The MPA and MPS Community Engagement Commitment 2010 – 2013

Report: 7
Date: 22 July 2010
By: Chief Executive

Summary

This report outlines the structure and content of the ‘MPA and MPS Community Engagement Commitment 2010 – 2013.’

A. Recommendations

That members approve the MPA and MPS community engagement commitment.

B. Supporting information

1. The MPA and MPS undertook desk based research and wide ranging consultation to inform the revision of the MPA and MPS community engagement strategy.

2. The MPA and MPS internal working group has been working to the MPA Communities, Equalities and People Committee and the MPS Community Engagement Board, chaired by DAC Jarman.

3. Previous draft versions of the revised strategy have been to the March 2010 and May 2010 meetings of the Communities, Equalities and People Committee. A previous version has also been to MPS Management Board. Feedback from MPA Members and Management Board has informed the final version (See Appendix 1).

4. In considering the new strategy, Members may wish to keep the following in mind:

• The community engagement strategy is now called the ‘community engagement commitment’. Consultees cited the term strategy was off putting and that it is widely misused and misunderstood.
• The revised document is short and in plain English. Throughout the consultation process, consultees commented that the previous iteration had been jargon heavy and difficult to understand.
• The commitment does not include a definition for the term community engagement. It was felt that rather than focusing on what the MPA and MPS meant by the term community engagement, the emphasis should be on making clear to Londoners what they could expect of the MPA and MPS.
• The commitment explains to Londoners why the MPA and MPS are making a community engagement commitment and why good engagement is key to delivering an effective and responsive police service. It outlines the six principles that will inform how we will deliver on this commitment and finally it outlines how the MPA and MPS will work differently.
• There are many references throughout the document to communication and the role of communication in community engagement activities. It was clear from the consultation feedback that Londoners wanted clear information prior to activities explaining why they were taking place, and after activities had taken place explaining how the information had informed police practice and policy.

5. The new community engagement commitment will be delivered through two action plans, which have yet to be signed off by the Communities, Equalities and People Committee.

C. Other organisational and community implications

1. Equalities impact

1.1 It was clear from the consultation responses that the MPA and MPS need to be more proactive in involving a wide range of Londoners in their consultation and engagement activities. The majority of consultees requested the MPA and MPS actively engage with young people, new and emerging communities; victims; small businesses and existing voluntary groups such as Neighbourhood Watch. In doing so, they also requested that community engagement opportunities provided to Londoners were accessible, timely and met the needs of the group being consulted and engaged. In drafting the revised version of the strategy much consideration has been given to how the MPA and MPS can work differently in order to hear from a wide range of Londoners.

2. Met Forward

2.1 In Met Forward the MPA made a commitment to revise the ‘MPA and MPS Community Engagement Strategy 2006 – 2009’ and develop new ways of working.

3. Financial implications

3.1 There are no direct financial implications in regards to the commitment itself. Working differently might however, have some financial impact for both the MPA and MPS. However, it is too early to quantify what this impact may be.

4. Legal implications

4.1 There are no legal implications to the MPA and MPS community engagement commitment.

5. Environmental implications

5.1 There are no environmental implications to the MPA and MPS community engagement commitment.

6. Risk implications

6.1 Learning from the implementation of the previous MPA and MPS community engagement strategy highlighted the need for the strategy to be owned by a MPA committee and MPS business group. In light of this, the ongoing implementation of the strategy’s two action plans will be overseen by the MPA Communities, Equalities and People Committee and by the MPS Confidence and Satisfaction Board.

D. Background papers

• None

G. Contact details

Report author(s): Hamera Asfa Davey, MPA

For more information contact:

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

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