Minutes

Minutes of the Metropolitan Police Authority held on 8 February 2001 at the Westminster Room, Westminster Central Hall, Westminster, London SW1.

Present

• Toby Harris (Chair agenda items 1-14)
• Richard Barnes (Deputy Chair in the Chair for agenda item 15)
• Peter Herbert (Deputy Chair)

Members

Jennette Arnold, Reshard Auladin, John Biggs, Cindy Butts, Nicky Gavron, Elizabeth Howlett, Darren Johnson, Jenny Jones, Nicholas Long, Cecile Lothian, R David Muir, Sir John Quinton, Angela Slaven, Richard Sumray, Graham Tope and Rachel Whittaker

MPA staff:

Peter Martin (Treasurer) and Simon Vile (Secretariat)

MPS staff:

Sir J Stevens (Commissioner), Ian Blair (Deputy Commissioner) and Keith Luck (Director of Resources)

In addition approximately 70 members of the press/public and other MPA/MPS staff were present.

Part 1

96. Apologies

(Agenda item 1)

Apologies were received from Catherine Crawford (Clerk) and Darren Johnson.

97. Minutes: 14 December 2001

(Agenda item 2)

With regard to item 104 (Budget 2001/02) the Treasurer reported on the current position. Efficiency savings in the order of £9.2m were being considered by the Mayor in response to the Authority's deliberations. The final budget proposals were to be considered by the Assembly on 15 February 2001. The MPA's budget would be reported to the Finance, Planning and Best Value Committee on 20 February 2001 for recommendation to full Authority in March. The Authority agreed that, at the appropriate time, it should send a delegation to the Home Office to seek further direct funding.

Resolved:
that the minutes of the Authority meeting held on 14 December 2001 be agreed and signed as a correct record.

98. Minutes of committees

(Agenda item 3)

The Authority received the minutes of the following Committees:

• Human Resources Committee - 21 December 2000 and 18 January 2001
• Professional Standards and Performance Monitoring Committee - 12 December 2000
• Finance, Planning and Best Value Committee - 21 November 2000 and 19 December 2000
• Consultation, Diversity and Outreach Committee - 28 November 2000 and 19 December 2000.

Resolved:
that the minutes be received.

99. Equal opportunities statement for the MPA

(Agenda item 4)

Following endorsement by the Consultation, Diversity and Outreach (CDO) Committee on 19 December 2000 and consideration by the Human Resources (HR) Committee on 19 December 2000, the Authority received a report that presented an equal opportunities statement for the MPA.

It was noted that the HR Committee had requested a minor amendment to the statement and that a copy of the revised statement had been circulated to Members of the CDO Committee.

Resolved:

1. the Authority endorse the equal opportunities statement as given at Appendix 1 to the report, subject to (2) below;
2. that some amendments be made to the wording, such as the vision being a statement of what the MPA will 'work towards'; and
3. that the statement and the implementation of it be reviewed in a year's time.

100. Commissioner's update

(Agenda item 5)

The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, Sir John Stevens, gave the Authority an update on the following developments and current issues:

Recruitment and Retention
The Commissioner informed the Authority of current policing numbers and the intake of new recruits, which remained an issue of concern. In response to Members, the Commissioner also reiterated the need for improvements in encouraging more applications from the ethnic community. With regard to retention, the Commissioner reported that initiatives such as the London pay lead and free travel on some trains were proving beneficial.

The Commissioner also raised concern regarding the current level of civil staff. Members suggested that the MPS should investigate further local recruitment drives.

Operation Trident
The Commissioner updated the Authority on the Operation and expressed growing concern about the increased use in firearms. The Commissioner suggested that the Operation should be re-launched, and that this should be undertaken having fully liaised with ethnic minority groups. Arising from the discussion, Members requested that the Commissioner look at the resources of the Operation and in particular, the current accommodation facilities used by officers engaged in the Operation.

Policing of New Year's Eve 2000
The Authority were given information relating to the policing of New Year's Eve 2000, which included details of policing Trafalgar Square and details of arrests.

Members requested that the Finance, Panning and Best Value Committee should look in further detail at the policing of such events. The Commissioner also recommended that the Authority, at a future date, look at the training video of policing New Year 's Eve.

Members asked to receive information on a regular basis on the costs of policing events, so that they could see the cost of policing New Year's Eve in context.

Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary
The Deputy Commissioner informed the Authority of the positive feed back resulting from the HMIC Inspection report 'Winning the Race – Policing Diversity'. In particular, the Deputy Commissioner highlighted areas that were now considered good practice and that there was now strong leadership on diversity within the MPS.

Members requested that a summary of the report's findings and recommendations be circulated to them.

New Year's Honours
The Chair of the Authority informed Members of the recent award to Nicholas Long of an MBE. The Commissioner also outlined recent awards to officers and civil staff.

The Authority congratulated Nicholas Long and those officers mentioned in the New Year's honours list.

The Commissioner concluded his report by informing Members that Deputy Commissioner I Johnston, would be taking up the post of Chief Constable of British Transport Police.

Resolved:

1. the Commissioner's update be received; and
2. the Commissioner provide a written summary of his update to future meetings.

101. Policing the Notting Hill carnival 2001

(Agenda item 6)

A report was received updating the Authority on the planning for the policing arrangements for the Notting Hill Carnival 2001.

