Reports from Sub-committees

Report: 10
Date: 11 March 2010
By: Chief Executive

1. At each meeting of the Committee members will receive a report from its Sub-committees that have meet in recent weeks.

1.1. The report provides members with details of the key items considered at each of the Sub-Committees. (Copies of reports considered by the Sub-committee’s are available on request from the Committee Section).

2. Community Engagement & Citizen Focus Sub-committee 22 February 2010

2.1. Members in attendance: Clive Lawton (Chair), Valerie Brasse, Victoria Borwick and Joanne McCartney.

2.2. The Sub-Committee received the quarterly stop and search report. The report provided an update on the MPS use of Stop and Search powers. The overall trend was that there had not been large changes in frequency of use of Stop and Search and it remained a key operational tool. However, it had been recognised that community confidence could be adversely affected if the powers were not used properly. Additionally it had been communicated to all MPS officers that the taking of photographs in London was not an offence and was not in itself usually sufficient to carry out a stop.

2.3. Members were advised that the MPS conducts considerable amounts of borough community engagement on this issue and the MPS suggested that their model should be recognised as good practice.

2.4. It was agreed that the quarterly Stop and Search reports would in future reflect the Operation Pennant data set and that a report on the MPS review of the use of Section 60 powers would be presented to the April meeting.

3. CPEG Funding 2010/11

3.1. Members received a report detailing this year’s funding assessment process looking the comparative budgeted expenditure.

3.2. Members approved the initial allocations to the CPEGs and to LCP2 for 2010/11 and that a further paper is brought to the April meeting to agree the final allocations.

4. Independent custody visiting scheme quarterly report

4.1. Members were advised that the ICV team’s remit had been expanded to include criminal justice oversight. The current position is under review and a work plan and objectives would be identified.

4.2. With regards to the transitional arrangements, members were advised that current capacity to deliver the service to ICV panels was an absolute requirement and that a schedule was in place to ensure delivery despite the resourcing issues.

5. MPA Domestic and Sexual Violence Board (DSVB)

5.1. The DSVB last met in early February and received reports from Haringey and Barking & Dagenham borough command units (BOCU). Strong points in relation to Haringey were a safeguarding adult’s coordinator in the CSU, the creation of a multi-agency team responding to child protection needs in the borough, and the Sanction Detection rate for BOCU sexual offences is the highest we’ve seen at 28%. The newly formed SCD2 unit presented well but it was clear that they had experienced a significant rise in reported cases, and were struggling with the resources in relation to this. However the recording around incidents and offences raised some queries and the lack of data on the unsupported domestic violence prosecution rate also caused concern.

5.2. Conversely, Barking & Dagenham had strong figures in relation to unsupported domestic violence prosecutions, as well as an unusually successful involvement of health partners in their response to domestic violence. Their response to sexual offences was poor, however, and had a disproportionately high volume of domestic violence incidents as a proportion of all violent crime.

5.3. The next meeting of the DSVB will be on 13th April and Lewisham will present in the second session. The first part of the meeting will be a closed session in which DAC Akers and an Area Commander Representative will present an action plan outlining how the MPS will take forward the recommendations of the DSVB Annual Report.

6. Hate Crime Forum Board (HCF)

6.1. The newly constituted Hate Crime Forum has been actively discussing its work plan for the coming year and intends to hold a number of specific themed meetings across all diversity strands at each of its meetings. Each meeting will result in further action to be taken forward by HCF partners in their respective roles and organisations.

6.2. At its last meeting on 5th January 2010 the focus was on the topical issue of Disability hate crime. This was particularly relevant in response to the Leicestershire Inquiry emerging from the death of Fiona and Francecca Pilkington. The HCF was keen to question what lessons had been learnt from the Inquiry and what changes the MPS would put in place in responding to disability hate crimes. The MPS submitted a report acknowledging there is more still to be done in terms of monitoring and recording disability hate crimes and the progress on this will be monitored by the HCF.

6.3. Work continues on the Borough Report which is being conducted through the Hate Crime Coordinators Group meetings with support from borough Hate Crime Coordinators. The intention is to have a London wide map of service provision across all London boroughs in respect of borough responses to hate crimes. It is hoped this will encourage boroughs to ensure that hate crime remains on their agendas and will be documented as an A-Z of information that will be made available to the public

6.4. Further meetings will take place on:

• 22 March 2010 2-5
• 22 June 2010 2-5
• 6 October 2010 2-5

All meetings take place at MPA meeting room 1

Copies of reports and minutes from the Authority and its Committees are available from the MPA website.

G. Contact details

Report author: Natalie Imms, Committee Services

For information contact:

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

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