Implementation of the Glidewell Report in the Metropolitan Police Service

Report: 09
Date: 18 April 2002
By: Commissioner

Summary

Sir Iain Glidewell's report into the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) recommended the establishment of joint police/CPS Criminal Justice Units to reduce duplication and improve the effectiveness of the criminal justice process. This report outlines the current position in the Metropolitan Police Service.

A. Recommendations

Members are asked to note the contents of this report.

B. Supporting information

National scene

1. The Glidewell Report made a number of recommendations to improve the way offenders are brought to justice. One key recommendation was that joint working between the police and CPS would reduce duplication and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the prosecution process. Glidewell proposed the establishment of joint Criminal Justice Units (CJUs) and Trial Units organised to meet the needs of both criminal justice partners and customers. Nationally, early indications are that these units are successful and are delivering benefits to both the police and the CPS, as well as an improved service to victims and witnesses involved in the prosecution process.

2. A national model for joint criminal justice administration was developed, which has been approved and supported by the Home Secretary, Attorney General and Lord Chancellor. Since publication of the Glidewell Report the pressure to implement its recommendations has increased and joint working between the police and CPS in London is being actively encouraged by Ministers; there is considerable Government pressure to speed up the implementation of Glidewell in London. The first CJU in London opened in the City of London in January 2002.

3. It is intended that sharing the administration with the CPS in Criminal Justice and Trial Units will improve quality, maximise efficiency and eliminate duplication within the prosecution process, thus freeing up officers from support roles and improving the quality of service to the people of London. It will also free CPS resources to focus on the more serious Crown Court cases. The nine key objectives of Glidewell are:

• Shorter lines of communication between the police and CPS;
• Minimised transport of files between police and CPS;
• Cost savings by reduction of duplication including photocopying, archiving and the collection of performance and management information;
• A single file system;
• Improved file quality and timeliness for both organisations;
• Improved witness warning, witness care and victim support;
• More effective deployment of staff;
• Individuals within each organisation locally empowered to make day-to-day decisions;
• Clearly defined single-focus location for the courts and other agencies.

4. The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) is committed to realising the benefits from implementing joint CJUs and the national situation is being monitored by Sir David Phillips, Chief Constable of Kent. Early indications are that the new CJUs are expected to be more efficient and effective than separate police and CPS units; a recent CPS review identified cost savings of around £10 per file. The CPS is also under political pressure to put more resources into case preparation for the higher courts with the aim of improving the quality of Crown Court casework.

The position in the MPS

5. The MPS sees the Glidewell Implementation Programme as a key element of modernising criminal justice in London. The desired outcome is to meet the nine key objectives of Glidewell. The development of efficient and effective partnership working in the CJU will be supported by a series of protocols that address personnel, security, data protection, records and information management.

6. A joint action plan for progressing the Glidewell recommendations in London was agreed in December 1999 by Assistant Commissioner (AC) Dunn, who was in charge of Policy, Review & Standards at that time, and Peter Boeuf, Chief Crown Prosecutor, CPS London. Criteria for the establishment of Glidewell CJUs were agreed jointly by AC Dunn and Peter Boeuf in October 2000. Those original decisions were recently reviewed by AC Ghaffur, now the Assistant Commissioner, Policy, Review & Standards, who has commissioned a management plan for the Glidewell Implementation Programme. This plan defines the programme and its constituent projects and will be used by the Joint Glidewell Strategy Group to monitor progress.

7. The first Glidewell Criminal Justice Unit in the Metropolitan Police area will be implemented at Holborn Police Station as a partnership between the borough operational command units of Camden and Islington and the Highbury Branch of the CPS. The aim of the Holborn Glidewell Project is to prove the concept of joint working between the MPS and CPS London. The Holborn Glidewell CJU is expected to be established in May 2002 and thereafter a roll out programme across London is planned; speed of the roll out will depend on the availability of resources in both organisations and on the identification of suitable accommodation. An initial roll out plan for CJUs has been prepared and is summarised at Appendix 1. There are also plans to develop joint working arrangements in the nine Trial Units, all of which will be provided in CPS accommodation.

