Communities, Equalities and People Committee annual review

Report: 7
Date: 1 September 2011
By: Chief Executive

Summary

This report provides a summary of the work of the committee over the 2010/11 committee year.

A. Recommendation

That

1. Members note the report.

B. Supporting information

1. The Committee's responsibilities as laid out in the existing terms of reference include oversight of the following:

• MPS human resources (HR) policies and strategies;
• matters relating to equal opportunities and diversity within the MPS and the MPA;
• the MPA and MPS’s statutory consultation and community engagement duties; and
•  the MPA and MPS’s statutory partnership duties.

2. The Committee has met on eight occasions since the last annual report was received and has considered approximately 50 reports, which have covered a wide range of issues. In its oversight and advisory capacity the Committee has had a significant impact on many of the matters considered. The chair of the Committee has sought to structure the meetings so as to deal with the necessary range of items, but with a greater focus on one or two more significant matters of business. In addition, the meeting agendas have been restructured to ensure items for decision are differentiated from those for information only to ensure they are given sufficient consideration. This has allowed the Committee to fully explore the issues; providing effective oversight and challenge to the MPS, while also increasing members’ knowledge and awareness of the many different issues.

3. Given the current pace of change within the MPS, the Committee has spent a considerable amount of time on matters of MPS HR policy and strategy, maintaining oversight of relevant ongoing matters, but with a greater focus on significant change programmes.

4. The Committee has specifically focused on three programmes of work within the MPS with significant change and/or human resource implications - (i) the Territorial Policing Development Programme, (ii) the development of the Special Constabulary as the primary route of entry to the MPS for new applicants and (iii) the development of the Met Volunteer Programme. These programmes all have significant human resources implications because of potential changes to working practices or the level of resourcing and members have expressed concerns about the impact of these on MPS staff, officers and volunteers. As a result of this oversight the Committee has ensured that the MPS has maintained sufficient focus on the engagement, equality and diversity impacts of these programmes. Members have been particularly interested in the Met Volunteer Programme, which has developed very good practice in the management of volunteers, which has resulted in an increase in overall numbers and retention rates. Members have commended the team for their work in this area and have looked to the MPS to apply the lessons learned to other areas of business, such as the Special Constabulary.

5. In terms of ongoing matters members have taken a keen interest in ensuring that the MPS’ approach to vetting is sufficiently robust to minimise risks to the Service, whilst also taking proper account of the equality and diversity considerations. The Authority has maintained its oversight of diversity matters within the MPS, particularly in relation to recruitment and retention of police officers and staff. As part of this work, members received two reports on detective capacity and capability within the MPS, which highlighted the increase in the numbers of female and black and minority ethnic officers within the detective ranks. Members welcomed this positive development and also sought to ensure that the MPS recognised the need to provide opportunities for lateral development, which can also be beneficial to longer-term career development.

6. Equality and diversity is a key issue for the Authority’s oversight of the MPS and as such, it is a significant theme running throughout the Committee's work, with the Equality and Diversity Sub-Committee considering specific implications in relation to employment and service delivery. The Committee has received the annual report on the MPS duty in employment and two reports exploring MPS promotion processes and the impact on ethnicity and gender diversity across all ranks in the MPS. Members have also given full consideration to the MPS’ work with diverse communities and how that is utilised to best effect. This has included a report on the management and development of independent advisory groups and on the utilisation of the expertise of staff associations to improve community engagement. In addition, the Committee has considered a range of matters with broader equality and diversity implications, including adult safeguarding, the use of firearms and Tasers and the development of the MPS Special Constabulary and the Met Volunteer Programme. Members have also continued to challenge the MPS and MPA officers to ensure they conduct equality impact assessments (EIAs) and to demonstrate how the learning from those EIAs has been applied to service policy and delivery.

7. Community engagement is another key theme for CEP Committee, which had significant involvement in the development of the 2010-13 community engagement strategy, the MPA/MPS Community Engagement Commitment. Members noted that it was regrettable that the MPS action plan to accompany the Strategy was not submitted to the Committee until May 2011. Once received members were keen for the MPS and MPA to review their respective action plans to ensure appropriate synergy between the two. Oversight of the action plans has been delegated to the Community Engagement and Citizen Focus Sub-Committee, which has received quarterly exception reports on the action plans to ensure continued progress against the Commitment.

