MPA Counter terrorist oversight

Report: 8
Date: 28 February 2008
By: the Chief Executive

Summary

This report updates members on work under development across police authorities counter terrorist units  to embed oversight arrangements for counter terrorist policing within MPA business management. It recommends that the MPA revisit its individual arrangements for oversight to ensure a corporate approach with CTU authorities is reached and that data is analysed across committees effectively.

A. Recommendation

That

1. the Chief Executive work with the Chair, lead members and Senior Management Team (SMT) to develop count terrorism (CT) business management to support current oversight arrangements for counter terrorism; and

2. oversight arrangements remain as currently established, with formal public reporting across MPA committees and non-public scrutiny by the Home Secretary’s appointee and the deputy chair, appropriately vetted. A CT Oversight Group is established to support Members and provide co-ordinated oversight and management of CT business across the Authority.

B. Supporting information

1. In April last year the MPA, West Yorkshire Police Authority, Greater Manchester Police Authority and West Midlands Police Authority established a joint oversight group to establish co-ordinated scrutiny of the national CT programme, supporting authorities in their oversight functions and assisting the MPA in its national oversight responsibilities under section 96B of the Police Act 1996. The Authority has since received regular reports on its progress, which can be accessed on links provided at the end of this report. A year on, the four authorities have positively faced internal and external challenges and are moving forward to conduct professional national oversight of the CTU build.

2. During a recent CTU Oversight Group authorities have taken significant steps forward in the delivery of counter terrorist oversight at force and national level. This includes plans to invite Chairs from CTIU authorities to twice-yearly meetings and closer working with the APA Strategic Policing Policy Group (SPPG) in order to consider performance right across the national build. To assist this the chief executives of the four CTU police authorities have worked to develop a generic oversight framework to be integrated into oversight arrangements for all police authorities with specific arrangements for CTU and CTIU authorities attached in Appendices 1 and 2. In Appendix 2 West Yorkshire Police Authority have developed the generic framework attached Appendix 1. This is attached to give a steer on how the benchmark may be integrated across the MPA, with more consideration given to public and private reporting, evidence measures and frequency of reporting across committees and relevant groups. Whilst more consideration is needed, particularly around the public and private reporting officers are keen to develop this benchmark across the MPA.

3. The current arrangements for West Yorks, West Midlands and Greater Manchester CT oversight are as follows:

4. In September 2007 West Yorkshire Police Authority established a Specialist Policing Committee. Its terms of reference can be downloaded on the following link http://www.wypa.org/section-item.asp?sid=22&iid=306 . In particular it maintains an overview of the Counter Terrorism Specialist Unit, monitoring its efficiency and effectiveness on behalf the police authorities it serves. It held a conference on preventing terrorism last year and is working to incorporate the performance benchmark designed by the CTUOG into committee oversight.

5. The West Midlands Authority has recently formed a Community and Security Committee, the terms of reference can be downloaded on the following link http://www.west-midlands-pa.gov.uk/terms_cas.asp . In particular it ensures the effective discharge of the authority’s consultative and engagement responsibilities, monitors the work associated with counter terrorism, including force performance and the force’s intelligence model. The Authority is also hosting a joint conference on counter radicalisation in March with the Government Office and the Force.

6. Greater Manchester has established a CT and Serious Crime Scrutiny Panel. The panel supports the formal reporting structures of the Authority, Members of the panel are security clearance vetted and consider the following:

• Relevant statistics.
• Threat assessment.
• Relevant HMIC Inspection reports.
• Performance against business plans.
• Consideration of resource levels.
• Consideration of financial issues that are not suitable to be dealt with in the normal financial oversight mechanisms of the Authority.
• Operational briefings.

7. The third administration of the MPA the opportunity to revisit current business arrangements across a number of functions. Alongside the MPS the Authority today is faced with the changing and significant challenge from domestic and international terrorism. The Authority has pioneered oversight arrangements for counter terrorism since 2000 based on its specific statutory responsibilities under Section 96A of the Police Act 1996. Current Authority activities include: budget monitoring, public and private performance monitoring, internal auditing, scrutiny and public consultation spearheaded by Counter Terrorism the London Debate. However, given the significant increase in central government investment into counter terrorism, reflecting the gravity of the threat it is the responsibility of the MPA to ensure that oversight is conducted in a professional and coordinated manner.

8. The Authority would therefore seek to build upon the expertise developed since 2000. At this stage officers would advise against taking CT out of mainstream business of the MPA, but recognise that current processes may require more specialist support. It is therefore proposed that a small oversight group is established to support the Authority in securing efficiency and effectiveness, integrate the benchmarking attached in Appendices 1 and 2 into performance management and drive forward CT business across MPA committees. Officers would develop detailed terms of reference for Members to agree by the AGM in July and will begin work to introduce the performance benchmarks attached. This would work to support and compliment detailed performance structures developed by the Head of Performance and Planning Unit and progress current scrutiny activity.

C. Race and equality impact

1. Transparency and openness are critical to building trust and confidence in the police service. Policing of counter terrorism is no different and must have the utmost consideration for rights and individual liberties of all citizens. It is important that policing interventions do not result in a negative experience for certain communities fuelling alienation and mistrust and in the worst-case scenarios motivation towards extremism.

2. A critical element of MPA scrutiny as identified in the benchmark attached will be to continue to monitor and assess the equality and diversity impact and engagement and consultative arrangements of the MPS CT strategy. 

D. Financial implications

The financial implications associated with CT business management across the MPS are considerable and complex. In order to support the statutory responsibilities of Finance and Corporate Governance Committees and the Treasurer the oversight group will provide a mechanism for detailed scrutiny.

E. Background papers

Full Authority 25th October 2007 report 15

Full Authority 31st May 2007 report 7 and report 10

F. Contact details

Report author: Sally Benton, MPS

For more information contact:

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

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