Progress report on recruitment and retention in the MPS

Report: 8
Date: 20 September 2001
By: Commissioner

Summary

This report informs Members of the progress of police and civil staff recruitment against budgeted workforce targets for 2001/02.

It also reports the latest position on wastage and describes the work commenced by the Retention Task Force, which is co-ordinating the current retention initiatives.

The Human Resources Committee at it meeting on 6 September 2001 also considered this report and an update of the discussions at that Committee will be circulated to Members.

A. Recommendation

That the Authority be are asked to note the contents of this report.

B. Supporting information

Strength

1. Police strength has risen by 472 officers since the beginning of April 2001, to 25,902 on 31 July 2001. This is 748 below the end of year Budgeted Workforce Target (BWT) for 2001/2002 of 26,650.

2. In the same period, civil staff strength has increased by 92, providing a strength of 10,289. This is a deficit of 1,247 on the 31 March 2002 BWT of 11,536.

3. The BWT for civil staff has been increased from 11,110 to 11,536. This takes account of a number of specific staffing increases and a number of local increases resulting from the provisions within the devolved budgetary arrangements. The financial provision for these increases has been met from within existing overall budgets.

Police recruitment

4. From 1 April to 31 July 2001 a total of 894 officers joined the Metropolitan Police Service, against 390 in the same period last year.

5. The numbers joining each five weekly intake was April 177, May 235, June 234 and July 248. A total of 74 persons from Visible Ethnic Minorities (VEM) (8.2%) and 147 women (16.4%) have joined since April 2001.

6. A total of 252 candidates were invited to attend Peel Centre on Tuesday 28 August 2001. This includes 221 new recruits, 27 transferees and 4 rejoiners. Members will be provided with a verbal update at the meeting of the actual numbers attested.

7. Currently 257 candidates are provisionally warned for the October intake (there is no intake in September) and further candidates have already been offered places in November, December and January. The size of intakes from October to the end of the financial year has been redefined to meet the overall 1050 growth in the BWT. Although the precise intake numbers required will depend upon the number of leavers, it is anticipated that intakes will need to be in the region of 280. This includes targets of 40 transferees / rejoiners, 35 persons from Visible Ethnic Minorities and 45 women.

8. The current ratio for application forms sent out, to applications forms returned, to recruits is 100:24:5, which is considerably improved on last year’s average of 100:13:3. Performance this year shows a 44% increase over enquiries for the same period last year; an increase of 229% in applications received and 129% growth in recruits. It is anticipated that recruitment targets will continue to be met and the BWT achieved by the end of the financial year.

Civil staff recruitment

9. Some 700 applications were received between April and July 2001. Of these applications, 60% were from women and one third were from ethnic minorities.

10. Between 1 April and 31 July 2001 495 new members of the civil staff started employment within the MPS, 287 (58%) were women and 72 (15%) were from ethnic minorities.

11. Civil staff vacancies arise constantly throughout the organisation for all grades. Generally, administrative grades 13, 12 and 10 will be recruited locally after checking if there are possible candidates in the recruitment pool administered centrally. The exceptions are specialist posts such as crime analysts who are appointed centrally, together with other senior posts at grade 9 and above.

12. A recruitment campaign is being organised for September. Linked with this there is a review of the selection criteria currently applied to internal candidates wishing to be considered for level transfer or promotion. It is anticipated that the results of the pay and grading review undertaken by Hay Consulting will assist in the ability to attract the right candidates.

Retention

13. From 1 April 2001 to 31 July 2001 534 officers left the MPS. The largest percentage of these was officers leaving on pension (29.59%) followed by officers transferring to other forces (26.97%). Resignations account for 20.77% while 14.42% of those leaving were on medical grounds.

14. Throughout this period the number of officers transferring to other forces continued to increase. A similar trend is being experienced by police forces in the South East and the other metropolitan forces.

15. During the same period 369 civil staff left the MPS, of these 27 (7%) left on pension, a further 248 (67%) resigned voluntarily and 26 (7%) retired on medical grounds. Analysis shows turnover rates for both police and civil staff compares favourably with the position other public sector organisations are experiencing.

16. The Retention Task Force, established in July, working directly to Assistant Commissioner Hogan-Howe, is initially concentrating on improving police retention but is also considering the issues affecting civil staff. The task force has undertaken a detailed analysis of the current exit data and has commenced a series of in-depth, structured interviews with officers transferring to other forces.

18. Although the number interviewed to date is too small for statistical purposes, two significant themes are already emerging. Firstly, the officers prefer to police in the MPS, but, secondly, they are leaving the London area because life in a county force means lower accommodation costs and an improved quality of life.

19. The task force will continue these interviews and shortly expand them to include officers resigning. Additionally the small number of officers who join from other forces and those who rejoin after leaving the MPS. will also be interviewed with a view to making their experiences of life outside the MPS available to those considering leaving.

20. AC Hogan-Howe is currently considering a number of interim recommendations designed to improve retention. These include inducements to officers who have reached pensionable age or service and utilising the expertise within our Property Services Department to advise MPS staff on renting or buying their own private property. Other work aimed at improving retention includes a review of the exit survey procedures, morale and marketing issues, including promoting the benefits of belonging to the MPS.

21. An MPA retention workshop was held on 26 July when AC Hogan-Howe and Assistant Director of Personnel, Mike Shurety, highlighted some of the factors affecting retention, including the high cost of living and working in London, sickness and medical retirements, the need to adopt flexible working procedures and remuneration issues.

C. Financial implications

There are no financial implications arising directly from this report.

D. Background papers

None.

E. Contact details

The author of this report is Jenny Deere, Business Director, Recruitment, Selection and Workforce Diversity, 020 7230 0559, Superintendent Roger Kember, Retention Task Force. 020 8217 9862.

For information contact:

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

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