Minutes

Minutes of the Counter-Terrorism and Protective Services Sub-committee of the Metropolitan Police Authority held on 7 September 2009 at 10 Dean Farrar Street, London SW1H 0NY.

Present

Members

• Toby Harris (Chair)
• Reshard Auladin (Vice Chair)
• James Cleverly

MPA officers

• Annabel Adams (Deputy Treasurer)
• Jane Harwood (Deputy Chief Executive)
• Sally Benton (Policy Advisor to Chief Executive)
• Ruth Hastings Iqball (Committee Services)

MPS officers

• Tim Alexander (Staff Officer to AC Yates)
• Ed Bateman (OCU Cdr, SO17 – Palace of Westminster) (item 1-7)
• Mike Gallagher (OCU Cdr, SO18 - Aviation) (item 1-7)
• Duncan King (Lead Accountant, SO)
• Brian Sweeting (SO Business Manager)
• Janet Williams (DAC, SO)

13. Apologies for absence

(Agenda item 1)

Apologies were received from Neil Johnson (member).

14. Declarations of interests

(Agenda item 2)

No declarations were made, although the Chair noted he was a member of the Palace of Westminster (item 6).

15. Minutes: Counter-Terrorism and Protective Services Sub-committee (Part 1) – 23 July 2009

(Agenda item 3)

Resolved – That the minutes of the Counter-Terrorism and Protective Services Sub-Committee (Part 1) held on 23 July 2009 be agreed and signed as a correct record.

16. Performance update – Protect

(Agenda item 4)

16.1 The DAC, SO, introduced a report stating that PROTECT was one of the four strands of the MPS counter-terrorist strategy which dealt with stopping terrorist attacks. Last year had seen continuing improvement of its organisation and capability, and outstanding operational success with the G20 summit. The DAC, SO highlighted the ongoing discussion with the Royal and VIP Executive Committee (RAVEC) about full cost recovery for protecting high level members of the Government, visiting heads of state and others in need of armed protection. She noted that the meeting was chaired by the Home Office, but the MPS supported the Home Office's ambition to appoint an independent chair. She also praised the advice and guidance provided by Counter Terrorist Security Advisers (within SO15) in relation to the Olympic build. In answer to questions members were told this was funded from existing funds, although the CT grant would be used in future.

16.2 The Chair asked if performance was measured by harm reduction. The DAC, SO, stated it was difficult to produce metrics in this field but some economic students who had prepared metrics in relation to economic crime, were hoping to translate them in a form usable by SO.

16.3 Members noted that threat level had been reduced and asked what this meant to communities. They were informed the threat level did not affect the way the MPS carried out it s business, except in relation to use of section 44. Each site had a separate risk assessment, which was not changed by the threat level. The Chair asked what was said to stakeholders when the threat level went down. The DAC, SO, replied that said she could not answer the question in relation to stakeholders, but BOCU commanders would discuss ionic sites locally with stakeholders.

16.4 Members asked if the MPS should change its tactics in its dealings with RAVEC. The DAC, SO, said that following an exchange of letters with the Home Office, the Home Office had appeared more responsive. The total sum available might not increase in size, but the MPS might gain a bigger share. She added that at the moment there was no call for the matter to be escalated.

16.5 Members noted how well the protective part of the policing of the G20 summit went, although put together at exceptionally short notice. They were told lessons had been learnt in relation to the policing of the Olympics, whilst protecting, preserving and enhancing business as usual.

16.6 Members asked if the HMIC had completed its review of counter terrorism policing. They were told it had not.

16.7 The Chair suggested that it would be interesting to see some research on if the public was assured by seeing armed police in the streets.

16.8 Members requested that the next report contain more statistics in the next report on staff and officer numbers broken down by gender and ethnicity.

RESOLVED – That

1. the information provided on the Protect strand of the MPS counterterrorist strategy be noted; and
2. The next report contain a breakdown of the staff and officers in the SO Directorate involved in PROTECT.

17. Exclusion of press and public

(Agenda item 5)

A resolution was put to exclude the press and public from the meeting during remaining items on the agenda as they were likely to disclose exempt information as described in Schedule 12(a) of the Local Government Act 1972, paragraph 3.

Recommended - That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during discussion of the remaining items on the agenda.

Summary of decisions made on exempt items

18. SO17 - Palace of Westminster – oral update

(Agenda item 6)

An oral update on SO17, Palace of Westminster, was provided by the BOCU Cdr. He explained how the MPS was contracted to provide security within the Palace of Westminster and spoke of the challenges of providing security in a place where 8,000 people worked and visited by 1.4 million.

19. SO 18 Aviation – oral update

(Agenda item 7)

The OCU Cdr SO18 – Aviation, gave an oral presentation to the Sub Committee on his work in protecting travellers and staff at London City and Heathrow airports.

20. Specialist Operations financial management information – based on actual spend to July 2009

(Agenda item 8)

The Sub Committee received Specialist Operations financial management information based on actual spends to the end of July 2009. The appendix provided an overview of Specialist Operations and MPS Counter Terrorism Grant budget spends and forecast at the end of July 2009. At the end of July 2009 SO was forecasting a bottom line overspend for 2009/10 of £1,048k.

21. Specialist Operations management information

(Agenda item 9)

The Sub Committee received a report providing an update on Specialist Operations performance against performance plan targets 2009/10 for the period June-July 2009. Members reviewed the targets that not been met.

22. Minutes: Counter-Terrorism and Protective Services Sub-committee (Part 2) – 23 July 2009

(Agenda item 10)

10.1 The minutes of the Counter-Terrorism and Protective Services Sub-Committee (Part 2) held on 23 July 2009 were agreed.

The meeting finished at 11.55 pm

Send an e-mail linking to this page

Feedback