Reports from committees

Report: 6
Date: 26 February 2009
By: Chief Executive

At each meeting of the Authority members will receive a report from committees that have meet in recent weeks.

This is the first report from the authority’s committees to the full authority. It provides members with details of the key items considered at each of the committees and their sub-committees.

This report covers the following meetings:

• Finance and Resources Committee – 22 January 2009
•  Strategic and Policing Committee- 5 February 2009

Finance and Resources Committee – 22 January 2009

The following members were in attendance:
Steve O’Connell (Chairman), Faith Boardman (Vice-Chairman), Reshard Auladin (item 6 to 17), Dee Doocey, Len Duvall, Deborah Regal, Graham Speed and Richard Tracey.

Sub-committees

A report was received asking members to note the work programme for the Resources and Productivity and Performance Sub-Committees. A note was also tabled on the proceedings of the Resources Sub Committee held on 16 January 2009. This requested that the Sub Committee “be able to consider and make recommendations to the Finance and Resources Committee on business cases and the subsequent award of contract following tendering when the total value is greater than £30M, below this figure the sub Committee will have delegated authority to take decisions.” Some members were unhappy with the proposal and it was resolved that the proposed change be considered again at the next meeting.

Revenue and capital budget monitoring 2008/09 –period 8

This report provided an update on the revenue and capital budget monitoring position for 2008/09 at period 8 (to the end of November). The revenue budget was forecast to underspend by £22.1m (approximately 0.7% of budget). The capital programme as at period 8 showed year to date total expenditure of £78.4m, representing 36.5% of the revised annual budget of £214.9m. The forecast for the year of £201m was £13.9m below the revised annual budget and £40.1m below the original annual budget of £241.1m.

MPS European commission funding report

The Committee received a report providing an update on internal processes surrounding EU funding and completed funding applications made to the European Commission in 2008. The Acting Director of Financial Services stated that the MPS was becoming more successful in making such bids.

Activity Based Costing results

The provisional police funding allocations 2009/10 were announced by the Minister of State for Policing, Crime and Security on 26 November. The report provided details of the allocations that were as anticipated following the first three year grant announcement from Ministers last year.

Personal Insurance Indemnity Policy (PIIP) – annual progress report

The Finance Committee ratified informal approval of the PIIP in 2004 and requested that an annual progress report be provided summarising key developments since implementation of the policy. The Finance Committee had agreed that the Director of Resources approach the Home Office for a ‘top-up’ indemnity to cover any mass claims arising from a catastrophe situation. The Home Office had responded by writing “we do not believe that it would be appropriate for Central Government to become involved in matters such as this.” Members felt this was unacceptable and requested that the Treasurer draft a further letter on behalf of the Chairman on this subject.

MPA commitment to GLA four year responsible procurement plan

This report sought approval for the targets and initiatives that MPA officers and the MPS has provisionally put forward in support for the Plan. An exempt appendix to the report, entitled ‘Update on implementation of early payment initiatives to small and medium enterprises (SMEs)’, sought members approval to proposed actions over the next six months in support of the Mayor’s initiative to support SMEs.

Routine contracts programme

Members received a report providing details of contracts above £1m that the MPS wished to let over the next twelve months on a rolling programme and contracts let since the last report.

Banking and Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) update

This report had not been notified on the agenda. It provided members with an update on the banking sector and the MPA’s banker, RBS. It was agreed members should continue to receive updates on this subject.

Quarterly update on variations to the Capgemini contract (exempt)

An initial report, brought to the Finance Committee in February 2008, recommend quarterly updates on Capgemini contract variations. Such a report was now received.

Request for authority to dispose of surplus properties for 2008/09 and 2009/10 (exempt)

Members received a report proposing the disposal of a number of surplus residential and operational properties during 2008/09 and 2009/10 at a value equal to or in excess of the current estimated market value. It was an agreed the residential property (with the exception of the property which was the subject of agenda item 16) should be marketed and the report deferred to the Estates Review Panel for further consideration on the marketing of operational sites.

Request for authority to dispose of a property in Westminster

A report was received requesting approval to the proposed decant strategy and marketing for disposal of a property in Westminster.

