Community Engagement Commitment - exception report

Report: 7
Date: 4 October 2010
By: Chief Executive

Summary

The community engagement commitment and MPA action plan were approved by the Communities, Equalities and People Committee on 17 May 2010. It was agreed at that time that this sub-committee would receive quarterly reports on the delivery of the action plan and this is the first of those reports.

A. Recommendations

That

1. Members receive the report.

B. Supporting information

1. The MPA/MPS community engagement commitment is ‘to provide accessible, multiple opportunities for Londoners to engage with the MPA and MPS in shaping policing policy and practice.’ The draft MPA action plan, which supports delivery of the commitment, was considered by Members of the Communities, Equalities and People committee on 17 May 2010. At that time members advised that firstly the MPA action plan be divided into two, an outward facing document and an internal document, and that secondly they would wish to reconsider the action plan again alongside the MPS action plan. However, recognising that officers needed to proceed with business as usual, members recognised that community engagement work would continue and would be informed by the new commitment and the draft action plan. This being the case, it should be noted that this report relates only to the MPA and that the MPS action plan will be considered by Communities, Equalities and People committee in January 2011.

2. As an exception report this document considers only those areas of the plan where it is necessary to advise members of any variations or blockages to delivery of relevant actions against the four thematic areas. As such, members should consider all other actions on target for delivery as laid out in the plan.

3. The actions for consideration in this meeting are highlighted in Appendix 1, with relevant comments provided in the progress column. However, there are some overarching issues for consideration, which have come into sharper focus since this action plan was drafted. Firstly, it is appropriate to consider the Authority’s financial commitments in the current financial climate and the upcoming comprehensive spending review. Secondly, some consideration should also be given to the impact of both the value for money review of Community and Police Engagement Groups (CPEGs) and the forthcoming Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill, which envisages the replacement of police authorities with directly elected Police and Crime Commissioners.

4. With these things in mind, officers have reconsidered some of the actions falling under parts 1 (Support and develop the capacity of Community Police Engagement Groups) and 4 (partnership working) of the action plan. The considered view is that it would be inappropriate to hold a community engagement conference at this time and that delivery of the related community engagement awards should be deferred and reconsidered after the recommendations arising from the review have been agreed by the Authority in January 2011. In addition, officers have decided to link delivery of the good practice compendium to the 2011/12 funding process, which will begin in November, to inform Groups’ work plan discussions for next year. Similarly the development of an annual corporate community engagement plan has also been deferred pending further consideration of the future of both the Authority and of CPEGs.

5. There are also some inter-dependencies, which have delayed delivery of related actions. For example, while officers continue to provide advice, the specific community gap analysis work has been delayed because the Experian borough profiles are currently being updated and it makes good sense to await the most up to date information. In addition, some of the identified activities have relied upon utilising external communication media over which we have little influence in terms of distribution and timing, it would therefore be more appropriate to develop MPA-led vehicles to deliver those messages, such as an MPA e-newsletter for community engagement, which officers are now progressing.

C. Other organisational and community implications

1. Equalities Impact

The evidence from the consultation responses indicates that the MPA and MPS need to do more to involve a wider range of Londoners in their consultation and engagement activities. The majority of consultees requested the MPA and MPS actively engage with young people, new and emerging communities, victims and small businesses. In addition, it is also clear that the Authority needs to ensure that the consultation and engagement opportunities provided to Londoners are accessible, timely and meet the specific needs of the targeted group. In developing the commitment and action plan much consideration has been given as to how the MPA and MPS can work differently in order to hear from a wider range of Londoners.

2. Met Forward

The community engagement commitment supports the Met Connect strand of Met Forward. The key theme of Met Connect is ensuring our communities are properly informed and engaged with regard to policing matters to deliver increased confidence in policing.

3. Financial Implications

There are no direct financial implications arising from this report, which is being delivered within existing resources. However, it should be noted that the action plan may need to be revisited in the light of any changes arising from the proposals contained in the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill.

4. Legal Implications

The Authority’s consultation duties relate to four specific areas, which are discussed below. The commitment and action plan support the delivery of these statutory duties.

• Understanding of community views on policing - making arrangements, in consultation with the Commissioner, for obtaining the views of people in the area about matters concerning their policing (Police Act 1996, Section 96);
• Consultation on police objectives – ensuring that in the development of annual policing objectives, the MPA has regard to issues raised in local consultative arrangements; that separate consultative arrangements are put in place by the Metropolitan Police Authority for each London Borough in consultation with its respective local authority (Police Act 1996, Section 6ZB – as revised by Police and Justice Act 2006 and detailed in Policing Plan Regulations 2008);
• Community Safety Partnerships – to ensure that local people’s views on crime and disorder reduction priorities are included in the development of local crime and disorder Strategic Assessments and in planning and implementing the crime and disorder partnership plan (Crime and Disorder Act 1998, Sections 5 and 6 and Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership’s National Minimum Standards (Formulation and Implementation of Strategy 2007/1830);
• Local Strategic Partnerships and Local Area Agreements (LAA) – Police Authorities have a legal duty to co-operate in determining LAA targets and have regards to those targets linking LAA targets, Policing Plan targets and CDRP’s (Local Government and Involvement in Health Act 2007).

5. Environmental Implications

There are no environmental implications arising from this report.

6. Risk Implications

Given that the commitment action plan forms part of the mechanism for delivery of the Authority’s statutory consultation duties, any slippage in the delivery of those actions could expose the Authority to charges of failure to meet statutory duties. However, while there has been slippage on some aspects of the plan, the matters highlighted to do not pose significant risk to the Authority.

D. Background papers

None

E. Contact details

Report author(s): Natasha Plummer, Engagement & Partnerships Manager, MPA

For information contact:

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

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