Minutes

Minutes of the Standards Committee of the Metropolitan Police Authority held on 16 March 2006 at 10 Dean Farrar Street, London SW1H 0NY.

Present

Members

• Aneeta Prem
• Ian Whitburn
• Stephanie Caplan
• Bob Neill
• Damian Hockney

MPA officers

• Simon Vile (Head of Secretariat)

1. Appointment of Chair and Deputy Chair

(Agenda item 1)

It was moved, seconded and

Resolved – That Aneeta Prem be appointed Chair for the remainder of the year.

Aneeta Prem took the Chair upon appointment.

It was moved, seconded and

Resolved – That Stephanie Caplan be appointed Deputy Chair for the remainder of the year.

2. Apologies for absence

(Agenda item 2)

An apology for absence was received from Murad Qureshi.

3. Declarations of interests

(Agenda item 3)

Stephanie Caplan and Ian Whitburn declared a personal interest in item 7 (Independent Member recruitment) and took no part in the discussion of and decisions on that item.

4. Minutes

(Agenda item 4)

Resolved – That the minutes of the meeting of the Standards Committee held on 24 May 2005 be agreed and signed as a correct record.

5. Standards indicators

(Agenda item 5)

The Committee considered a report by the Chief Executive presenting the quarterly Standards Indicators.

Members felt that there should be a comment included in the report that the number of declarations in relation to gifts and hospitality may not be an accurate reflection of the total as Assembly Members may make such declarations to the Greater London Authority (as it is not always clear whether they have been approached as an Assembly Member or as an MPA member).

It was suggested that the Indicators could be copied to the Association of Police Authorities as an example of best practice.

It was also reported that later that day the Corporate Governance Committee was due to receive a report on the Audit Commission Informal Use of Resources Assessment. One of the Audit Commission findings was that the MPA should be more proactive in raising the standards of ethical behaviour amongst its membership as a whole. The proposed response to this was:

• A twice yearly written briefing on ethical matters to be issued to all members
• An Ethical Standards Protocol is to be developed for all Committee Chairs and Portfolio Holder Members, and requiring them to sign it to acknowledge they have read it
• Members will continue to be encouraged to attend meetings of the Standards Committee if there is something of general interest on the agenda

Resolved - That the report be noted.

6. Standards of conduct in English local government: the future

(Agenda item 6)

The Committee considered a report by the Chief Executive & Clerk summarising the Government’s proposals in their discussion paper in relation to the ethical framework governing the conduct of members. After discussion it was

Resolved - That the direction of travel proposed by the Government be supported.

7. Independent Member recruitment

(Agenda item 7)

The Committee considered a report by the Chief Executive & Clerk proposing a process and timescale for the appointment of Independent Members of the Standards Committee.

Resolved – That

1. the recruitment process outlined in the report be approved; and
2. the member interview panel should comprise the MPA members of the Standards Committee.

8. Procedure for the local determination of allegations under the Code of Conduct against members of the MPA

(Agenda item 8b)

The Committee were shown a DVD “Going Local” produced by the Standards Board for England as a training aid in respect of local investigations and determinations.

The Committee then considered a report by the Chief Executive & Clerk recommending approval of a procedure for hearings conducted by the Standards Committee.

Resolved - That the procedure attached as an appendix to the report be approved.

9. Date of next meeting

Resolved – That the next meeting of the Committee be held on 5 October at 11.30 a.m.

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