Minutes

Minutes of the meeting of the Finance, Planning and Best Value Committee held on 20 March 2001 at Romney House, Westminster, London SW1.

Present:

• Graham Tope (Chair)
• Reshard Auladin (Deputy Chair)
• Nicholas Long (Deputy Chair)
• John Biggs
• Roger Evans
• Cecile Lothian
• Sir John Quinton
• Richard Sumray
• Rachel Whittaker

Also in attendance: Peter Herbert (Deputy Chair, MPA)

MPA staff:

• Catherine Crawford (Clerk)
• Peter Martin (Treasurer)
• Derrick Norton (Best Value Officer)

MPS staff:

• Deputy Commissioner Ian Blair
• Keith Luck
• Trevor Lawrence
• Barbara Riddell

Also present 15 members of the press/media and public and other staff members from the MPA and MPS.

Part 1

96. Apologies for absence

(Agenda item 1)

None.

97. Minutes: 20 February 2001

(Agenda item 2)

Resolved:
that the minutes of the meeting held on 20 February 2001 be agreed and signed as a correct record.

98. 2001/02 Budget update

(Agenda item 8) -  Finance, Planning and Best Value Committee Meeting - 20 February 2001

Noted that the Treasurer had sent a briefing note to all members of the Authority outlining the decisions made at the meeting of the Authority on 8 March 2001.

It was also noted that a report on virement arrangements would be submitted to the next meeting.

99. Meetings in 2001/02

(Agenda item 3)

Following consideration at the meeting of the Full Authority on 8 March 2001 a report was submitted which set out the dates of meetings from June 2001 to the end of 2002. Under the new arrangements the Finance, Planning and Best Value Committee will meet every two months.

The Treasurer reported that in the first instance the monthly information on budget monitoring would be sent to members as soon as it was available. The information would then be reported to the next available committee with a detailed commentary. If there were any points that required to be addressed urgently, this would be done in consultation with the Chair.

Resolved:
that the schedule of meetings be noted.

100. Best value

(Agenda item 4)

A report was considered which summarised the issues discussed at the meeting of the best value sub-group on 1 March 2001. It contained recommendations relating to the programme of best value reviews for 2001/02 to 2004/05.

The Deputy Commissioner referred to the fact that the Chairs' Coordination and Urgency Committee was due to consider issues relating to the review of managing people at its meeting on 22 March. He suggested that the CCU also be asked to decide on the scheduling arrangements for the review of managing information.

Resolved:

1. The review of the management arrangements for best value be noted.
2. The nature of the review of managing information be reconsidered following implementation of the MPS Information Strategy 2000.
3. The question of the scheduling of the review of managing information be considered by the Chairs Coordination and Urgency Committee at its meeting on 22 March 2001.

101. Budget monitoring to February 2001

(Agenda item 5)

This report had been circulated with fewer than three clear working days notice due to the relevant information not being available at the time of the agenda despatch. Members agreed to consider the report as an urgent item.

A revised version of annex B1 was tabled. The revised version reflected the reduced (net) amount of £600,000 that was to be paid in respect of the May Day riots in 2000.

The report set out the current position against budget and the forecast outturn. It is anticipated that there will be an overspend on the revenue budget in the order of 0.3 per cent.

Resolved:
that the position be noted.

102. Medium term financial projections 2001/06

The Treasurer apologised for the fact that since the report was drafted it had been established that some of the information it contained was incorrect. As this fundamentally altered some of the assumptions, he requested that the report be withdrawn and that a revised version be submitted to the next meeting.

Referring to the police manpower projections in paragraph 9, the Committee felt that clarification should be sought from the Mayor's office on the status of the policy. The implications in terms of support staff should also be addressed in the revised report and provision made in the expenditure projections as appropriate.

Resolved:
that a revised version of the report be submitted to the next meeting.

103. Medium term capital plan

(Agenda item 6)

The Committee received a report that identified the medium term capital requirement over the five year period 2001/02

Peter Herbert declared an interest as a member of the Black Lawyers Association and asked about the vacant accommodation at Old Street and was provided with an update by the Director of Property Services.

