Service improvement reviews 2003/04

Report: 16
Date: 9 October 2003
By: Clerk

Summary

This report proposes that the planned service improvement review of staff deployment be delayed pending the HMIC thematic inspection of civilianisation and presents an alternative area for review in 2003/04.

A. Recommendations

That

1. the postponement of the planned staff deployment review until after the HMIC inspection of civilianisation has been completed be agreed; and
2. select a replacement review to be carried out in 2003/04, subject to recommendation 1 above.

B. Supporting information

Staff deployment service improvement review

1. On 9 January 2003, Planning Performance and Review Committee received a report proposing revisions to the process of best value review. Members accepted that a maximum of two reviews per year should be carried out, that reviews should be managed by qualified consultants rather than police officers and that best value should rebadged as ‘service improvement’. From a list of areas suggested by MPS Management Board members chose operational support policing and staff deployment as the two reviews to be completed in 2003/04.

2. In accordance with the revised process MPS Internal Consultancy Group (ICG) began scoping the staff deployment review in May 2003. Interviews were carried out with key stakeholders, including members, to select areas to be covered by the review. During the scoping exercise documents were received from HMIC regarding a thematic inspection of civilianisation and the use of non sworn police staff due to report in early 2004, at the same time as the review. ICG carried out a validation exercise to map the potential scope of the review to the terms of reference for the inspection and other work currently underway.

The results of this exercise are attached as Appendix 1.

3. There is a large amount of duplication between the inspection and the potential scope of the review and it is therefore proposed that the review is postponed until after the inspection is completed. Members could then decide whether to cancel the review or proceed with a revised scope, covering for example, how HMIC’s recommendations could be implemented.

New area for service improvement review

4. With the review of staff deployment postponed members will need to select an alternative area for review in 2003/04 to meet the requirement for two reviews to be carried out each year. In accordance with the process established last year the MPS has been asked to propose an alternative area for review.

5. Cell provision has been identified as a potential subject for study in 2003/04. The difficulty of providing adequate cell provision is an issue that has faced the MPS for many years. There is a need to identify future requirements for cells and to examine how the current facilities could be used to best effect. In addition, the current standards for cells would benefit from being reviewed. Members are asked to consider whether this would be an appropriate subject for the next service improvement review.

6. Planning, Performance and Review Committee will receive a report in December presenting a list of areas for review in 2004/05 proposed by MPS Management Board. Members will be asked to select two subjects for service improvement review from this list. If the review of cell provision was felt to be inappropriate three reviews could be selected from the list although this would delay the completion of the second 2003/04 review beyond the end of the current financial year.

C. Equality and diversity implications

New statutory guidance for police authorities was published by the Home Office in September 2003. Work is currently underway to revise the review process to take account of this guidance and ensure that equalities implications are mainstreamed within service improvement reviews.

D. Financial implications

There are no direct financial implications as resources have already been allocated to service improvement within existing budgets

E. Background papers

• Securing continuous improvement – paper 14 PPRC 9 January 2003.

F. Contact details

Report author: Sally Palmer, MPA.

For more information contact:

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

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