8. Partnership working is a significant area for the MPA and MPS in terms of their statutory duties, the financial dimensions and reputational risk and the Authority is keen to maintain effective oversight of developments in this area. CEP Committee has considered the implications and benefits of partnership working across the range of matters on which it has received reports, e.g. in relation to safeguarding adults, dealing with female genital mutilation and violence against women and girls, all of which require a partnership approach. In addition, the Committee has received reports on the borough command unit (BCU) and MPA partnership funds with their discussions directly informing the review and development of the MPA partnership fund priorities for 2011/12. In both cases members have focused on the application of the funds in the previous financial year (2010/11) and as a result members commissioned a further report on the BCU fund, highlighting the impact of the loss of that fund with effect from 2011/12 and with a view to ensuring that any good practice or learning derived from the BCU fund would be identified and taken forward as appropriate. The Committee’s consideration of these matters has emphasized the need to ensure that all MPA/MPS funded activities are evaluated to ensure they are effective and offer value for money. As a result of the Committee’s focus, relevant conditions have been attached to new funding agreements to ensure that the GLA Oracle evaluation tool and database is utilised to evaluate and disseminate good practice.

9. In respect of pan-London partnership work and public protection, the Committee has maintained oversight of the work of both the Hate Crime Forum (HCF) and the Domestic and Sexual Violence Board (DSVB). CEP Committee has maintained strong links with both groups, with one of its members co-chairing the HCF and two members also sitting on the DSVB. The Committee has maintained significant interest in these areas and has broadened its awareness of new and emerging developments. For example, the Committee has received reports on female genital mutilation, safeguarding adults and antisocial behaviour and multi-agency safeguarding hubs. The Committee has also sought to ensure that the learning from these forums has been more widely disseminated across the Authority through, for example, sponsoring a lunchtime briefing for members on the development of multi-agency safeguarding hubs across London. The work of both the DSVB and the HCF is managed through an annual work programme, which gives a cyclical nature to the work. In both cases those plans are drawing to a close and consideration is now being given to future developments in these areas of work, particularly in the context of the abolition of the MPA and the implementation of new arrangements proposed in the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill. In relation to this, the Committee has received the DSVB’s final annual report and has also given consideration to proposals for the future of the HCF. In response to these reports members commended the work that has taken place over the last year and suggested that it would be appropriate to consider how to integrate them within the work of the wider strategic partnership landscape, including with the London Crime Reduction Board.

10. Members will be aware that it is anticipated that in line with the provisions laid out in the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill, the Authority will cease to operate by December 2011 and as such, this is likely to be the penultimate meeting of this Committee. However, the Authority will be replaced with the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime and its responsibilities in respect of community engagement, equality and diversity, MPS human resources and partnership working will need to continue in some form.

11. A draft work plan has not been developed at this time as would be the usual practice, but officers have given some consideration to the potential scope of work that will need to be carried forward on which members may wish to comment. At this stage, officers anticipate that the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime will maintain monitoring and oversight of the same breadth of matters as currently described in the Committee terms of reference (see paragraph 1) and will support the delivery of Met Forward 2, which has a continued focus on effective partnership working, community engagement and the management and development of MPS human resources. There will also continue to be a significant focus on these cross-cutting issues as they impact upon (i) the Territorial Policing Development Programme, (ii) estates matters and (iii) the Race and Faith Inquiry action plan. Members may wish to give a view as to whether the proposed future focus is appropriate and/or may wish to suggest other areas for continued oversight.

C. Other organisational and community implications

Equality and Diversity Impact

1. There are no specific implications arising from this report. However, equalities and diversity are key issues for the Authority and considerations of such matters are central to the work of this Committee as discussed throughout this report. There are significant equality and diversity implications arising from the work of this Committee and these are addressed in each report that is submitted to it. MPA members have received training and take a keen interest in the delivery of equality impact assessments (EIA) for the matters on which it receives reports and ensures these are completed to an acceptable standard. This has delivered real benefits to the community with, for example, member challenge on the equality and diversity impact of the changes to the MPS Special Constabulary having resulted in improved and more accessible processes.

Consideration of Met Forward

2. The work of this Committee directly supports the 'Better conversation', ‘Met People’ and ‘Met Partners’ strands of Met Forward and this is being delivered through the work to improve and develop the CPEG delivery model through delivery against the community engagement commitment action plan, which is being monitored by this Committee.

Financial Implications

3. There are no specific financial implications arising from this report.

Legal Implications

4. There are no specific legal implications arising from this report.

Environmental Implications

5. There are no specific environmental implications arising from this report.

Risk Implications

6. There is potentially some risk associated with continuing oversight of the matters that fall within the remit of this Committee under a new governance structure, which may not have the same scope for business to be conducted in public meetings. While the future governance structures under MOPC have yet to be finalised, officers are aware of this and are actively considering how best to ensure sufficient openness, transparency and public accountability.

D. Background papers

None

E. Contact details

Report authors: Natasha Plummer, Engagement and Partnerships Manager, MPA

For information contact:

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

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