Minutes

Minutes of the meeting of the Metropolitan Police Authority held on 26 Sep 2002, at 10.00am at 10 Dean Farrar Street, London, SW1H 0NY.

Present:

Members:

• Toby Harris (Chair)
• Richard Barnes (Deputy Chair)
• R David Muir (Deputy Chair)
• Anthony Arbour
• Jennette Arnold
• Reshard Auladin
• John Biggs
• Cindy Butts
• Kirsten Hearn
• Elizabeth Howlett
• Darren Johnson
• Jenny Jones
• Nicholas Long
• Eric Ollerenshaw
• Sir John Quinton
• Richard Sumray
• Graham Tope
• Abdal Ullah
• Rachel Whittaker
• Cecile Wright

MPA Officers:

• Catherine Crawford (Clerk)
• Peter Martin (Treasurer)
• Simon Vile (Head of Secretariat)

MPS Officers:

• Sir John Stevens (Commissioner)
• Ian Blair (Deputy Commissioner)
• Bill Griffiths (Deputy Assistant Commissioner)
• Cressida Dick (Commander)
• Keith Luck (Director of Resources)
• Martin Tiplady (Director of Human Resources)

20. Apologies for absence

(Agenda item 1)

Apologies for absence were received from Lynne Featherstone, Nicky Gavron and Peter Herbert, and from Graham Tope for late arrival.

21. Declarations of interest

(Agenda item 2)

None made.

22. Minutes

(Agenda item 3)

Resolved - That the minutes of the meeting held on 25 July 2002 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

Matters arising

Referring to item 13 of the minutes, Anthony Arbour asked what progress had been made in coming to a decision as to whether officers’ names should be displayed on their uniforms. The Clerk said that she was discussing with the MPS the most appropriate date for this issue to be reported to the Co-ordination & Policing Committee. In terms of who would take the decision on this, the Chair saw it as an important part of the Authority’s strategic remit and the Commissioner hoped that a decision could jointly be reached by the MPS and the MPA.

23. Question to the Authority

(Agenda item 4)

In accordance with Standing Order 15, Asif Iqbal of the Royal National Institute for Deaf People asked the following question:

1. “Why can’t you set up a textphone system at Scotland Yard or the Metropolitan Police Authority to make sure that deaf people can have direct contact in case of emergencies?
2. “How many London police stations that do have a textphone publish the number in the telephone directory?
3. “Considering London has a total of one million deaf and hard of hearing people, I am interested to know why the Wardens do not receive any deaf awareness training before they go out on the streets to do their job. I feel that this training should form part of their induction.”

The Clerk responded on behalf of the Authority as follows:

“Can I welcome Asif Iqbal to his second Authority meeting and thank him for again for raising issues pertinent for deaf people in London.

"In answer to his first question, I am told that the New Scotland Yard Information Room – which receives police 999 calls – has had a minicom textphone facility for some time. The number is 0800 220377 or 0800 220391.

"As regards local police stations, the MPS took the decision earlier this year to provide a minicom facility at each Borough Operational Command Unit. The equipment contract was completed in July. So far over half the intended police stations have received their minicom units, which have been located in the emergency control rooms. The remainder should be in place shortly. The MPS will ensure that Directory Enquiries are told these numbers and that they appear in the telephone directories as soon as possible. I know that the MPS would welcome any help that the RNID can offer in publicising these numbers.

"As far as I am aware, there is not yet a dependable mobile equivalent of the textphone system that works on the fixed telephone networks. SMS text messaging from mobile phones must offer some exciting possibilities and I am sure that the MPS will continue to monitor technological developments.

"Turning to the issue of deaf awareness training, my response must be along the same lines as that which I gave Asif when he asked a similar question of the Authority last April in relation to training for police officers. There is no corporate training programme specifically on the issue of deaf awareness although all new police officers, traffic wardens and police community support officers receive diversity training as part of their induction training programme. In my reply to Asif last April I said that the relevant MPA committee would receive a report from the MPS on how it responds to the needs of the disabled community, including the deaf and hard of hearing. This report is due to be considered by the Authority’s Equal Opportunities and Diversity Board on 28 November.

