Community Consultation Co-ordinators

Report: 7
Date: 24 April 2003
By: Clerk

Summary

The three Community Consultation Co-ordinators (CCCs) appointed by the MPA began work in the three boroughs to which they were appointed in October 2002. This report provides members with an update of the progress of the project and the achievements made.

A. Recommendation

That

1. the Committee note the work and progress made by the CCCs; and
2. members note at this stage the proposed consultation structure for the borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

B. Background

1. The Best Value Review of Consultation, using the consultation model that is in place in Greater Manchester Police Authority, proposed that the MPA should appoint Community Consultation Co-ordinators to capacity build local community and police consultation groups and local consultation in each borough in London.

2. Due to the cost, members agreed to pilot the recommendation by appointing four CCCs who would work with local boroughs to review and develop different models of consultation that would add benefit to the local arrangements already in place.

3. Three CCCs were eventually appointed and placed in Greenwich (4 months only), Kensington & Chelsea and Hackney. The Greenwich post has since finished. In all cases, the CCC has worked in partnership with the borough police, the local authority Community Safety Unit and the Community and Police Consultative Group on the project.

4. Local Project Steering Groups were set up for each of the pilots. These were co-ordinated by the local manager of the CCC, and attended by the key partners who agreed the work outputs, as well as the forward agenda for each of the phases of the project. The MPA provided guidance to the steering group, including the format of reports that could be developed. This initial process was project managed by an MPA officer, who has since left the Authority.

Greenwich

5. The report, which was completed by Tim Rees, has previously been considered by this committee. It was agreed that a workshop be organised to consider the recommendations arising from the report.

6. Officers have twice attended the local Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership meetings to discuss the report and propose the next steps. Copies of the report have also been posted to the various community groups in Greenwich, and a series of local meetings will be held in May to consider the response to the report.

7. There are, of course, legitimate concerns about the ‘democratic deficiency’ that has arisen as a result of the lack of a consultation arrangement in Greenwich. Temporary arrangements are being made with Greenwich Race Equality Council (GREC) and the Community Safety Trust to co-ordinate local consultation on behalf of the Authority, whilst final consideration is being given to the arrangements that should be established in Greenwich.

8. The MPA has a seat on the local CDRP, and the borough commander and the local authority continue to hold public meetings at which the police can be held accountable. Additionally, officers are looking to appoint a short term CCC to complete the work started by Tim Rees.

Kensington and Chelsea

9. Sarah Coakley has now produced an interim report proposing a new consultation structure in Kensington and Chelsea. The local authority, borough police and the chair and deputy chair of the CPCG have received this positively, however, the report is still to be discussed by the group and has not been made public. A copy of the draft report is in the members’ room, and the members of this committee have received a copy.

10. The CCC’s initial assessment of the MPA’s current involvement in consultation as manifested through the local CPCG was that it was not the best method of ensuring it meets its statutory responsibility to consult. The observations made through attending CPCG meetings, reviewing previous minutes and consulting the police, community leaders, the local Community Safety Team was that it added little to their consultation process.

The proposed consultation model

11. The proposed cabinet model is aimed at being more focused and strategic in its direction than the CPCG. It is thought that this can be achieved if the number of participants is reduced so useful two-way communication can be facilitated.

12. The main cabinet will be made up of 18 individuals, led by the current CPCG Chair. The balance of the membership will be made up by the Community Safety Councillor from the local authority, the MPA link member, the five sector working group chairs and 10 representatives from various different organisations representing the priority groups identified in the MPA consultation strategy (children and youth, disabilities, faith, older people, women; lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender, refugees and asylum seekers, homeless) and business interests.

13. Unfortunately, the CCC has been appointed to a permanent position elsewhere and will not be able to complete the project. However, the local partners are keen that the model be implemented, and the borough police will be looking into the feasibility of seconding an individual to progress this aspect of the project. Work is also underway to appoint a short-term worker to progress the other priority activities identified by partners and needing completion.

Hackney

14. The project in Hackney has, for a number of reasons, taken somewhat longer to establish and reach any agreement on the type(s) of structures that could be put in place to enhance consultation in Hackney.

15. The community safety manager and the local council have been very supportive, as has the local borough police, however it has been evident that the initial exercise to map the consultation initiatives in Hackney has proved to be more difficult in this borough than the others. This work is therefore ongoing. There are also issues regarding the role of the local consultative group in the CDRP, which the steering group has been made aware of, but at this stage of the project these have not been able to be resolved. The CCC has been required to produce an initial report and this will be considered by the Project Steering Group at its next meeting in May 2003.

Support for Recommendation 61 implementation in Hackney

16. The local CCC, Martin Rispin, with the agreement of the project partners has been instrumental in progressing much of the local activities required to facilitate the launch of Rec. 61 in Hackney. He has attended meetings to discuss the launch and helped to organise the event. He has given assistance with identifying a suitable venue and provided general communication with local partners and stakeholders. Without this local input, it is difficult to see how such an important operation could have been achieved. There is range of work to progress, and the CCC will continue to play a role in facilitating these.

Evaluation of the CCC pilots

17. It was originally proposed that the CCC pilot programme be independently evaluated so that learning can be gained on the benefits of the pilot programme, and areas in which improvements could be made to ensure greater effectiveness of the programme and utilisation of the staff appointed. It is proposed that the MPS consultancy group be invited to undertake this area of work. Subject to members’ agreement, officers will ask the consultancy group to draw up a specification for the evaluation for discussion at the June 2003 meeting.

18. The 2003/04 Budget gives the opportunity for the appointment of further Community Consultation Co-ordinators. As the committee will be considering its governance arrangements for consultation and the relevant structure that it will want in place, it is proposed that the decision to proceed with recruiting these officers be reached following the consultation workshop and detailed discussion on the MPA’s governance for consultation and the way in which it wishes to progress with local consultation on policing matters.

C. Equality and diversity implications

The role of the CCCs will contribute significantly in enabling local and pan-London consultation and community engagement to be inclusive of London’s diverse communities, and satisfy the key consultation requirements of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000.

D. Financial implications

All financial implications arising from the report can be met within the current consultation budget.

E. Background papers

None

F. Contact details

Report author: Julia Smith, CDO Unit, MPA.

For more information contact:

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

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