TP development programme

Report: 14
Date: 16 September 2010
By: Assistant Commissioner Territorial Policing on behalf of the Commissioner

Summary

This report provides members with an overview of the proposed changes which are currently being scoped as part of the TP Development Programme. It outlines the next steps for the programme and how the Authority will be engaged.

A. Recommendation

That Members note the contents of this report.

B. Supporting information

1. In January 2010, TP commissioned a number of reviews in order to identify opportunities to improve service delivery and develop more efficient and effective ways of working.

2. Although the reviews were undertaken as workstreams, there was an overarching framework to track and manage the interdependencies and risks. This has formed the basis for the development of the TP Development Programme.

3. Although this is the first comprehensive report on the programme that Members have received, the MPA Business Management Group was briefed by DAC Owens on 9 July 2010 and all Members were invited to an oral briefing session on 30 July provided by AC McPherson.

4. The TP Development Programme is not just a cost saving exercise, but a strategic improvement programme. It aims to deliver financial and performance improvements through a radical redesign of basic policing, with a relentless focus on implementation and realisation of benefits. The borough is the primary model of policing delivery, and the Safer Neighbourhood approach remains a priority. The programme has been established on the following vision, objectives and principles:

TP Development Programme Vision:

To develop and implement a more cost efficient model for policing that will deliver excellent local services where people who live, work in and visit London are our priority

Development Programme Strategic Objectives:

• Increased community confidence
• Increased customer satisfaction
• Reduced crime and anti social behaviour
• Improved criminal justice outcomes
• Significant reductions in the overall cost of TP delivery
• Improved value for money for the overall delivery of TP

Principles

The TP Development principles include:

• All decisions should be evidence led, and capable of withstanding internal and external scrutiny
• All opportunities for driving down costs should be explored (but maintaining or improving performance must be a significant factor when reviewing available options)
• The Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA) should be used to identify any potential adverse impact on our staff and on our communities. If adverse impact is found through the EIA, the programme will take appropriate action.
• A robust programme management approach must be applied all phases of the programme
• Ongoing communication with partnership agencies and opportunities for joint problem solving should be explored wherever possible.
• Staff should receive ongoing communications about the changes that affect them.
• Consultation with trade unions and staff associations is vital to the success of the programme.

5. The options for change had to deliver the strategic outcomes for policing London; confidence, safety and improvement are evaluated against the 5 P’s (Presence, Performance, Productivity, Professionalism and Pride) framework. Each of the reviews were informed by the following design principles:

• Matching resource to demand. The needs of the customers will drive our activity. Every policing and support function must be profiled with resources matched to demand, ensuring we provide our services when they are needed and minimise wasted time. The aim is to increase the time available to deliver frontline policing.
• Understanding the costs. Financial and budget management must be a part of operational and organisational decision making at all levels. So that we understand and can capitalise on the most financially efficient ways of achieving our goals, operational outcomes must be evaluated using ‘total’ cost benefit analysis.
• Most efficient scale. Where back office and support functions are not geographically constrained, we should seek to implement an efficient buisness model to realise maximum benefits.
• Co-operation across OCU and Business Group boundaries. Where there are opportunities we will seek to increase our resilience and flexibility through more specialisation and cooperation.
• Best use of capital funding. We will seek to use limited capital funding to improve service or reduce costs across London.
• Accountability. New systems and processes should include clear lines of accountability so all staff know who is responsible for delivering what outcomes.
• Empowerment and Risk. We should prevent the wasteful use of our resources by adopting a proportionate approach to managing risk. This will result in the right allocation of resources to mitigate risk to an acceptable level. We must empower our staff to make such decisions and support them when made in good faith.
• Waste and duplication. It is essential that we seize this opportunity to work across the organisation to minimise duplication of effort and waste.

6. In May, the programme reported the initial findings from each of the workstreams to the TP Chief Officer Group. After more detailed appraisal, TP presented options to Management Board in June. Based on the decision from the Management Board the programme is now developing the detailed design options for implementation.

The following sections summarises two areas for members:

1. The projects currently being designed in further detail by the programme with a view to developing a business case for implementation
2. The current developments by the programme to ensure a robust approach to support planning and implementation of a transformation programme

TP development projects in detailed design stage

Integrated Borough Operation (IBO)

7. The evolvement of CCC IBOs means that it is now time to re visit whether the ‘grip’ and fast-time deployment role for which their funding was sought is still needed in this structural form. In practice they duplicate work completed in CCC. Now that CCC performance has improved, it is possible to disaggregate IBOs, with the intelligence and command & control functions going to CCC, while the resourcing and grip functions are delivered across Areas and Boroughs.

