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Minutes

Minutes of the Resources and Productivity Sub-committee of the Metropolitan Police Authority held on 14 March 2011 at 10 Dean Farrar Street, London SW1H 0NY.

Present

Members

  • Faith Boardman (Chair)
  • John Biggs
  • Amanda Sater
  • Graham Speed (Vice Chair)

MPA officers

  • Bob Atkins (Treasurer)
  • Julie Norgrove (Director of Audit, Risk and Assurance)
  • John Crompton (Treasury Team)

MPS officers

  • Jane Bond (Director of Property Services Information)
  • Dick Federcio (Director of Public Affairs)
  • Anne McMeel (Director of Resources)
  • Nick Rogers (Director of Finance Services)
  • Lee Tribe (Director of Procurement Services)

Also attended: Mark Pickering from Arlingclose attended for consideration of agenda item 4.

71. Apologies for absence

(Agenda item 1)

An apology for absence was submitted on behalf of Valerie Brasse.

72. Declarations of interests

(Agenda item 2)

No declarations were made.

73. Minutes of the meeting held on 13 January 2011

(Agenda item 3)

Resolved That the minutes of the Resources and Productivity Sub-Committee held on 13 January 2011 be agreed and signed as a correct record.

74. Treasury Management Strategy and Policy Statements and Investment Strategy 2011/12

(Agenda item 4)

A report was submitted which set out the Treasury Management Strategy and Policy Statements and Investment Strategy recommended for 2011/12.

In introducing the report the Treasurer referred to the change which was proposed to making changes to the counter party list. Additions to the list would continue to require committee approval, but decision regarding suspensions from the counter party list be delegated to the Treasurer who would submit a report on his action to the next meeting.

Mark Pickering from Arlingclose attended for consideration of this item. Mr Pickering provided an explanation for the changes to the counterparty list which were proposed for the MPA which were in line with the recommendations which Arlingclose had made to the other public bodies it advised. Conditions in the financial sector continue to show signs of improvement. In order to diversify the counterparty list, it was considered appropriate to include additional banks for investment. Similarly, because of changing circumstances Arlingclose had also recommended that two further sovereign states could be included - Switzerland and the USA.

Mr Pickering explained that Treasury Bills are short term Government debt instruments. They are issued by the Debt Management Office and are eligible sovereign instruments meaning they have a AAA credit rating. Although Treasury Bills currently offer yields higher than DMO money market rates, they are less liquid as weekly tenders are typically issued for 1, 3 or 6 month periods.

Members indicated that the changes seemed to be consistent with the overall investment strategy and should be supported. Members requested that the explanations which had been provided by Arlingclose at the meeting should also be provided to members at the Finance and Resources Committee and full Authority when they consider the strategy.

The Chair said that she would assume that detailed consideration was being given to the implications of any move across to a regime of undertaking significant external borrowing which was referred to in the section of the report dealing with the borrowing strategy.

Resolved- That the Finance and Resources Committee be advised that the recommendations should be supported.

75. Update on the implementation of early payment initiatives to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)

(Agenda item 5)

A report was submitted which updated members on the status of the previously approved actions in support of the Mayor’ s early payment to SMEs initiative and the current payment profile for such suppliers.

The Director of Finance Services advised that it was anticipated that there would be marked improvement in performance within the next few month when the actions taken which were listed in the report had become fully implemented. Indeed, the most recent figures (for February) already showed an improvement.

The Chair indicated that on the basis that this improvement did continue over the next few months then the next quarterly report should contain a consideration of setting a new target for the payment of these invoices.

Resolved- That the actions taken to date to improve the time taken to make payment on undisputed invoiced be noted..

76. Overtime report –quarter 3

(Agenda item 6)

A report was submitted which provided an analysis of the overtime paid to police officers, police staff and PCSOs during the third quarter and a summary of the overtime position for the period to 31 December 2010.

Members thanked the Director of Finance Services for providing the additional information in the report relating to the extension of officer shifts at short notice and time taken off in lieu which had been requested at the previous meeting. Members also referred to the considerable amount of work which had been undertaken to control the expenditure on overtime in recent years.

Resolved - That the quarter 3 position for the overtime costs of police officers, police staff and Police Community Support Officers be noted.

77. Requests for contract action -management action

(Agenda item 7)

The Sub-Committee received its regular report on the summary of the requests for contract action within the previous quarter with a particular focus on the requests that fall under the remit of Single Tender Actions.

The Director of Procurement Services referred to the rigorous scrutiny of the requests received and said it should be noted that on a value basis the majority of requests for Single Tender Actions were refused.

Resolved - That the summary of competed tenders received in the third quarter of 2010/11 and the control of single tender exemptions through Procurement Services and the MPA be noted.

78. Routine contracts programme

(Agenda item 8)

This report set out the latest version of the Routine Contracts Programme, providing members with detail on the contracts above £1m that the MPS wishes to let over the next twelve months on a rolling programme and also the details of those contracts let since the last report. The rolling programme covers routine renewals/re-tenders and all known new or emergent requirements.

Resolved- That the Finance and Resources Committee be advised that the recommendations should be supported.

79. Exclusion of press and public

(Agenda item 9)

Resolved - That under section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involved disclosure of exempt information as detailed in paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A to the above Act.

Summary of decisions made on exempt items

80. Exempt appendix to overtime costs

(Agenda item 10)

Information noted.

81. Exempt appendix to requests for contract action

(Agenda item 11)

Information noted.

82. Exempt appendices to Routine Contracts Programme

(Agenda item 12)

Referred to Finance and Resources Committee for decision.

83. Capital programme 2010/11 quarterly monitoring report

(Agenda item 13)

Information noted.

84. Provision of media buying services

(Agenda item 14)

Agreed to enter into a framework contract

85. Furniture and ancillary services contract –six month update

(Agenda item 15)

The report was noted.

86. Exempt minutes of the meeting held on 13 January 2011

(Agenda item 16)

Confirmed and signed.

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