Development of three-year strategy plan

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

Summary

The National Policing Plan requires the MPA to issue a three-year strategy plan, in addition to its annual plan. This paper outlines the principles being used to develop the strategy plan. It seeks members’ approval to these principles.

A. Recommendations

1. Members note the timescales for development of the MPA's first three-year strategy plan; and 2. members approve the principles being used to develop the strategy plan.

B. Supporting information

Background

1. The National Policing Plan (NPP) was published in November 2002. It provides the strategic national overview against which chief officers and police authorities should prepare their own local three-year strategy plans and annual policing plans. Three-year strategy plans were introduced by the Police Reform Act, aimed at strengthening police authorities' capacity to focus on the medium to longer-term direction of the force. This paper outlines the principles being used to develop the MPA's first strategy plan.

2. The MPA must submit its proposed plan to the Home Secretary by 28 February, who will then check its consistency with the NPP. A discussion at the Planning Panel on 13 January questioned whether it would be possible for the MPA to delay its submission to the Home Secretary. Until resolved, the timetable for further development of the strategy plan is:

30 January

Full Authority considers principles for development of 3-year strategy plan

7 February

Co-ordination and Policing Committee provides feedback on the draft

27 February

Full Authority approves 3-year strategy plan

28 February

Home Secretary reviews 3-year strategy plan to check its consistency with the NPP

Mid March

Home Secretary’s feedback

31 March

Strategy plan issued by the Authority

30 June

Summary strategy plan published

Development principles

3. As noted in the text of 'Towards the Safest City', this document will play a key role in formulating the MPA's first three-year strategy plan. The strategy plan will be structured around the goals of ‘Towards the Safest City’. (An analysis has shown that the 51 imperatives in the NPP can be structured easily around the existing goals. Other approaches considered - e.g. structuring around the government’s four strategic priorities or around the six developing performance domains - proved less successful in providing a framework for inclusion of all of the NPP imperatives).

4. To progress this approach, minor modifications to some aims are needed to bring 'Towards the Safest City' into line with the NPP. Some additional aims are also necessary. As an example, an aim relating to road safety is needed to reflect the NPP's inclusion of roads policing.

5. To re-enforce and consolidate the link to 'Towards the Safest City', it is proposed to call the strategy plan 'Towards the Safest City - one year on.'

6. Under Home Office guidelines, the annual plan is the detailed one-year implementation plan of the three-year strategy plan. Hence, it is proposed to:

• Include specific reference to murder in goal 1 (To promote safer communities for Londoners).
• Include a further 'key strategic initiative' (Communication) to provide the framework for development of the annual objective for excellence 'To communicate more effectively with Londoners and our staff.'

7. If the approaches outlined above are adopted, the way in which the MPA’s annual objectives contribute to implementation of the goals/aims of its three-year strategy plan can be demonstrated.

8. Comparative performance data against other metropolitan forces will be published in the strategy plan where it is meaningful to do so. However, there will be an accompanying rider highlighting why international benchmarking against other major cities is also appropriate, and the steps being taken to progress this work.

9. As we live in a volatile environment and the Policing Performance Assessment Framework has not yet been finalised, it is not proposed to include medium term targets for any performance indicators, other than those required by the Home Office.

10. It is proposed to show both the medium term targets (for vehicle crime, burglary and street crime - originally set by the Home Office in 2000), and the 2003/04 annual target agreed via the bespoke process, even though the latter is unlikely to result in the original medium term target in being achieved. This is in order to set realistic and achievable annual targets. The strategy plan will have to state our position on these issues, which is, at present, that we are improving our performance but may fall short of the original targets. It is possible that before 2005 these measures and targets will be revised in line with Policing Performance Assessment Framework developments.

11. Until the Policing Performance Assessment Framework has been finalised, it is proposed to retain the existing (text based) section ‘We will know we have succeeded if’ in Towards the Safest City, even when there is some quantifiable performance data to show.

12. The resource information to be included in the strategy plan will draw appropriate links to the medium term financial plan. A further comment will be to the effect 'We will expand on the information provided, following guidance from the developing Policing Performance Assessment Framework.'

13. The strategy plan will not list in great detail all of the on-going work in the MPS. Rather, it will act as a consolidation document that brings together existing work and provides the foundation for taking the MPA/MPS forward.

Additional information

14. An analysis has been performed to show how all of the 51 imperatives from the NPP have been incorporated into one or another of the MPA's plans – its annual or three-year strategy plan. It is proposed to give this analysis as a supporting document to the Home Secretary when he checks whether or not the strategy plan is consistent with the NPP. Such an analysis could also be given to the Audit Commission when it audits the annual plan. The analysis provides reassurance to all scrutinising bodies that the MPA has taken the NPP into account when developing its plans.

15. The document submitted to the Home Secretary will contain all of the information required under the NPP. As a result, it will contain a number of annexes (e.g. the MPS strategy for tackling youth nuisance and anti-social behaviour, and an overview of arrangements for completing the roll out of Airwave by 2005). The full document will therefore be quite large. It is hence proposed to produce a more readable summary version. The communication and marketing of this summary will link into to the marketing and distribution of the 2003/04 annual policing and performance plan.

C. Equality and diversity implications

1. In developing the original ‘Towards the Safest City’, consideration was given to equality and diversity impact. Under the goal ‘Developing a Professional and Effective Workforce’, two different aims encapsulate the service’s desire to reflect London’s diverse communities. It is proposed to retain these aims in the modified version. An insert will be included in copies of the summary document to be distributed to an external audience, offering a translation into braille or audiotape and ethnic minority languages. Equality considerations will therefore be addressed during the production and distribution of the strategy plan.

D. Financial implications

1. The cost of implementing the strategy plan will be assessed through costing the range of projects being set up to deliver the 2003/04 (and subsequent) annual plans. Financial choices will consider the direction set by the strategy plan when prioritising funding.

E. Background papers

• Update on 'Towards the Safest City' (Planning, Performance and Review Committee 19 September 2002 – paper 8)

F. Contact details

Report authors: John Zlotnicki, Director, MPS corporate planning group and Sarah Hedgcock, MPS corporate planning group

For more information contact:

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

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