Other matters

8. In parallel with implementation planning for the Holborn Glidewell CJU, a number of other issues have been resolved with the CPS. Both organisations have agreed a Joint Human Resources Protocol for the new working arrangements, the business processes have been mapped and will be refined in light of the experience at Holborn, the security and IT issues have been resolved and deliberations are ongoing with the CPS to ensure operational costs for the joint CJUs are dealt with in an equitable manner.

9. Experience from elsewhere in the country where Glidewell CJUs have been successfully implemented, is that there are benefits to be gained from joint working and we would anticipate savings through brigading the current borough based units. For example, the CJU at Holborn has a single line management chain for both boroughs, which should enable efficiency savings to be made, resulting in a reduced requirement for police officers and hence more officers on the beat.

10. There is a considerable emphasis being placed on this work as London is perceived to be falling behind in criminal justice matters and the criminal justice system in London is subject to deliberations at Ministerial level.

C. Financial implications

Business case for proceeding with CJUs

The business case for the implementation of joint CJUs has been approved by ACPO. This case is supported by the improvements to service delivery already identified within paragraph 3. It anticipates benefits in cashable and non-cashable efficiencies through redeployment of resources and shared operating costs, a key element being the release of police officers from CJU activities towards frontline policing.

The initial budgetary assumption was that the costs of implementing Glidewell "lie where they fall", with each organisation paying the costs it incurs. This is national CPS policy and has been agreed with ACPO. However, there is a recognition that neither party would wish to be a net loser and the detail of how this will be achieved is in development. The Joint Glidewell Strategy Group will be used as the vehicle to progress this development.

CJU Costings

At present detailed plans of implementing CJUs in London are in development. As a result any costings are dependent upon wide-ranging assumptions and subject to change as these plans crystallise. At this stage therefore, costings should be considered indicative only and treated with caution. Given these shortcomings, the costings attached at Appendix 2 (see Supporting material) (read in conjunction with the qualifications of Appendix 3) provide a scoping of the initial start up costs of implementing CJUs across London.

Estimate of the initial start up costs to the MPS

Funding arrangements

The funding arrangements for Glidewell are complicated and unresolved. The figures above relate to the estimate commitment required by the MPS/MPA; the CPS has its own funding arrangements. MPA funding agreed and proposed is set out in the table below. At present funding for the full implementation of this project has not been identified with a funding gap over the proposed three year implementation period of circa. £15m based on the initial costings.

A number of potential sources of funding exist including the Capital Modernisation Fund (CMF) and other sources of funding available from the Home Office Policing Standards Unit. While to date no bids have proven successful in securing extra funding, a bid of £28m is currently progressing through the Home Office.

In addition to specific funding of Glidewell, projects are being brought forward for Estate Modernisation and where these include housing a Glidewell CJU (e.g. Acton Police Station at Ealing Borough), appropriate amounts are being included within the project costings.

Current funding position

* See Medium Term Capital Expenditure Programme 2002/03 to 2005/06

Revenue position

To date the assumption has been subject to the revenue step change of circa £4.7m, the remaining costs of operating the joint CJUs are revenue cost neutral. This assumption however, ignores the potential for:

• Cashable and non-cashable efficiencies
• The opportunity to share running costs with the CPS.

More information on the operational costs of the joint arrangements is expected to be derived from the pilot project at Holborn. This project will provide a basis for not only assessing the operational effectiveness of the transformed service but also provide a greater understanding of the ongoing financial implications of progressing the roll out across London.

Funding arrangements for trial units

The MPS and CPS are currently examining the roles that police staff might play in joint Trial Units. Other than the agreement that the nine Trial Units will be located in CPS accommodation, the funding arrangements have not yet been considered.

D. Background papers

None.

E. Contact details

Report author: Ann Middleton, Glidewell Programme Manager.

For information contact:

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

Appendix 1

Appendix 3

Caveats

1. the costs are start-up costs only and do not include staff costs
2. no allowance has been made for any contribution from, or charge levied by, the CPS
3. no savings have been included, eg economies of scale on staff numbers; qualitative factors should also be considered, eg usage of space vacated in current buildings
4. the costs are based on current assumptions about staffing numbers and the availability of accommodation; these will continue to be refined as planning work progresses
5. As the majority of the costs are calculated on a per capita basis, any changes in staff numbers will have an effect upon the costs

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