Action plan for CDO Committee

Report: 5
Date: 27 February 2001
By: Clerk

Summary

The responsibilities of the CDO Committee are wide-ranging and potentially complex. Having had the time to review its progress over the past six months, this paper proposes that the CDO Committee should develop an action plan and work programme which identifies its key priorities, the outcomes that it wishes to achieve over the next 12 to 18 months and performance indicators that will be used to monitor its achievements.

A. Recommendations

1. That Members note the rationale outlined on paragraphs 2 and 3 for the Committee’s action plan and work programme process.
2. That members note the milestones chart that is proposed at Appendix 2, which will be amended following discussions at the meeting on 16 February and CDO Committee meeting on 27 February 2001.
3. That consideration be given to the need to utilise the expertise of a consultant for aspects of the work outlined in paragraph 4.1.
4. That further papers are presented to this committee as the process develops.

B. Supporting information

Committee responsibility

1. The CDO Committee has responsibility for overseeing all the authority and MPS consultation and outreach mechanisms as well as matters of the MPA communication, PR and ‘image’. Importantly, the committee also has the responsibility to lead the MPA on issues of diversity and equal opportunities. Its terms of reference attached at Appendix 1.

2. Since its inception, the Committee has addressed a number of issues, a major one being the Best Value Review of Consultation, which is a core responsibility. The Committee has also sought to influence the MPS Diversity Board, and the Home Secretary’s Stephen Lawrence Review Group, through membership, involvement in high profile community issues and as support for the family of Damilola Taylor during the murder investigation, the inquiry into the Lindo family’s complaints as well as media presentations at national, regional and local levels.

3. CDO members play an active role both at the strategic level within the MPA, as well as locally in their link boroughs. GLA Assembly members of the Committee, have their continuing responsibilities in addition to those undertaken as an MPA member of the CDO Committee

4 Due to the newness of the Authority and the need to make some ‘quick wins’ much of the Committee’s work, have been in responding to initiatives and issues as they arise, rather than in having a clear plan of action and work programme for enabling Authority to achieve its objectives in the areas of consultation, diversity outreach and public relations and communications.

Achieving committee objectives

5. Although CDO members have been heavily involved in a range of activities, it is quite possible that the wrong or over emphasis is being given to aspects of the committee’s core responsibilities over others that may be equally important.

6. The past 6 months have ensured that CDO Committee members have had the opportunity and experience to enable them to make an informed and objective assessment of the direction that they wish the committee to take. Officers have been appointed and/or have built up further policy and research expertise in a number of the policy areas and are therefore better able to provide regular briefings and advice to the Chair and committee on ‘core’ CDO matters.

Best value considerations

7. As a best value authority, the MPA is expected to set clear performance indicators against which it will be assessed by the Audit Commission and Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) in the next 2 years. In addition, the GLA has already identified core areas, including the Best Value review of Equal Opportunities across all Functional Bodies, which includes the MPA.

8. The CDO Committee, its work programme and the proposed measures that it will developed for ensuring that the MPA and its sub committees conduct their work with regards to equal opportunities could form the basis for the approaches that other committees may be able to take in preparation for future reviews

9. Much learning can be derived from the Best Value review of Consultation and it behoves the Committee to take appropriate steps to address this matter urgently.

Proposal for action planning/work programme

10. The Chair, deputies and CDO committee members have already begun the process of review and priority identification. This group of members held its first meeting on 16 February and further meetings are planned. What is proposed in this paper therefore is a process, with timescales for progressing this work: this is attached at Appendix 2.

C. Financial implications

There is likely to be a cost in the range of £1,500 should the committee agree to contract a consultant to undertake aspects of this work at a rate of up to £500 per day for a maximum of 3 days.

D. Background papers

None

E. Contact details

The author of the report is Julia Smith.

For information contact:

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

Appendix 1: Terms of reference of the Consultation Diversity and Outreach Committee

A Committee of seven members. It will meet monthly. The group oversees all the Authority and MPS consultation mechanisms as well as matters of MPA communication, PR and ‘image’. This group leads on issues of equal opportunities. Detailed terms of reference are:

• To lead on all issues relating to equal opportunities and diversity and to co-ordinate the work of the other Committees in this area.
• To advise the Authority on ways of raising the profile of the MPA and its Chair and making the community aware of the MPA’s work.
• To lead on the development and monitoring of all matters relating to the Authority’s communications and public relations strategies and systems.
• To have particular regard to the need to ensure that consultation mechanisms engage with, and reflect the views of, London’s diverse community.
• To consider all matters relating to Lay Visiting within the MPD. This to include receipt and monitoring of key feedback; and to lead on any development proposals, including support for training, recruitment and promotion.
• To consider and agree the annual bids from Police and Community Consultative Groups and Lay Visiting Panels.
• To consider ‘Community Safety matters’ particularly those relating to Borough Crime and Disorder Strategy Groups and to ensure co-ordination of the Policing Plan with local strategies .
• To work with the MPS, SOLACE and the ALG and other partners to increase co-operation and decrease duplication between the consultation for, and implementation of, community safety strategies under the Crime and Disorder Act and the Authority’s duty for consultation and planning under the Police Act

Appendix 2: Key milestone chart for progressing the CDO Committee action planning and work programme development

Send an e-mail linking to this page

Feedback