"My thanks again to Asif for raising these issues.”

24. Petition to the Authority

(Agenda item 5)

The Authority received a petition which was presented by Mr and Mrs Lindo and signed by 126 people, in the following terms:

“A groundbreaking MPS inquiry report in January 2000 found that we Sonia and Delroy Lindo and our eldest son Tyrone were victims of police harassment because of negative stereotyping. In the wake of such damning findings about certain MPS officers and comprehensive recommendations for change why have we continued to experience police harassment?”

Mr and Mrs Lindo addressed the Authority in support of this petition, detailing what they alleged was continuing police harassment. In doing so they put forward the following recommendations:

“* the establishment of an urgent inquiry into the ongoing and escalating harassment of the Lindo family

“* firm action to be taken at all levels of the Met to put a stop to this kind of harassment which is the daily experience of many black people in the capital, particularly young black men. Despite the sweeping recommendations of Macpherson, more must be done to make the police accountable for their actions and to make them stop prejudging an individual's criminality on the basis of race

“* the establishment of more accountable and transparent procedures around stop and search, the charging of people with a criminal offence and the bringing such offences to court. The police who conducted the inquiry report into the Lindos were in favour of observers who are ordinary members of the public being able to watch the police carrying out stops and searches on the street as long as they do not obstruct the officers. Surely, police encouragement of such a move would go a long way towards building trust and confidence between the police and the community.”

The Clerk made an initial oral response to the petition, as follows:

“On behalf of the Authority, can I thank Mr and Mrs Lindo for presenting this petition. In line with the Authority’s usual practice, I will write to Mr and Mrs Lindo shortly to reply to the petition and the issues raised at this meeting.

“I would, however, like to respond in general terms. The Metropolitan Police Authority takes seriously any complaint of alleged police harassment that is brought to its attention and our commitment to treating everyone fairly is absolute. Following what Mr and Mrs Lindo themselves describe as a groundbreaking MPS inquiry report, the MPA both responded formally to it and has monitored the implementation of the MPS action plan through the former Professional Standards and Performance Monitoring Committee. The most recent report to that committee was in June of this year. The Authority’s Professional Standards and Complaints Committee will continue this process.

“I know that, on a personal level, the Chair of the Authority has in the past met with Mr and Mrs Lindo to hear their concerns and has sought information from the Commissioner on their behalf. I also know that, after discussion with the Haringey Borough Commander and senior officers of the MPS, he was assured by them that there is no deliberate or conscious campaign of harassment against Mr Lindo or members of his family. Of course, he and other members of the Authority would be extremely disturbed if subsequently this belief proved to be unfounded.

“I suggest that, given that processes are already in place to investigate such complaints of harassment, members may not be persuaded that a further inquiry is called for at this stage.

"I will be responding to Mr and Mrs Lindo in greater detail shortly. At that time I will discuss with them whether my response can be made public.”

Resolved – That

1. Mr and Mrs Lindo be offered a meeting with Cecile Wright, the Chair of the Equal Opportunities and Diversity Board; and
2. The Clerk respond in writing to the petition on behalf of the Authority.

25. Minutes of committees

(Agenda item 6)

The Authority received the approved or draft minutes of the following committees:

• Professional Standards and Complaints, 18 July
• Planning, Performance and Review, 22 July
• Human Resources, 25 July
• Co-ordination and Policing, 6 September

26. Launch of the environmental strategy

(Agenda item 7)

The Chair and the Commissioner jointly launched the MPS/MPA Environmental Strategy.

27. Chair’s, Members’ and Clerk’s updates

(Agenda item 8)

Updates on their activities since the last meeting were tabled from the Chair, Sir John Quinton, Peter Herbert and Nicholas Long.

Eric Ollerenshaw referred to a visit to Wandsworth made by the Home Secretary at which local street crime figures had been released. He had attempted unsuccessfully to get a copy of these figures and asked how this could be done and when the Authority had been aware of them. This matter could not be settled at the meeting and it was agreed to ask the officers to investigate the chronology of when the MPA had been made aware of the visit and the release of the local street crime figures.