The report gave details of the strategy for the Carnival in 2000, together with the work undertaken alongside the Notting Hill Carnival Trust, voluntary and public sector agencies, the Safety Advisory Group and the local community with regard to the planning for the 2001 Carnival.

The Authority were informed that the MPS was currently completing a comprehensive review on public order tactics and a crime strategy for the Carnival 2001 and were awaiting the recommendations of the Mayor's Review Strategy, which would be used in the planning for 2001.

Resolved:
the report be noted.

102. Update on operation Strongbox

(Agenda item 7)

The Authority considered a report that updated Members on Operation Strongbox, which focuses resources at targeted problems relating to particular crime priorities in areas with the greatest need.

The report gave details of the operation in the London Boroughs of Lambeth Hackney, Camden/Islington and the recent commencement of the operation in Westminster. It was noted that during the operation in Lambeth there had been an 8% reduction in the volume of crime borough wide and a 24% reduction in the Brixton town centre area. During the second phase of the operation in Hackney there had been a 16% reduction in burglary, 19% reduction in street crime, together with 638 arrests. The scheme had also seen a 34% reduction in burglary in Camden and Islington, together with a reduction of street crime in both boroughs.

Members were also informed of the success of the operation in improving the crime and quality of life issues around the Kings Cross Station area, which had been achieved with the help of the local community and business leaders together with positive media coverage. Members requested that their congratulations be passed to the team for their work and success of this operation, particularly in Kings Cross.

Resolved:
that the report be noted.

103. Police performance plan

(Agenda item 8)

The Authority considered a report that gave the draft objectives, performance indicators and targets developed for the 2001/02 priorities and sustained activities.

It was noted that the Oversight Panel recently met and made some changes to the objectives, performance indicators and targets. It was recommended that a revised set of objectives, performance indicators and targets be circulated to Members for comment and that these be considered by the Finance, Planning and Best Value Committee on 20 February and, subsequently, by the full Authority meeting on 8 March 2001.

Resolved:

1. the Authority note the list of objectives, performance indicators and targets and the update received from the Oversight Panel;
2. the timetable for the plan production and intended styles of various document types be agreed;
3. a revised set of objectives, performance indicators and targets be circulated for comments and presented to the Finance, Planning and Best Value Committee on 20 February, and subsequently by the full Authority meeting on 8 March 2001.

104. Review of role of link members

(Agenda item 9)

Members considered a report that discussed the role of MPA link members and which incorporated issues and observations raised previously by the Authority and the Consultation, Diversity and Outreach Committee.

Resolved:

1. members note revisions to the guidelines for Members to assist in their role as link members; and
2. any further changes to the guidelines be considered by the Co-ordination and Urgency Committee in conjunction with a report on the MPA's relations with MPS and outside bodies.

105. Handling of major or sensitive issues

(Agenda item 10)

Following the recent publication of recommendations arising from a high profile case, the Authority received a report that analysed roles of lead Members and set out proposals for how all Members can be kept better informed as to the progress of inquiries as high profile news breaks.

Resolved:
that the contact systems outlined in paragraph C of the report be approved with immediate effect.

106. Meetings calendar for 2001/02

(Agenda item 11)

At the meeting of the Co-ordination and Urgency Committee held on 26 January 2001 it was recommended to the full Authority that committee meetings move to a two monthly cycle. The Committee also recommended that full Authority meetings should be moved (from July 2001) to the end of each month, starting at 10.00am and, where possible, be held at Romney House.

The Committee also recommended that the April full Authority meeting should be moved to 19 April 2001, with the annual meeting in June 2001 being used as a showcase to review the first year of the MPA, and receive a presentation on a high profile case.

It was noted that further work was being undertaken on the frequency of committee meetings, and that following more discussions with chairs of committees a revised report would be presented to Members.

Resolved:

1. the Authority approve the principle of a two monthly committee cycle, subject to further discussion with chairs of committee; and
2. the arrangements for future meetings of the full Authority contained in paragraph 3 of the report be approved.

107. Membership of Local Government Association

(Agenda item 12)

The Authority considered a report that informed them of an invitation to become corporate members of the Local Government Association (LGA), the national voice for local authorities in England and Wales.

The report was accompanied by a letter from the Chief Executive of the LGA outlining the benefits of membership and the report recommended that membership should taken out for one year initially.

Resolved:
that the Authority take out corporate membership of the Local Government Association for one year in the first instance.

108. Establishment of remuneration sub-committee

(Agenda item 13)

The Authority received a recommendation from the Human Resources Committee that a remuneration sub-committee be set up.

The sub-committee would consider the conditions of fixed term appointments offered to newly appointed ACPO ranks together with other employment related conditions and packages for existing ACPO officers and senior civil staff.

Resolved:

1. the Remuneration Sub-Committee be established to assume responsibility for all issues covered in paragraphs 1-5 of the report;
2. the Remuneration Sub-Committee report to the Human Resources Committee; and
3. the membership of the Remuneration Sub-Committee be Rachel Whittaker, Tony Arbour and John Biggs and that the Chair of the Authority should be an ex-officio member.

109. Exclusion of press and public

(Agenda item 14)

Resolved:
that under section 100 A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public be excluded from the meeting for item 15, on the grounds that it involved disclosure of exempt information as detailed in the paragraphs 8 and 9 of Schedule 12A of the above Act.

Summary of exempt items

Agenda item 15 – Progress of the C3i project procurement

The Authority considered a report that gave information relating to the C3i project procurement.

The meeting closed at 9.00pm.

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