Total Resource Centres

8. There are currently 32 duties / operations offices on every borough performing similar functions in a variety of different ways. These offices manage the shifts and operational commitments of officers on the borough. These offices also manage local event planning and the off borough deployments to support large scale events known as ‘aid’. This project seeks to develop a more efficient business model to deliver duties management.

Front Counters

9. We understand that a greater number of staff at the busier front counters will improve the ‘customer experience’. However this must be balanced against staffing capacity, facilities and IT available at particular sites. Many police stations are old and do not have modern facilities for ‘triage’ or large numbers of callers, irrespective of local demand. This programme provides opportunity to improve facilities and processes at front counters according to demand. (There is a direct link to MPA / MPS estate strategy).

Response

10. This project is focussed on mapping the deployment of our reponse officer resources to the demand profile for London. Currently we deploy the same number response officers for patrol at 4am & 8am as we do at 8pm in the evening when demand is significantly higher. Response officers are also limited by geographical boundaries to their borough so that often the closest unit to a call is not necessarily the one deployed to handle it. If the MPS alters its deployment of response resources and target the number of calls they deal with to just those requiring a soon or immediate response we can free up resources and deploy them to those areas that need them the most and at a time to suit demands from the public.

Safer Neighbourhoods

11. Regardless of their complexity, demand profile or local level of confidence all wards have a minimum staff of 1 sergeant, 2 constables and 3 PCSOs. This model has, in some cases, been augmented by local authority (LA) arrangements, with 283 PCSOs and 137 police officers funded by LAs. Early indications are that these partnership resources will diminish this year with changes in the funding situation. Overwhelmingly SNT ward teams bring all their staff on at the same time which results in an standard cover of 8 hours a day 5 days a week. This approach does not always match the demand profile, however when small teams have been split to cover more hours, there have often been negative supervisory and performance impacts.

Crime Recording and Investigation Bureau (CRIB)

12. The MPS currently has 32 Telephone Recording Bureaus and 32 Crime Management Units all dealing with the reporting of crime over the phone and the management of the administration of crime investigation across London. Unfortunately these different units complete the same functions with differing priorities. This means that the percentage of crimes screened in across London varies from borough to borough, as do detection rates, which impacts on our service and performance.

Custody / Detention

13. The MPS has 76 custody suites staffed and managed by boroughs. The majority of these are 24/7 facilities with 6 overspill suites. As with the response project it is important to match these resources to demand. This includes assessing cell utilisation data and average time in detention to provide the evidence for effective central cell management across London.

Intelligence and Performance

14. This is an MPS led project which TP will implement. Currently performance and intelligence are delivered in all 32 boroughs and at Headquarters levels. The project will address the most efficient and effective delivery model for the MPS. The challenge for TP is to continue to deliver intelligence led policing capability within a budget that is increasingly constrained. This will need to be done at the appropriate level to manage risk. This must be done without duplication or repetition, producing products that meet the business need. (This may result in a move away from traditional crime focus desks to a more holistic approach centred on offender, victim, and location).

Territorial Policing HQ

15. The new Area Command model, with 5 Area Commands and Westminster have an explicit focus on operational delivery across Boroughs, with the remit to flex resources to reduce risk and deliver crime reduction. To maintain the effectiveness and efficiency of this model, will require a clear focus in the remit of Headquarters, both in how it support TP but also how it operate with other Headquarters functions across in the MPS

Customer Service

16. Excellent customer service will enable our communities to feel valued and respected and increase community-based intelligence. When expectations are properly managed, witnesses and victims are more likely to stay involved with a case and attend trial, resulting in an increase in detection rates and offenders brought to justice. Ultimately, delivery of excellent customer service should increase the satisfaction of our customers and the confidence of our communities in our ability to maintain high standards of policing.

17. Our Customer Service Strategy has been drafted. A detailed action and delivery plan is being developed to support the strategy. We are also currently in the process of collating further actions across the other workstreams of the development programme which will support the delivery of the strategy. The current phase of work is moving towards shaping a model for customer service by which our strategy will be realised across every aspect of our customer service delivery.

Developing the programme approach to support planning and implementation

18. The programme is being designed in line with wider reviews and structure developments across the MPS

19. The agreement from Management Board has meant the programme is currently developing a number of processes which will drive the projects to detailed design and move to implementation. This activity includes:

• Establishing a Programme Management Office and full time project teams to drive the implementation of the transformation and ensure the realisation of benefit;
• The implementation of a communication strategy and cascade approach which delivers key messages through the command structure to support engagement and delivery of change with staff and partners;
• The development of a financial framework that tracks the cost benefit of all projects, alongside the cost implementing the programme, so the cost reduction is understood;
• The implementation of an HR strategy across the projects which provides a consistent approach for managing the people issues;
• A programme governance structure, which identifies key milestones for decision and implementation and escalates reports through the appropriate meeting structures within the MPS and MPA. A high level plan for the programme is currently being developed.
• A programme design function which to ensure the scope of the programme will deliver the appropriate improvements and ensure changes can be prioritised with internal service providers to enable the benefits to be realised.
• The programme is currently in detailed design phase. The time table for submission of business cases through TP Chief Officer Group to management board and to the MPA is currently being developed. The programme anticipates project reports will start to come to the MPA by the end of 2010.