Cecile Wright reported that she had attended the Street Wardens Forum launch and the Gender Agenda conference.

Elizabeth Howlett reported that, as Bromley link member, she had met with the borough commander and the community police consultative group.

Richard Sumray reported that he had attended the London-wide Child Protection Panel in July.

28. Question from a Member

(Agenda item 9)

Tony Arbour had given notice that he wished to ask the following question:

“Will the Authority take the lead in considering the establishment of a national organisation to respond to, and assist in, the investigation and management of critical incidents? Such a body would consolidate national resources and expertise where a response is needed from law enforcement agencies.”

Following discussion of the issues, the overall feeling of the meeting was that there would be various disadvantages in establishing a national resource and the present collaborative process was the best in the circumstances.

29. Commissioner’s update

(Agenda item 10)

Fire Service Dispute

The Commissioner reported that officers from the Public Order Branch had been in discussion with the military and the London Fire Brigade to develop contingencies for police assistance in the event of industrial action by London fire fighters. Clearly there would be health and safety issues where officers attended incidents. In terms of consequential abstractions, these would initially be drawn from traffic garages and the driving school and only from boroughs as a last resort.

Realignment of management board structure

The Deputy Commissioner tabled a diagram showing a new senior management structure aimed at aligning the organisation more closely with MPS crime objectives. He would discuss with the Chair of the Authority and a sounding board of members proposals as to which officer should fill which position.

Public order events

The Commissioner referred to the Liberty and Livelihood March on 22 September, which had passed off peacefully, and to the forthcoming Stop the War Coalition and Muslim Association of Britain march.

At the suggestion of Richard Sumray, it was agreed to ask the MPS to produce a report giving details of the number of large public order events that the MPS has had to police so far this year, their costs and how this number of events compares with previous years.

Gun crime

The Commissioner reported that the MPS was on target to meet the 2002/03 objective of restricting the growth in firearm-related violent crime to 10%.

Operation Safer Homes

The Commissioner reported that this operation was provisionally set to start on 22 October. It would adopt a similar approach to that used in Operation Safer Streets to tackle burglary and to target known prolific burglars.

MPS/Crown Prosecution Service joint working protocol

On 17 September the Commissioner and the Chief Crown Prosecutor signed a protocol to establish a joint steering group to enable closer working to improve the investigation and prosecution of crime.

Richard Sumray said that it would be useful if in due course the courts were included on the steering group. He also saw a role for the MPA in monitoring progress.

Issues raised by members

Richard Barnes commented that the Mayor appeared to be considering counting Police Community Support Officers in his increased number of police officers. The Commissioner commented that the Home Secretary had made it clear that PCSOs were separate to police numbers – he hoped that that continued to be the Mayor’s approach.

Richard Barnes also asked about the vehicle allocation formula which had caused some disquiet amongst some borough commanders who felt that their allocation was inadequate. The MPS Director of Resources responded that the formula was an innovation which had been agreed with territorial policing senior management. It involved moving current assets around but there had been no commensurate increase in the capital programme to match the increase in police numbers.

In reply to a question from Cecile Wright, the Deputy Commissioner commented that the Home Secretary’s announcement on Recommendation 61 had introduced a new element to stop and search. He had intended to report on this to the Equal Opportunities and Diversity Board and on to the full Authority as Cecile, as Chair of the Board, thought appropriate.

30. Notting Hill Carnival

(Agenda item 11)

The Authority considered a report by the Commissioner on the outcome of this year’s carnival.

Resolved – That the report be noted.

31. Progress in recruiting to borough workforce targets

(Agenda item 12)

The Authority considered a report by the Commissioner which had been prepared in response to concerns about the ability of the MPS to achieve the borough resource allocation formula target for the year to 31 March 2003.

Whilst recognising the MPS’s significant achievements in boosting recruitment, Members expressed considerable disappointment both that a specific commitment given by the MPA on the basis of information from the MPS would not now be achieved, and that the Authority had not been kept appraised of the position earlier in the year when it must have been clear that the targets were not going to be achieved by 31 March 2003. Although members recognised the pressures caused by the events of 11 September 2001, they pointed out that the formula had been agreed after this based on an understanding of how it would impact.

