Minutes

Minutes of the meeting of the Metropolitan Police Authority held on 24 April 2003 at 10 Dean Farrar Street, London, SW1.

Present

Members

• Toby Harris (Chair)
• Richard Barnes (Deputy Chair)
• Anthony Arbour
• Jennette Arnold
• Reshard Auladin
• Cindy Butts
• Lynne Featherstone
• Kirsten Hearn
• Elizabeth Howlett
• Nicholas Long
• Sir John Quinton
• Richard Sumray
• Graham Tope
• Abdal Ullah
• Rachel Whittaker
• Cecile Wright

MPA officers

• Catherine Crawford (Clerk)
• Peter Martin (Treasurer)
• Nick Baker (Head of Committee Services)

MPS officers

• Ian Blair (Deputy Commissioner)
• Sharon Burd (Director of Finance)
• Bernard Hogan Howe (Assistant Commissioner)
• Andy Todd (Deputy Assistant Commissioner)

Part 1

110. Apologies for absence

(Agenda item 1)

Apologies for absence were received from Nicky Gavron, Diana Johnson Jenny Jones, Peter Herbert, Eric Ollerenshaw and Sir John Stevens (Commissioner).

111. Declarations of interest

(Agenda item 2)

No declarations of interest were made.

112. Minutes

(Agenda item 3)

Members received the minutes of the Authority meeting held on 27 March 2003. Arising from minute 98 - Community Police Consultative Groups and Independent Custody Visiting Funding for 2003/04 - it was noted that some members had requested, but not received, further details of the evaluation process in order to support discussions with colleagues in boroughs. Concern was also expressed at the decision to withdraw funding for Racial Incident Panels.

The Chair informed the Authority that the Consultation Committee had delegated powers to make decisions relating to the funding of Community Police Consultative Groups and Independent Custody Visiting and this would be discussed at its meeting later in the day. It was also noted that funding for Racial Incident Panels should be made by other funding streams.

Resolved – That the minutes of the Authority meeting held on 27 March 2003 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

113. Question from the public

(Agenda item 4)

In accordance with the Authority’s Standing Orders (SO15), the Authority received a question from Ms Kelly Rebekah ben-Maimon, as follows:

“Who are the named individuals from the Metropolitan Police Authority responsible for sanctioning my removal from the panel of Independent Custody Visitors – Lambeth?”

The Clerk of the Authority replied as follows:

"Ms ben-Maimon has already asked this question of the Chair of the Authority. The response remains that contained in his letter to her. No MPA officer made a decision to remove her. Her three year tenure ended last year. The Chair of the Lambeth ICV Panel did not apply to the Authority to have it extended and, therefore, in accordance with Home Office guidelines her service came to a natural end."

114. Minutes of committees

(Agenda item 5)

The Authority received the draft minutes of the following committees:

• Human Resources Committee 3 April 2003
• Co-ordination and Policing Committee 4 April 2003

It was noted that Finance Committee minutes of the 10 April 2003 would be presented to the May meeting of the Authority.

Arising from the Human Resources (HR) Committee minutes, concern was expressed that an item on congestion charging had been considered by HR Committee and not, as agreed, by the full Authority. It was reported that the full Authority would receive an update of the further review due to end in October, at its July meeting.

Resolved - That

1. the minutes of committees be noted; and
2. the Authority receive at its July meeting, an update on the MPS pilot scheme relating on the impact on staff of the congestion charge.

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

(Agenda item 6)

The Authority noted tabled and oral updates given by the Chair and other members.

The Chair supported Kirsten Hearn’s request that all updates be circulated prior to the meeting.

116. Commissioner’s update

(Agenda item 7)

In the absence of the Commissioner, the Deputy Commissioner, Ian Blair, updated the Authority on a number of issues:

Annual crime statistics

The Deputy Commissioner informed the Authority of the recently announced annual crime statistics which showed a fall across London of street crime (down 16%), burglary (2%), car crime (1%), homicides (3% - clear up rate 81%) and fatal shootings (16%). He added that in achieving these figures the MPS had met the crime reduction targets set in the 2002/03 Policing Plan.

Members congratulated the MPS on performance in these areas and noted that three of the key targets set by the Government had been met. Members felt that the MPS now needed to work on sustaining and delivering further reductions.

The Authority also discussed the benefits of performance monitoring statistics being delivered on a borough-by-borough basis, in order to give a clearer picture of the variants across London. It was noted that Planning, Performance and Review Committee received this data in that format and it was suggested that the Authority should receive an end of year report, highlighting areas of concern and any remedial action taken.

National fire arms amnesty

The Deputy Commissioner updated members on the current national firearm amnesty and reported that to date 1,431 firearms and over 34,000 rounds of ammunition had been handed into police in London.

The Authority discussed gun related crime and the concerns of local residents in some areas of London relating to an increase in such incidents and the associated perception that some areas of London were becoming no-go areas. The Deputy Commissioner recognised these concerns and reported that the MPS were working hard with local communities and Operation Trident to improve the situation in these areas.