Members drew attention to Headquarters Accommodation Strategy which had appeared in the list of PSD items in appendix 2 without prior notification and stressed that they should be involved at an earlier stage of the approval process for all capital projects and there should be prioritisation.

In reply to a question concerning the move of the recruitment centre to Hendon, it was noted that the MPS Personnel Department was producing a paper on the HR implications.

Resolved:

1. The revised capital programme for 2001/02 as set out in Appendix 2 be agreed.
2. The funding shortfall to meet currently planned expenditure over the next five years be noted.
3. The Commissioner report back on the implications of containing expenditure within the currently agreed funding envelope.
4. Reports be made during 2001/02 on options for increasing capital funding resources.
5. The proposals for capital monitoring as set out in paragraph 18 be noted.
6. The delegated authority for the management of the capital programme as set out in paragraphs 9-21 be agreed.

104. Proposal for 2001/02 budget implementation

(Agenda item 7)

Resolved:

1. A budget implementation report be submitted to each meeting tracking progress on the GLA budget motion in respect of the MPS.
2. The efficiency and effectiveness review work be reported separately.
3. Reporting of Best Value and Best Value reviews continues.
4. Performance against policing plan targets be reported through the Professional Standards and Performance Monitoring Committee.
5. Work on the medium term financial strategy be separately led by the MPA Treasurer.

105. Efficiency planning

(Agenda item 8)

A report was submitted which provided information on efficiency savings for the current financial year and demonstrates how cashable efficiency savings will be needed to cover the budget gap for 2001/02. The paper reflects the need to refocus the MPS approach to efficiency savings to meet the requirements of the MPA and GLA, recognising that efficiency planning to date has had to meet only the HMIC/Home Office requirements

This report had been circulated with fewer than three clear working days notice due to the relevant information not being available at the time of the agenda despatch. Members agreed to consider the report as an urgent item.

Resolved:
that the efficiency plans be noted.

106. The MPS Environmental Strategy and Progress Report

(Agenda item 9)

A report was submitted which updated members on the MPS Environmental Strategy.

The Committee felt that it would be more appropriate if the Strategy were to be reframed as an MPA strategy.

Resolved:

1. The strategy be endorsed.
2. The government's "Making a Corporate Commitment Campaign" be signed;
3. It be noted that the published document will incorporate a short summary of the key targets.

107. Accommodation for MPS Police Federation

(Agenda item 10)

Following initial consideration at the Estates Sub-group, a report was submitted which asked the Committee to consider its policy in respect of providing financial support to the Federation for their new accommodation in Bromley.

Resolved:

1. That option B in recommendation 1 be adopted.
2. That the cost of the rates be not funded.
3. The Federation be required to release all the accommodation previously occupied at Limehouse within four weeks of the notification of the decision.

108. Residential accommodation at Hendon Investment Appraisal

(Agenda item 11)

An Investment Appraisal has been produced which considered a number of options to satisfy both the short and long-term extra demand for residential accommodation at the Hendon Training School due to the increase in recruiting.

This report had been circulated with fewer than three clear working days notice due to the relevant information not being available at the time of the agenda despatch. Members agreed to consider the report as an urgent item.

Resolved:

1. The shortfall in residential accommodation at Hendon be noted.
2. The proposals to refurbish residential accommodation at Hendon be endorsed, subject to review as part of the capital project scrutiny to be carried out under minute 101 above.
3. That option 2 be pursued to address short-term needs.
4. That a report on the long term training needs be submitted to the May meeting.
5. That it be noted that, other than for the refurbishment, no funding has been identified for the new revenue (FY 2001/02) or capital (FY 2002/03 onwards) options. A further proposal on funding will be submitted following decision on the preferred option and consideration of revenue funding priorities.

109. Exclusion of press and public

(Agenda item 12)

Resolved:
that under section 100 A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it might involve disclosure of exempt information as detailed in paragraphs 8 and 9 of Schedule 12A of the above Act.

Summary of decisions made on exempt item

Agenda item 14 Exempt minutes 20 February 2001
The Committee adopted the exempt minutes of the Committee meeting held on 20 February 2001.

The meeting ended at 3.50pm.

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