The Deputy Commissioner commented that the Hendon training school was running at full capacity and the choice was whether growth was allocated to boroughs or counter-terrorism. The government had made it clear that counter-terrorism provision must be made.

The Director of Human Resources expressed regret if members felt that they had been misled. He accepted that there had been problems in dealing with recruitment demands in a timely manner and that the change of location for the selection centre had possibly been done at the wrong time. He reported that intakes at Hendon through to January were full and anticipated that some 1,000 recruits would be allocated to boroughs between now and March 2003. It was necessary to move officers around to achieve a balance of experience across boroughs. 384 officers had so far been appointed to Special Operations, 169 out of the territorial policing pool and the rest largely through transfers into the organisation. Of the 207 Transport OCU posts 83 were so far in post. The Director undertook to discuss with Richard Sumray his concerns about how the resource allocation formula was being applied.

The Chair said that he recognised the achievements in boosting recruitment to the extent it had been. However, he reiterated that the failure to achieve the borough targets must have been apparent some time previously and the Authority should have been alerted at that stage. Implicit in this must have been judgements about where recruits should be placed. He proposed and it was.

Resolved - That the MPS provide a clear statement to the Co-ordination & Policing Committee of what would need to be done to achieve the targets by 31 March 2003 and what would be the implications of doing this.

32. Borough visits 2001/02

(Agenda item 13)

The Authority considered a report by the Chair on the first round of his visits to London boroughs to discuss policing and partnership issues.

He reported that the second round of visits was due to start on 11 October at Bromley. He encouraged not just link members but all members to attend some of these meetings.

Resolved - That the report be noted.

33. MPA accounts for the year ended 31 March 2002

(Agenda item 14)

The Authority considered a report by the Treasurer on the Authority’s draft set of accounts for 2001/02.

Resolved – That approval be given to the draft statement of accounts 2001/02 for onward submission to the Authority’s external auditors.

34. Virdi Inquiry – MPS progress report

(Agenda item 15)

The Authority considered a report by the Commissioner setting out progress made by the MPS in implementing the recommendations of the Virdi Inquiry Report.

R. David Muir referred to recommendation 8 and asked for a copy of the DPA Press Bureau Instructions relating to equality cases.

Resolved –

1. That the progress made by the MPS be noted; and
2. That as recommendations addressed to the MPS are completed they should be reported to the Equal Opportunities and Diversity Board.

35. The MPS drugs strategy 2003-2006

(Agenda item 16)

The Authority considered a report by the Commissioner on the drugs strategy which was due to be launched in October.

Resolved - That the Authority supports the strategy.

36. The Lambeth cannabis warning pilot scheme

(Agenda item 17)

The Authority considered a report by the Commissioner providing an assessment of this pilot scheme.

Resolved – That the report be noted.

37. Review of the MPA Secretariat senior management structure

(Agenda item 18)

The Authority considered a report by the Clerk on the recommendations of a review carried out by consultants.

In introducing the report, the Clerk commended the proposal to recruit a Deputy Clerk with legal experience to lead on the significant number of ACPO conduct cases. She also welcomed the second proposal in relation to an additional policy officer although she felt that there was a need to look in more detail at the skills of existing staff and whether there were alternative ways of freeing them from the more administratively based work to carry out more policy-based work.

After discussion, it was

Resolved – That

1. the recommendations of the Collinson Grant report to appoint a legally qualified deputy clerk and additional policy officer should be implemented immediately, subject to the modifications suggested by the working group, subject to (b) below;
2. the financial implications are addressed in a paper to the Co-ordination and Policing Committee on 4 October 2002; and
3. the working group should oversee implementation of the recommendations arising from the review and provide a quality assurance role after implementation of the recommendations.

38. Action taken under delegated Authority

(Agenda item 19)

The Authority noted a report on action taken by the Clerk under delegated authority on the grounds of urgency.

The meeting ended at 1 p.m.

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