Draft MPA and MPS Community Engagement Commitment 2010 – 2013 and the Draft MPA Community Engagement action plan 2010 - 2013

Report: 7
Date: 17 May 2010
By: Clerk

Summary

This paper outlines the structure and content of the MPA and MPS Community Engagement Commitment 2010 – 2013.

A. Recommendation

1. That Members note the content of this report
2. That Members provide feedback on the draft commitment and the MPA draft community engagement action plan.

B. Supporting information

Background work

1. The MPA and MPS undertook desk based research and consultation to inform the new ‘MPA and MPS Community Engagement Commitment 2010 – 2013’. An outline of the approach taken by the MPA and MPS is summarised in the 11 March Communities, Equalities and People Committee report.

2. The draft ‘MPA and MPS Community Engagement Commitment 2010 – 2013’ was initially discussed at the 11 March meeting. A number of changes were requested by Members and these are reflected in the current version.

3. Feedback on the first draft was also received from a number of key stakeholders who took part in the initial consultation. Their commentary has also informed the revised version.

4. The MPA and MPS working group have been working to the Communities Equalities and People Committee (CEP) and the MPS Community Engagement Board, chaired by DAC Jarman. Members should take note that the draft ‘commitment’ has yet to be agreed by the MPS Management Board.

The draft strategy

5. The strategy has been labelled a ‘commitment’. Consultees cited the term strategy was off putting and is a term that is widely misused and misunderstood. In addition, the use of the term commitment links this document to the MPS Policing Pledge.

6. The revised document is short and in plain English. Throughout the consultation process, consultees commented that the previous iteration had been jargon heavy and difficult to understand.

7. The draft version of the ‘commitment’ does not include a definition for the term community engagement. This was a conscious decision. After a discussion at the MPS Community Engagement Board it was felt that agreeing and defining what was meant by the term community engagement would be time consuming. It was also felt that rather than focusing on what the MPA and MPS meant by the term community engagement, the emphasis should be on making clear to Londoners what they could expect of the MPA and MPS.

8. The draft version explains to Londoners why the MPA and MPS are making a community engagement commitment and why good engagement is key to delivering an effective and responsive police service. It outlines the six principles that will inform how we will deliver on this commitment and finally it outlines how the MPA and MPS will work differently. The draft commitment is attached as Appendix 1.

9. The draft MPA community engagement action plan which outlines how the MPA will deliver on the commitment is attached as Appendix 2. The draft MPS community engagement action plan will come to the July meeting of the Communities, Equalities and People Committee.

C. Race and equality impact

1 It was clear from the consultation responses that the MPA and MPS need to be more proactive in involving a wide 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; small businesses and existing voluntary groups such as Neighbourhood Watch. In doing so, they also requested that the consultation and engagement opportunities provided to Londoners were accessible, timely and met the needs of the group being consulted and engaged. In drafting this community engagement commitment much consideration has been given to how the MPA and MPS can work differently in order to hear from a wide range of Londoners.

D. Financial implications

1 There are no direct financial implications in regards to the commitment itself. Working differently will, however, have some financial impact for both the MPA and MPS. However, it is too early to quantify what this impact may be.

E. Legal implications

None given.

F. Background papers

• None

G. Contact details

Report authors: Hamera Asfa Davey, MPA

For information contact:

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

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