Policing London Business Plan 2011-14

Report: 4
Date: 14 October 2010
By: Director of Resources on behalf of the Commissioner

Summary

This report details progress to date on the development of the Policing London Business Plan 2011-14, expanding on the MPS’ operating environment and corporate objectives and key activities, and sets out the revised approach for delivering the 2011-14 Policing London Business Plan in line with the 2011/12 Mayor’s budget guidance and subsequent discussions with the chair of the MPA.

A. Recommendation

That

1. Members comment on progress to date on the developing Policing Plan including the corporate objectives and high-level activities for 2011-14.
2. Members note the amended approach for delivering the 2011-14 Policing London Business Plan in line with the 2011/12 Mayor’s budget guidance.

B. Supporting information

Approach for the 2011-14 planning process

1. The Policing London Business Plan 2011-14 and delivery of the Commissioner’s four strategic themes of Safety, Confidence, Value for Money and the Olympics are informed by:

• The MPS Corporate Strategic Assessment and ‘Landscapes’
• Public consultation undertaken by the MPA
• Government policy and the Mayor’s priorities
• Continued engagement with MPA members and officers
• Unprecedented challenges in delivering significant budgetary savings
• The MPS’ focus on core priorities and operational capability
• The key activities and service improvement initiatives required to achieve the MPS’ corporate objectives that are driving our gross expenditure
• The UK’s largest ever peacetime safety and security operation to deliver a successful Olympic and Paralympic Games.

2. The MPS has developed corporate objectives, key activities and budget proposals against a challenging and uncertain background. We will not know the scale of budget cuts until the Government announces the results of the Comprehensive Spending Review in October and the Mayor announces his level of precept support for the Service in December. Even then clear details may not be available, particularly on specific grants and partnership income. There are clear implications in this for the policing services that the MPA/MPS can deliver to the people of London.

3. It is important to bear in mind therefore that the developing Policing Plan is a work in progress based on a series of best assumptions, both in terms of the budget and associated staff numbers and also the text that supports much of the activity, as these have been prepared in advance of the announcement of the Comprehensive Spending Review. These will be subject to change once the implications from the review become clearer.

Mayor’s priorities and Met Forward

4. The Mayor’s priorities for 2011/12, in particular those for policing London, remain in line with those set out for 2010/11. ‘Safer London’ focuses on priorities detailed in Met Forward, on violence against Women and on serious youth violence.

5. In reducing crime and fear of crime, the Mayor highlights:

• A renewed focus on violent crime, particularly knife crime, gangs and hate crime
• Continued emphasis on public transport and town centre safety
• Maximum front-line visible policing by redeploying officers from back office roles
• [Work to] Recruit more special constables.

6. These priorities, and the Met Forward priorities described in ‘Met Forward one year on’ (MPA Full Authority 27 May 2010), have informed the developing Policing London Business Plan 2011-14.

Corporate Strategic Assessment

7. The MPS CSA process is designed to stimulate strategic debate leading to the selection of corporate objectives, measures and high level improvement activities. The process consolidates information from three core activities, horizon scanning, strategic analysis and stakeholder engagement, to provide solid evidence for development of the MPA/MPS Policing Plan 2011-14.

8. Significant consultation has taken place with senior MPA members and officers on the content and direction of the CSA, and on seed products such as the London Landscape future analysis.

Policing Plan 2011-14

9. Work has continued during August and September to refine the MPS corporate objectives and identify the key activities for 2011-14. In line with this the Commissioner has proposed fourteen corporate objectives, focused on public Safety, Confidence in policing, on providing Value for Money and delivering a Safe and Secure Olympics. These are the same themes proposed by the MPA Met Forward strategic framework.

10. In previous years the emphasis within the Policing Plan has been on the MPS corporate objectives, measures and targets, key performance indicators and the Business Group activities needed to ensure that they are achieved. The developing Policing Plan being considered by members today describes the real influences on policing in London and signals a change of approach to a more victim, offender, location model. This is shown in Appendix 1.

11. The final Policing Plan will, once more information is available on the overall financial settlement, include information on MPS Business Group resources and activity.

12. This developing Policing Plan, with emerging budget information, has informed the Budget Scrutiny sessions with lead MPA members throughout September and October 2010.

13. The MPS has regularly engaged with MPA officers during this planning process, including at MPA BMG meetings, Monthly budget meetings with MPA finance and planning officers, fortnightly planning meetings with MPA planning and performance officers, and senior officer one to one sessions.

14. The MPA/MPS intends, for the 11 November Members briefing and SOP/F&R, to submit a more succinct 2011-14 Plan that incorporates major service improvement programmes and includes a balanced budget for 2011/12. This will provide valuable strategic context for the emerging accountability arrangements for the capital but will also give better insight to the people of London about our future direction.

Mayor’s budget guidance 2011/12

15. MPA/MPS officers had constructed a planning timeline that enabled us to build the 2011-14 Policing London Business Plan within known constraints and within statutory timescales. However, the Mayor’s budget guidance for 2011/12 and subsequent discussions with the chair of the MPA have altered some of these constraints.

16. The MPA/MPS have shared some draft budget proposals with the GLA on 30 September, but have not submitted MPS objectives and activities for 2011/14. The Mayor expects to receive proposals from functional bodies by 19 November.

17. The MPS has agreed with MPA officers that the draft Policing London Business Plan, with supporting financial statements, is discussed at a members briefing and then approved under delegated authority at SOP/F&R on 11 November, for submission to the Mayor on 19 November 2010. This will not include targets for 2011/12.

18. In this way the Authority will be asked to formally sign off the developing Policing Plan at key stages. MPS officers remain available to discuss the Plan in informal sessions. The Planning timeline between December 2010 and March 2011 remains, at this time, as agreed in May 2010.

C. Other organisational and community implications

Equality Implications

1. The proposed planning framework will help to ensure that race and equalities implications are properly reflected in future business plans and budgets. The planning process will be subject to an Equalities Impact Assessment.

Financial Implications

2. This report sets out the financial framework within which the Service needs to operate to ensure the Authority sets a legal budget. The proposal aims to ensure the efficient and economic use of resources in the delivery of an effective policing service.

Legal Implications

3. The Greater London Authority Act 1999, as amended, sets out the requirements of the GLA to calculate the budget requirements for the Mayor, and the Assembly and its four functional bodies. The budget requirements for each body are calculated by determining the difference between projected expenditure and projected income - including specific Government grants. In order for the GLA to estimate the sums required by the MPA/MPS, the MPA/MPS must provide information to the Mayor and Assembly to facilitate this. The Mayor is required to consult with the MPA/MPS prior to setting the final budget.

4. To help assist budget setting and fulfil meeting the priorities within the Policing Plan, the budget and business development process is a key element to ensure there are sound financial plans within which the MPA/MPS priorities and objectives are adequately funded.

5. Expenditure or activities undertaken by the MPA/MPS as statutory bodies must only budget for activities that fall within its statutory powers. There are also positive duties under S3 Local Government Act 1999 to secure the continuous improvement in the ways functions are exercised having regard to a combination of the economy, efficiency and effectiveness. This report identifies steps under the budget and business plan process will be taken to ensure best value is achieved in the delivery of policing services.

Met Forward Implications

6. The developing Policing London Business Plan 2011-14 is drafted in full consideration of Met Forward and follows the same themes and outcomes for policing London.

Environmental Impact

7. The proposed planning framework will help to ensure that environmental sustainability issues are properly reflected in future plans and budgets.

D. Background papers

• Draft Policing London Business Plan

E. Contact details

Report author: Paul Clarke and Marie Rune, Strategy and Improvement, MPS

For information contact:

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

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