C. Other organisational and community implications

Equality and Diversity Impact

1. A comprehensive Equalities Impact Assessment process has been developed with support from the Diversity and Citizen Focus Directorate, who have embeded an Advisor in the programme team. The process has been initiated at a earlier stage than on other change programmes, and has been presented to staff associations. There is regular union and staff association consultation at all levels through the programme. A separate EIA will be developed for each workstream and major project. All the projects within the programme are evidence led. The scoping development and detailed design has been fully documented in order to withstand appropriate scrutiny.

2. The EIA approach cited above will allow for inclusive and detailed EIA's to be completed. Emphasis will be placed on collecting relevant monitoring data such as workforce data, detailed profiling of communities that may be affected by the projects identified and relevant consultation and engagement activity. This will help effectively assess the impact of the project upon diverse groups. As this work progresses more detailed reports relating to impact will be made available. The EIA's will be overseen as part of the programme monitoring and review processes within the project management office. Each project lead will be given guidance and suitable training on how to complete EIAs. The Diversity and Citizen Focus Advisers will provide advice where appropriate on how to mitigate any potential for adverse impact on particular groups.

Consideration of MET Forward

3. The TP Development Programme is cognisant of the Met Forward programmes, most notable: Met Streets (which is about the first duty of the police: securing the public realm for the law-abiding); Met Connect (how we will improve confidence and engagement); Met People (how we support, develop and lead our staff); Met Support (how we manage our finance, building, technology and processes); and Met Standards (how we will incentivise high standards, professionalism and cooperation).

Financial implications

4. As indicated, the TP Development Programme is not just a cost saving exercise but a strategic improvement programme. The programme is, however, expected to make a significant contribution to the savings to be made by the Service over the next four years. As part of the development work, the level of savings that can be achieved is being quantified as well as costs required to support effective implementation.

5. A significant level of TP expenditure is funded from specific grant and external income sources. Withdrawal of this funding could impact on the level of savings achievable from the TP Development Programme. The position on this issue will be kept under constant review.

6. Development and implementation of this programme is closely linked to other change programmes including the corporate real estate. The current planning assumption is that the accommodation issues arising from the TP Development Programme can be dealt with in the existing real estate and capital programme as finally approved.

Legal Implications

7. S96 Police Act 1996 requires the MPA, in consultation with the Commissioner, to obtain the views of people in that area about matters concerning the policing of the area. In the event that front counter facilities or other publicly accessible police facilities are relocated or closed, then this consultation will take place.

8. The HR Directorate will draft a strategy for the movement of police officers and police staff obtaining legal advice as required. In general, most police officers and police staff can be relocated, however there are likely to be exceptions due to disability or personal circumstances that would need to be assessed individually.

Environmental Implications

9. The projects that will emerge from the programme described in this report have the potential to increase environmental efficiency in a variety of ways. Environmental considerations will be taken into account during the design process (i.e. are used to inform the decision-making process notwithstanding the overriding importance of operational necessity), and wherever possible, preferred solutions incorporate measures to reduce:

• Energy use
• Transport emissions
• Water consumption
• Resource use
• Waste arisings

10. Where appropriate, the design team will engage with the Environment Team at the early stages of detailed design in order to identify and evaluate the environmental implications of design options where these may be positive as well as negative.

Risks Implications

11. Since the TP budget is overwhelmingly staff-related, it is clear that TP cannot make the required savings without reducing overall numbers. This must be viewed as part of the wider reduction in budget across public services in order to make the most productive use of our operational assets. A critical issues in considering this approach is the imperative to maintain operational capability. The programme is currently analysing the detailed requirments for each function and the potential impact on staff and officers number. The longer term view is the need to deliver efficient and effective support services at the lowest unit cost in a model that is able to meet both customer and organisational need. The programme is also establishing systems to monitor performance through this change process in order to ensure that is is not effected and services suffer as a result.

12. There are sections of this report which have been removed and placed in a further report which is exempt under Paragraph 4 Schedule 12A of the Local Governament Act 1972. The reason for this is that these section discuss specific options being investigated by the programme which are currently undergoing consultation with trade unions and staff associations.

Background papers

None.

Contact details

Report author: Inspector Ross McKibbin, Staff Officer, Dir TP Development Programme

For information contact:

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

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