Minutes

Minutes of the Remuneration Sub-committee of the Metropolitan Police Authority held on 16 March 2006 at 10 Dean Farrar Street, London, SW1H 0NY.

Present

Members

• Rachel Whittaker (Chair)
• Jennette Arnold (Deputy Chair)
• Tony Arbour
• Reshard Auladin

MPA officers

• Alan Johnson (Head of HR)
• David Riddle (Deputy Chief Executive and Deputy Clerk)
• Pamela Standley (MPA Senior HR Manager)
• Ruth Hastings Iqball (Committee Officer)

MPS officers

• Martin Tiplady (Director of Human Resources)
• Claire Appleby (Director of HR Services)

11. Apologies for absence

(Agenda item 1)

Apologies for absence were received from Len Duvall (Chair of the Authority) and Catherine Crawford (Chief Executive and Clerk).

12. Declarations of interest

(Agenda item 2)

No declarations of interest were received.

13. Minutes

(Agenda item 3)

The Sub Committee considered and agreed the minutes of the meeting held on 15 September 2005. In relation to item 5 it was noted that the model agreed for Management Board members had been adopted for MPA senior management.

Resolved - That the minutes of the meeting of the Sub-Committee held on 15 September 2005 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

14. Performance assessment process for MPA Senior Management Team

(Agenda item 4)

Following from consideration of the report ‘MPA senior management job descriptions’ by the Sub Committee in September 2005 it was resolved a report should be prepared outlining a process for MPA senior management performance assessment. The consideration of that report had been delayed by the cancellation of the meeting in December.

It was agreed that in para. 2 of the report ‘including an assessment of overall performance by the MPA and his or her views on whether or not…’ the ‘by’ should be replaced ‘of’.

Members noted the similarities between this report and a later one, and the differences of opinion of held by Sub Committee members over those involved in the appraisal discussions; some members felt it should include the Deputy Chairs of the Authority or a lead member. Members agreed to change the wording concerning the appraisal interview to include ‘…may be accompanied by one other member’.. Members suggested that the word ‘appraisal’ processes should be replaced by ‘assessment’ process.

Resolved – That the proposals for MPA SMT members assessments be agreed subject to an amendment to the wording concerning the appraising ‘panel’ to include ‘…may be accompanied by one other member’.

15. ACPO selection framework

(Agenda item 5)

Members received a report providing a brief outline of the ACPO selection process, which would be reflected in the MPA’s approach to future selection exercises.

It was noted that all members of the MPA involved in ACPO selection had attended ACPO selection training and that all selection boards mirrored the diversity of the MPA membership in all respects. It was agreed that the suggested ACPO framework should not be too prescriptive and that the document should be regarded as a menu of options from which items appropriate to the role and/or rank should be selected.

Resolved – That the report be noted and used as a menu of options for future ACPO selection processes.

16. Exclusion of press and public

(Agenda item 6)

Resolved - That the press and public be asked to leave the meeting during discussion of the remaining items of business because exempt information as defined in paragraph 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended) is likely to be made known.

Summary of items

17. Exempt minutes

(Agenda item 7)

Subject to one amendment, the exempt minutes of the meeting of the Sub-Committee held on 15 September 2005 were, with one amendment, confirmed and signed as a correct record.

18. Chair’s, Clerk’s and Commissioner’s oral update

(Agenda item 8)

The Chair reported that the salaries of senior MPA staff had not yet been finalised but that she, the Chair of the Authority and the Chief Executive were meeting the following week to discuss the matter further.

Members were updated in relation to outstanding points arising from the meeting of 21 April 2005 concerning a request for an undertaking that the Authority should reimburse any tax liability incurred by an ACPO officer should the Government decide to tax pension lump sums and to consider providing a death in service scheme equivalent to that in the pension scheme, if the officer withdrew from the scheme after 30 years’ service. In relation to the first request, the Home Office had confirmed that this was not possible. With regard to the second request, it was possible for the Authority to pay an insurance premium to cover this level of death benefit, but this needed further consideration. Members agreed that any decision should be taken based on a general policy rather than a single ad hoc request and it was therefore agreed a report would would be prepared jointly by the MPS and MPA for the Remuneration Sub Committee or Coordination and Policing Committee (CoP) on this issue.

Members were informed of various senior appointments and it was agreed that a list of these appointments would be circulated to all members by the MPS. The Director of HR also informed members that UNISON and eight other public service unions were proposing a strike on 28 March 2006 over changes to the local government pension scheme. Although the MPS was unlikely to be effected, the Chair requested that all members be informed of this day of action.

19. ACPO performance assessment objective setting, pay progression and bonus  arrangements for 2005/06 and beyond

(Agenda item 9)

In April 2005, the Sub Committee received a report ‘Role of the MPA in the ACPO bonus scheme for 2005/06’. It resolved it should fulfil the Authority’s responsibility to satisfy itself that the key personal objectives for the MPS’s ACPO team reflect all local strategic priorities in a balanced way and, at the end of the reporting year, agree with the overall Performance Development Review (PDR) assessment. The Sub Committee now received a report providing an overall assessment of the MPS objective setting process for 2005/6 and proposals for 2006/7. An amendment was made to the wording of the report concerning the process.

Members then considered the proposed bonus scheme, and comments made on it by the Commanders’ Association to the Head of Human Resources. It was agreed that the payment of bonuses would be discussed further outside the meeting.

20. MPA senior staff job evaluations

(Agenda item 10)

This item was withdrawn from the agenda.

21. ACPO cars and drivers

(Agenda item 11)

The Sub Committee received a report on ACPO cars and drivers. The Director of HR maintained that every car and driver could be justified and that a business case could be provided in each and every case. However, members were disappointed there had been no reduction in the number of drivers and asked the Director of HR to encourage further use of shared drivers.

The meeting ended at 12.00 pm

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