C3i/Airwave position report

Report: 11
Date: 29 April 2004
By: Commissioner

Summary

The paper provides a summary of progress on the C3i/Airwave Programme. The programme is forecasting that it will be able to deliver the full implementation by the end of the 2005/06 financial year.

A. Recommendation

That the Authority notes the content of this report and endorses the progress made to date.

B. Supporting information

Background

1. Following the MPA-endorsed decision not to proceed with the PFI procurement for C3i in Quarter 1 2001, an in-house project was established to deliver the required C3i solution. A business case was developed defining the scope of the C3i solution and establishing the required funding.

2. In the autumn of 2002, the Home Office along with the Office of Government Commerce (OGC) and Partnerships UK Ltd. (PUK) accepted that it would be more appropriate for the C3i project to be incorporated into a broader programme of activities. This was to encompass the original C3i concept, Airwave, and other associated enabling technologies that would be provisioned through the Directorate of Information (DoI). A formal C3i Programme business case was prepared to reflect the programme and an operational police commander was appointed to oversee the interface between C3i and operational policing.

3. We informed the MPA at the end of 2003 that the internal name for the service that the C3i programme will provide would be Metcall.

Progress to date

4. The term ‘Ready Day’ was causing some concern with respect to a successful communications strategy, as it gave a strong impression that all systems would be operational and at full functionality. Due to other police forces’ experiences of transferring to a central communications service, it was acknowledged that there would be a long and involved period of operational evaluation prior to the formal process of declaring a fully live service. Notwithstanding the reputational risk of problems occurring that may bring negative publicity the term has now been changed to Metcall Initial Phase Day (MIPD) and work is continuing to ensure that an agreed definition for MIPD is provided. This is to be scheduled for completion by the end of April.

5. The C3i programme now has a revised delivery schedule that includes the building fit-out plan and provides a complete end-to-end plan. Recruitment of staff for the services continues at pace with that for communications officers remaining on target, however, supervisory staff recruitment has been more problematic but the programme is confident that minimum requirements will be met for MIPD.

6. To ensure that the boroughs can operate effectively when Metcall service is introduced, the concept of the Integrated Borough Operations (IBO) room has been developed. This implementation is within the C3i programme and funding streams have been identified to ensure that the IBOs can be in place prior to MIPD. A business case was approved by the Co-ordination & Policing Committee on 15 March and the procurement of staff required to implement the IBO and the critical interfaces to Metcall is in progress.

7. The management of the buildings required the appointment of a principle contractor to oversee the fit-out of the three centres. This contract is now in place. This ensures that the coordination of the necessary works is conducted in a safe and timely manner to assure delivery to the C3i Programme master schedule. Currently, Hendon has been handed over and the operational floors fitted with furniture, Lambeth fit-out is under way and Bow is almost completed with fit-out to be commenced 19 April.

8. The programme has been informed by ntl: that the Integrated Communications Platform (ICP) a key component for radio despatch will not be delivered in its entirety for critical testing during the summer of this year. Mitigation plans are being developed to ensure a satisfactory solution will be in place to meet the existing transition plan for MIPD in Autumn 2004.

9. Key Achievements. Key achievements include:

• MDT vehicle rollout continues – 440 vehicles fitted and MDT operating in 14 Boroughs.
• All Change Managers throughout the MPS are in place.
• Recruitment towards civilianisation is on target.
• Call Routing System delivered and being implemented by BT.
• Interpreter service successfully running.

C. Race and equality impact

10. The Muslim ablution facilities will be delivered post practical completion (fit-out period). A Health and Safety and DDA (Disability and Discrimination Act) review has started this period to assess and ensure compliance to DDA requirements within the three Metcall centres.

D. Financial implications

11. The total forecast expenditure for the C3i Programme comprising C3i, Airwave, MDT, MetDuties Phase 1 and C3i Business Change remains within the approved budgets of £200m capital and £57m revenue. These sums are being funded by a combination of Home Office capital and revenue grants and MPS approved and allocated capital and revenue funding.

E. Background papers

None

F. Contact details

Report author: Mike Aston, C3i Programme Director, MPS.

For more information contact:

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

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