Policing and performance plan 2003/04: proposed objectives and selected targets and measures

Report: 12a
Date: 30 January 2003
By: Commissioner

Summary

The report sets out the proposed revised objectives to be included in the 2003/04 Policing and Performance Plan, together with a first phase of targets and measures to support them. The remaining targets and measures, which are still under development, will be taken to the February full Authority meeting following initial consideration at Co-ordination and Policing Committee (CoP)

A. Recommendations

1. Members agree the revised objectives to be included in the 2003/4 Policing & Performance Plan, including a new objective on auto-crime;
2. Members agree the first phase of targets and measures that will support 13 of the objectives in the plan; and
3. Members note that the targets and measures supporting the remaining objectives will be taken to the February full Authority meeting.

B. Supporting information

Objectives

1. The objectives that will support the high level priorities in the 2003/04 policing plan were originally proposed by the MPS at last November’s full Authority meeting. Members debated the proposal and, following lengthy discussion, requested that the MPS work with the Planning Panel to resolve those issues raised by the members.

2. The Planning Panel met most recently on 13 January to consider an amended set of objectives put forward by the MPS that incorporated the earlier views expressed by members, and the subsequent advice of the Planning Panel. At Appendix 1 is the revised MPS proposed set of objectives that support the agreed priorities (members are asked to note that this list reflects the MPS’s wish to withdraw the objective ‘to develop a dynamic HR function that supports the delivery of the policing priorities of the MPS’, due to a lack of appropriate measures and targets). Revisions are shown in italics.

3. The MPS Management Board has also given further consideration to the approach to auto-crime. It was originally intended that there would be a corporate target for auto-crime derived from the bespoke target setting process, but that it would not feature as a corporate objective. The MPS has decided that in order to maintain the focus on this crime, and to achieve the aggregated target of 7% the reduction of auto-crime should be installed as a corporate objective.

4. Members are asked to agree the objectives at Appendix 1.

Targets and measures

5. The development of appropriate targets and measures that relate to each objective has proved a challenging process. This is due to a number of factors including:

• The introduction of Priorities for Excellence for the first time, which do not necessarily lend themselves to shorter term targets.
• The lack of baseline data required to put some targets into context.
• The need to establish definitions in new areas e.g. human trafficking.
• The requirement to set targets that are consistent with the content of the National Policing Plan and the treasury led Public Service Agreement (PSA) targets.
• Finding targets and measures that reflect what is trying to be achieved, rather than activities that are easily quantifiable
• The need to ensure that any targets and measures are set in the context of the 2 year Strategic Plan.

6. The MPS has therefore decided to propose initially targets and measures in support of those objectives where there is greater certainty about what can be delivered in 2003/04, given the expected level of resources. At Appendix 2 is this first phase of targets and measures for the consideration of members. The MPS is seeking agreement to this ‘phase 1’ submission at this meeting, in order that the necessary focus and development work can be directed towards those targets and measures that are not yet sufficiently defined.

7. There are a total of 10 objectives that support the Priorities for Londoners which form part of this submission. These are:

• Anti-terrorism
• Street crime
• Burglary
• Auto-crime
• Rape
• Domestic violence
• Hate crime
• Child protection
• Road collisions

8. The additional 3 objectives under the proposal support the Priorities for Excellence. Two of these relate to diversity, and one to the implementation of the National Intelligence Model.

9. The 13 objectives covered by this submission comprise a total of 21 targets and measures. Each of the targets is supported by current performance or contextual background information to assist members in their deliberations. The MPS has not put forward those objectives where there are closely linked relationships such as the reduction of murder, disruption of trafficking and the disruption of the criminal use of firearms. These can be considered more easily by members as smaller, related sets.

Next steps

10. The MPS intends to propose a ‘phase 2’ submission for the remaining targets and measures at the February full authority meeting. In order to achieve maximum benefit from that meeting it has been agreed that these targets and measures should be initially considered informally at a COP meeting. The following timetable is therefore proposed:

24 January

Planning Panel considers ‘phase 1’ targets and measures proposed by MPS

30 January

Full authority approves objectives and phase 1 submission

17 February

Co-ordination and Policing Committee considers phase 2 targets & measures

27 February

Full authority gives final approval to targets and measures

Bespoke targets

11. Members are asked to agree the phase 1 targets and measures as proposed. The proposed targets for street crime, burglary and auto-crime have been derived from a bespoke target setting process. Members are asked to agree the corporate targets under these objectives. If any link member wishes to discuss their own borough’s contribution to the corporate target this can be arranged through the local borough commander.

C. Equality and diversity implications

Development of the MPS’s approach to diversity is included among the objectives within Appendix 2 of this paper. There will be more detail on how issues such as hate crime will be addressed in the paper going to the full authority in February.

D. Financial implications

There are no specific financial implications arising from these proposals, although the development of the objectives and targets will determine in broad terms how the MPS proposes to use its resources in the coming year.

E. Background papers

None

F. Contact details

Report authors: John Zlotnicki and Michael Debens

For more information contact:

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

Send an e-mail linking to this page

Feedback