Police recruitment

The Deputy Commissioner reported the police recruitment figures. These included: exceeding the target police recruitment by 76 officers and budgeted workforce target by 65 officers, an increase of 500 women officers (which raised the total of women officers from 16.1% to 16.7%), an increase of 286 officers from visible ethnic minorities, with an in-year recruitment percentage of 10.7% (from 4.8% last year) and a large increase in the number of officers transferring into the MPS from other constabularies.

The Deputy Commissioner also reported that following a legislative change, the MPS were launching a new recruitment campaign to announce that foreign nationals. with the permanent right of abode and free of working restrictions and who were European Economic Area members can now join the MPS.

Following questions raised about the recruitment figures: these were confirmed as correct as end of April 2003. It was also noted that in relation to maintaining RAF target allocations, borough-by-borough figures would be monitored by the appropriate committee(s).

The Authority also agreed to receive a report on the work undertaken by the Black Police Association and the Christian Police Association on recruitment and the Deputy Commissioner concluded by giving details of an event held at New Scotland Yard to scope the possibility of establishing a Youth Independent Advisory Group.

Public order events

The Deputy Commissioner and Deputy Assistant Commissioner, Andy Trotter reported details on recent public order events.

Some members raised concerns at the MPS decision not to invoke Section 60 of the Criminal Justice Public Order Act 1994 for the National Front march and rally held in Bermondsey on 19 April 2003, although the reasons for this were understood. Members also suggested that social services and other agencies should be made aware of the impact on young people who were caught up in the march and rally.

A brief outline was given of policing arrangements for May Day.

Tenth anniversary of the death of Stephen Lawrence

The Deputy Commissioner reported that the racist murder of Stephen Lawrence was a time for reflection for the MPS and he paid tribute to the tenacity and courage of Stephen Lawrence’s parents in seeking justice for their son. This was support by the Authority; members noted the number of important changes made arising from the Stephen Lawrence report and acknowledged that there was still work to be done.

Confirmation was given that adverse comments made in a radio interview had not been made by an MPS officer.

MPS Fairness at work policy

Members welcomed the launch of the MPS fairness at work policy launched on 11 April 2003, which replaces the grievance procedure.

Incident at Hillingdon Hospital

The Deputy Commissioner informed the Authority that, contrary to recent comments made in the press and elsewhere, the MPS were taking seriously the recent incident at Hillingdon Hospital. The link member for Hillingdon, Richard Barnes raised concerns about the adverse affect on the strong support from the community for the police investigation following comments made by individual purporting to be supporting the family of the deceased person.

Speed cameras

The Deputy Commissioner refuted the claims made in the press that the MPS had set speed cameras at a higher setting than the speed limit. The Deputy Commissioner agreed to meet any concerned members to discuss this issue further if required.

117. Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary of the Metropolitan Police Service 2002/03

(Agenda item 8)

The Authority received a report that summarised the conclusions and recommendations of an HMIC full inspection of the MPS and which outlined the statutory process for responding to the report.

Members were invited to suggest specific areas that they required the MPS to address in the report to the June meeting of the Authority; these included: homicide investigation; de-civilianisation; management growth; performance strategy and the MPS views on the tensions caused by the need for the MPS to react to planned/non planned issues.

Resolved - That

1. the Commissioner be invited to submit comments on HMIC’s report by 31 May 2003 (with particular reference to HMIC’s recommendations and conclusions plus implications for equalities, diversity and finances);
2. the Commissioner be invited to include in his submission a plan setting out actions taken/to be taken, by whom and over what period to address HMIC’s recommendations and conclusions; and
3. the MPA receives a report at its meeting on 26 June 2003 setting out (a) the Commissioner’s comments and plan; (b) proposed MPA comments on HMIC’s report; and (c) any comments the MPA wishes to make on the comments submitted by the Commissioner.

118. Section 60 Criminal Justice Public Order Act 1994

(Agenda item 9)

At the February 2003 meeting members requested further information in relation to Section 620 of the Criminal Justice Public Order Act 1994. The Authority now received a report that provided details of the legislation and the MPS use of powers contained within the Act.

The Deputy Commissioner informed the Authority that the MPS welcomed the opportunity to review the use of Section 60.

Arising from the discussion, members raised concerns that the purpose of the Act may not be being implemented correctly and suggested that as a form of monitoring, a review of a random selection of cases should be undertaken. It was also suggested that borough-by-borough information would be useful for members and that the MPS look at existing community involvement in this matter, such as that being undertaken in Southwark.

Reference was made to paragraph 2 of the report and the statement that the Act was invoked when there was specific, accurate and timely intelligence, yet evidence showed that Section 60 was being used on a daily basis which suggested that there was some misinterpretation of its purpose (although the MPS stated that intelligence could be received at very short notice and reaffirmed that Section 60 was being used as a preventative power). Members also raised concerns about the disproportionality of stops under the Act.

Members were informed that the MPS’ Inspectorate were carrying out a review of the use of Section 60 to highlight any areas of concern and good practice and it was agreed that a small group of members should be given regular updates regarding this inspection. It was agreed that the following members form the MPA oversight of the inspection: Cecile Wright, Sir John Quinton; Jennette Arnold, Abdal Ullah and Nichols Long.

Resolved – That the report be noted.

119. Action taken under delegated authority

(Agenda item 10)

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

Resolved – That the report be noted.

The meeting ended at 12.35 p.m.

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