MPA Race and Faith Inquiry

Report: 7
Date: 15 January 2009
By: Chief Executive

Summary

This report outlines draft terms of reference for a project which aims to map the MPA’s community engagement activity and invites Members to comment on the objectives of the project.

A. Recommendation

That Members note the progress of the Race and Faith Inquiry.

B. Supporting information

1. In November 2008 Members endorsed the proposal to undertake a race and faith inquiry at the MPS, following press coverage of a number of high profile cases. The terms of reference is attached at appendix one.

2. The Members of the panel have now been agreed. Cindy Butts will chair the panel and will be joined by Anthony Julius, a prominent solicitor who has advised the all-party parliamentary inquiry into anti-semitism in 2006, Bob Purkiss, a member of Hampshire Police Authority and chair of the Black and Minority Ethnic Members Network at the Association of Police Authorities. He has also been a commissioner for the Commission for Race and Equality. The third Member of the panel is Dr Eden Charles, the Executive Director of People Opportunities consultancy that is successfully supporting individuals to create cultural change in their organisations. He is also a programme director for a transformational leadership programme run jointly by the Kings Fund and the NHS Institute, aimed at senior health service managers.

3. It has taken longer than expected to establish a panel, so the first meeting of that panel will be held on 8th January 2009. The Chair will be able to provide a verbal update of that meeting. Although this delay has caused some slippage in the timetable, officers have been working to develop detailed project plans and mapping out all the work that needs to be undertaken to complete the inquiry, and it is anticipated that this slippage can be recovered.

4. The chair of the panel has agreed that a reference group could usefully provide support to the panel. Officers have approached several possible candidates, mainly from the MPS and it is hoped this group will be established by the end of January 2009. The aim of the group will be to:

• To work alongside the panel to explore the subject of race and faith in the MPS in accordance with the contents of the Inquiry Terms of Reference document;
• To help the panel consider and challenge the policies, processes, management structures within the MPS impacting on issues around race and faith.
• To assist the panel in identifying gaps and inconsistencies in relation to the above.
•  To contribute to the development of recommendations on how to address the issues raised.

C. Race and equality impact

The experience of officers and police staff in the context of their faith and race will be a key element of this Inquiry and although the focus is on race and faith, it is likely that the recommendations being made by the Inquiry will be applicable to other diversity strands. The inquiry will actively consider potential compound discrimination throughout its investigations.

D. Financial implications

The review will be delivered within MPA resources, using staff from the oversight and review team. Extra support (particularly for data analysis and any survey work) will be provided by the planning and performance team. It is anticipated that external support will be required to deliver a series of facilitated focus groups. We also plan to provide panel members with a small honorarium to thank them for their participation. In total, including staff costs, the budget is not expected to exceed £100k.

E. Background papers

None

F. Contact details

Report author(s): Siobhan Coldwell, Head of Oversight and Review, MPA

For information contact:

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

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