Appointments to the Authority

Report: 3a-AGM
Date: 29 May 2008
By: Chief Executive

Summary

This report recommends that appointments at the Annual Meeting should be made for a term to expire on 30 September. This will enable appointments for the rest of the year to reflect the new Independent membership, which is effective from 1 October and also the Mayoral powers to chair the Authority or to appoint its chair and deputy chairs, which come into force on 1 October.

The report asks the Authority to appoint its chair and deputy chair(s) for that period.

A. Recommendation

That

1. all appointments made at this Annual Meeting be made for a period expiring at midnight on 30 September 2008, with the exception of the Deputy Chair(s) of the Authority;

2. the meeting of the Authority scheduled for 25 September be moved to either Monday 6 October at 10.00 a.m. or Thursday 9 October at 10.00 a.m. to enable appointments for the remainder of the Authority’s year to be made at that meeting;

3. the Authority appoints its Chair for the period to 30 September; and

4. the Authority appoints its Deputy Chair(s) for the period to 21 September 2008.

B. Supporting information

Term of appointments

1. At its annual meeting the Authority appoints members to various positions, committees and outside bodies for the year. Members will be aware that this year the situation is more complicated. As a result of the Police and Justice Act 2006 (and subsequent regulations – the Metropolitan Police Authority Regulations 2008) the next term of office for independent members does not start until 1 October this year. This is the same date from which the powers given to the Mayor by that Act come into effect, namely to chair the Authority and/or to appoint the chair. The Mayor has made assembly member appointments on a term to 30 September 2008, at which point they will be reviewed.

2. The Regulations also give the Mayor the power to appoint ‘one or more vice-chairmen from among the members of the Metropolitan Police Authority’. However the regulations state that ‘where a vice-chairman ceases to hold office at any time between annual meetings, the Mayor may make an appointment to fill the vacancy at any meeting of the Metropolitan Police Authority held more than fourteen days after the occurrence of the vacancy.’ To enable the appointment of Deputy Chair(s) to be made at the same time as the other appointments, at an Authority meeting proposed for October, the Deputy Chair appointment(s) must expire on 21 September, otherwise the appointment(s) would have to wait until the next Authority meeting on 30 October.

3. The Authority is therefore recommended to make all appointments at this annual meeting to expire at midnight on 30 September 2008, with the exception of Authority Deputy Chair appointment(s) which should expire at midnight on 21 September.

4. The Authority’s first meeting after the summer recess is currently scheduled for 25 September. It is recommended that the meeting is moved to either Monday 6 October at 10.00 a.m. or Thursday 9 October 2008 at 10.00 a.m. In addition to regular business, this meeting could then consider and approve all appointments for the remainder of the year until the Authority’s next annual meeting in June 2009. If members agree to re-arrange the meeting for Thursday 9 October the Professional Standards Cases Sub-Committee and Professional Standards and Complaints Committee would be re-scheduled to 16 October 2008. The meeting of the full Authority scheduled to be held on 30 October would continue to be held.

Chair and Deputy Chair(s) of the Authority

6. If the above recommendations are agreed, members are asked to nominate and appoint a Chair and Deputy Chair(s) of the Authority. Expressions of interest in these positions will be tabled at the meeting.

C. Race and equality impact

There are no specific implications as a result of these recommendations.

D. Financial implications

There are no financial implications.

E. Background papers

None

F. Contact details

Report author(s): Nick Baker, MPA Committee Services,

For more information contact:

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

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