Strategic and Policing committee – 5 February 2009

The following members were in attendance –Reshard Auladin (Chair), Chris Boothman, James Cleverly, Toby Harris (Vice Chair), Jenny Jones, and Caroline Pidgeon.

Minutes: Strategic and Operational Policing Committee – 8 January 2009 (Part 1)

In relation to item 13 on Forensic Medical Examiners (FMEs), members were informed that since the last meeting 125 FMEs had signed the new contract. The MPS had found that there had been limits to the services provided by the outsourced providers which had led to difficulties in some boroughs, although these were now being resolved.

IPCC Performance Management Framework

Members received a report on partnership work with key stakeholders to design a Performance Management Framework (PMF) for the police complaints system.

Professional Standards Performance Indicators

A report was received providing details of the Professional Standards indicators for a 12 month period until December 2008, the piloting of the IPCC Performance Management Framework and, following the introduction of the Taylor recommendations, details of how the MPS were developing methods to monitor the benefits arising from the change in legislation.

Woodhams investigation - update

It was agreed that the agenda item should be deferred to the next meeting.

Update on the Policing London Business Plan

The Committee received a report providing members with a revised draft of the Policing London Business Plan 2009-12, detailing areas to be updated for the next (final) draft and outlining the timetable.

TP Thematic Performance

The Committee considered a report providing an overview on top level key performance areas at a London wide and borough level and additional details on Operation Blunt 2, a key MPS operation tackling knife crime. Members discussed publicity and stop and search activity around the Operation.

MPA Strategic Framework

Following a members’ away day, this report took forward the suggestion that the Authority should develop a strategic framework that would support the MPA in its role of oversight and scrutiny function of the MPS and ensure that key priorities are delivered.

Operational learning

The Cdr, DPS, introduced a report outlining the work being undertaken to deliver organisational learning in the MPS. The Chair was concerned that according to the model outlined, learning remained at business group level. He felt there was need for a corporate memory overseen by the MPS’s Management Board. He was also concerned that a portfolio lead for organisational learning had yet to be confirmed within the MPS.

Proposed Home Office confidence target

It was the Home Office’s intention to implement a measure of public confidence to assess whether people think that the police and their partners were dealing with the crime and anti-social behaviour issues that matter locally and proposing target for the MPS of a 12% improvement in confidence in policing over a two year period. Members felt the proposals could turn policing into a media operation and could skew the allocation of resources to areas where confidence could easily be improved to the detriment of other equally necessary activity.

Enhancing confidence in policing

This report provided an update on confidence in local policing covering:

• s how confidence in policing is measured and latest performance;
•  MPS research findings on the factors driving confidence;
• the new single national performance measure and target proposed by the Home Office and the MPS response to Home Office consultation; and
• MPS work to improve public confidence

The Chair requested further report was requested in three months.

MPA response to the London Safeguarding Children’s Board ‘Safeguarding children affected by gang activity and/or serious youth violence’ draft consultation paper

Members considered a report on a proposed MPA response to the consultation paper.

Crime mapping

A report was received providing details of the update on the crime mapping website within the MPS, details of public feedback, Safer Neighbourhood Team usage of the sites and the timescales for the continuing upgrading of the websites.

Police authority inspection

During early spring 2009 legislation will come into force giving the Audit Commission the power to undertake inspections of police authorities. An audit of the MPA was expected in autumn 2009.

Employment Tribunals (ETs)

A report was received containing management information and performance analysis on ET claims brought against the Commissioner in the six-month period from April 2008 to September 2008 compared with the same period 2007 / 2008. The Chair noted that it was noted that such a large organisation only had a small number of ETs.

Police staff discipline report

This report primarily concentrated on police community support officers (PCSOs) discipline cases for the last financial year 2007 to 2008 and was supported by the findings of research activity conducted to explore why PCSOs featured highly in disciplinary cases. The Chair welcomed the research, but reiterated the points he had made in relation to item 10, organisational learning. This trend had been apparent for over two years, but what had the MPS Management Board being doing about the issue? He requested that a further report be received in six months time on the outcomes from the research.

Any other urgent business/operational matters - Snow, February 2009

The T/AC, Territorial Policing, provided an update on the policing of London following exceptional snowfall on 2 February.

Contact details

Report author(s): Committee services, MPA

For more information contact:

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

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