operational priorities of the MPS’. After discussion it was agreed not to include this measure but that it was more appropriate for it to be monitored by the Human Resources Committee.

Resolved –

1. To approve 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. that the final approval of the plan’s format and presentation be delegated to the Clerk.

105. Completion of the three-year strategy plan

(Agenda item 8)

The Authority considered a report by the Commissioner providing an update on the final stages of the plan’s preparation.

Richard Sumray reported that no feedback had yet been provided by the Home Office. The Authority might assume, therefore, that there were no changes required to the plan.

Resolved – That the report be noted.

106. MPS growth issues 2003/04

(Agenda item 9)

The Authority considered two reports by the Commissioner, the second circulated after publication of the agenda, setting out the issues relating to police officer and PCSO growth in 2003/04.

The Deputy Commissioner introduced the report and subsequently clarified some Members’ queries, as follows. The additional police officers had been allocated to boroughs in accordance with the Resource Allocation Formula. There was no question of any charge being made to boroughs in respect of the 1,000 PCSOs that were being allocated to boroughs. The MPS would encourage negotiations with local authorities for them to buy further PCSOs as a franchised service from the MPS. There was also uncertainty about the current time it was taking to recruit a police officer. The Assistant Commissioner HR undertook to report the correct period to the Human Resources Committee.

Graham Tope expressed concern at the way that the proposals to accelerate the 2003/04 recruitment process had been brought before members and that he, as Finance Committee Chair, had not been alerted to the financial issues. Also of concern was that the 2002/03 budget underspend was not yet finally known and any proposals to use part of it should be considered in the context of competing priorities. He proposed that the first source of funding for the £6 million cost should be by way of a review of the 2003/04 budget to be agreed by the Finance Committee and that, if this was not possible, it should be considered by the Finance Committee along with other potential calls on the 2002/03 underspend.

As the lead member on estates issues, Nicholas Long expressed his continuing concern that the capital implications of growth had not been addressed and that extensive estates work would be needed in some boroughs to accommodate additional officers.

In responding to these concerns, the Deputy Commissioner understood the frustrations over the timing of the proposals but stressed that it was a case of seizing an opportunity to improve the situation. He referred, for example, to the fact that in relation to the growth agreed as part of the 2002/03 budget, the final recruits to the specialist units would not be in place until August 2004. With regard to the estates issues, he recognised the pressures that growth caused but commented that these would be there irrespective of whether the recruitment process was accelerated.

With regard to the allocation of the 1,000 additional PCSOs, members on the PCSO Steering Group commented that the allocation shown in the report did not accord in every respect with their understanding of the outcome of the steering group meeting. The reference to the PCSO Steering Group in recommendation 7 of the report was, therefore, deleted.

The Chair commented that this was the second year of operation of the Resource Allocation Formula (RAF). It was too soon to review its operation, but a report was needed to the relevant committee within the next couple of months proposing a timetable for review (including adequate time for consultation with all parties) leading to a new formula being implemented with effect from 1 April 2005.

The Chair also expressed confidence that, if similar proposals to accelerate the recruitment process were to be envisaged for 2004/05, the MPS would ensure that they were brought into the budget process at an earlier stage than had been the case this year.

Resolved – That the Authority

1. notes that the recruit Budgeted Workforce Target (BWT) at Hendon will remain unchanged in 2003/04 and that recruits undergoing training at Hendon will be counted against the BWT of their destination OCU;
2. notes that the MPS 2003/04 recruitment target for police officers will be 2,840;
3. notes the order in which the remaining 2002/03 and new 2003/04 growth in police officers will be prioritised and managed;
4. agrees to accelerate recruitment in 2003/04 in order to bring forward the timescales for deployment of additional officers in accordance with the recommended Option 2 in the report, at an additional cost of £6 million;
5. requests that Finance Committee determine the most appropriate source of funding the additional cost referred to in Recommendation 4, with the presumption that this would be identified within the approved 2003/04 budget but recognising that use of the 2002/03 underspending may be necessary as a last resort;
6. notes the allocation in 2003/04 of growth of 601 additional officers across TP boroughs, distributed in accordance with the updated borough Resource Allocation Formula;
7. notes the allocation in 2003/04 of 1,000 additional PCSOs across TP boroughs;
8. notes the allocation in 2003/04 growth of 399 additional officers other than to TP boroughs, in support of MPS priorities; and
9. requests a report to the relevant MPA committee in the next few months outlining a timetable for the various stages leading to completion of a review of the RAF for implementation of a revised formula with effect from 1 April 2005.

107. Metropolitan Special Constabulary

(Agenda item 10)

The Authority considered a report, introduced by Commandant Barradell, on the Metropolitan Special Constabulary (MSC).

Members welcomed the report and expressed appreciation of the work of the Special Constabulary. There was discussion about the extent to which there was, or should be, a consistent approach across boroughs in terms of the kinds of duties that Specials were allocated to. It was recognised that there should always be sufficient flexibility to enable individual boroughs to reflect local needs and demands. However, it should be possible to develop a set of minimum expectations or standards. The Commandant informed members that at present about 12 boroughs had developed service performance agreements identifying what the borough commander expected from Specials and what they could expect in return.

It was noted that a review of the MSC was about to be conducted. The issues raised by members, such as minimum standards and accelerated recruitment for those Special who wanted to become police officers, could be taken into account in this review. A further report would be presented to the Authority on completion of the review, perhaps in June 2003.

108. MPS Crime Academy

(Agenda item 11)

The Authority considered a report by the Commissioner on the proposed Crime Academy.

Resolved – That the report be noted.

109. Child protection

(Agenda item 12)

The Authority considered a report previously presented to the Planning, Performance and Review Committee in respect of the implications of the Victoria Climbié Inquiry report recommendations for the work of the MPS.

Richard Sumray commented on the huge amount of work being carried out in the MPS to address the issues. These had been disseminated down to all levels of the organisation. A Gold group had also been set up, which was essential and helpful to the process.

He also expressed some of the reservations felt about the Inquiry report’s recommendations on future structure. It would be important to maintain the role of the London Child Protection Committee. It was hard to see how local authority chief executives could take responsibility for all aspects of child protection, including the police responsibilities, and he would be discussing with the MPS a joint response to the Green Paper. He commended the practical ways forward, such as the development of a referral manager scheme and one stop shops. Whilst the Planning, Performance and Review Committee would address most of the issues and monitor future progress, he felt that it was important for the full Authority to receive an update report in, say six to eight months time, so that child protection remained central in importance.

Resolved – That the report be noted.

The meeting ended at 12.50 p.m.

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