Sponsorship issues

Report: 8
Date: 21 November 2003
By: Clerk

Summary

This report develops some principles on when the Authority should or should not accept sponsorship.

A. Recommendation

That the committee considers the sponsorship guidelines attached as appendix A to this report and, subject to any amendments, recommends them to the full Authority for adoption.

B. Supporting information

1. Section 93 of the Police Act 1996 enables a police authority ‘in connection with the discharge of any of its functions, to accept gifts of money, and gifts or loans of other property, on such terms as appear to the authority to be appropriate.’

2. At present the MPA does not have any explicit guidelines or procedure for assessing the appropriateness of accepting sponsorship from commercial organisations. This has not been a major issue so far as the Authority itself (as opposed to the Metropolitan Police Service) does not actively seek sponsorship on any scale, and indeed does not have the staff resources to do so. However, the Authority’s annual reception earlier this month was sponsored by O2, which some felt posed questions given that company’s contractual relationship with the MPA.

3. This report proposes some broad principles, drawing on various sources including the Home Office code of practice on financial management, the MPS, other police authorities and the approach adopted by the Greater London Authority (GLA). There are three (or more) main areas of concern – commercial, ethical and practical - and a statement of the principles to inform decisions on sponsorship sought directly by the Authority might look like the draft attached as Appendix A.

4. The Metropolitan Police Service is, of course, a more significant generator of sponsorship (which it does in the name of the MPA). It must report annually to the Authority’s Finance Committee on its sponsorship seeking activities. The MPS is currently taking a lead on developing an income generation best practice guide on behalf of the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO). Appendix A does not conflict with the approach adopted by the MPS.

C. Equality and diversity implications

Equalities considerations should be addressed as part of an assessment of each individual sponsorship proposal. In particular they will be included in the condition that a sponsor’s core business or values should not conflict with those of the Authority.

D. Financial implications

There are no specific financial implications in these guidelines.

D. Background papers

• Kent and Lancashire Police Authority sponsorship policies

E. Contact details

Report author: Simon Vile, Secretariat, MPA.

For information contact:

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

Appendix 1

Metropolitan Police Authority guidelines on the corporate acceptance of gifts, loans or sponsorship

Gifts, loans and sponsorship can be defined, for the purpose of this guidance, as the voluntary provision to the Authority of non-public funds, services, equipment or other resources. They should not be accepted where there is a risk of compromising the integrity of the Authority or the Metropolitan Police Service, for example:

• where the provider seeks endorsement of a product or service in order to gain preferential treatment in supplying or contracting goods and services to the Authority
• where the provider seeks to influence the direction of a particular policy
• by accepting offers from sources which come under the direct scrutiny of the police

Sponsorship should not be used to finance the Authority’s core or statutory activities. It is intended to help deliver something extra that the Authority would not otherwise be able to do.

Specifically, sponsorship etc should not be accepted:

1. from companies currently tendering for the provision of goods or services to the Authority or for the sale / purchase of land or property
2. from companies already in a contractual relationship with the Authority where this could be construed by competitors as preferential treatment
3. from companies whose core business or values conflict with those of the Authority
4. where there are conditions attached to the offer
5. where the offer could involve the Authority in additional costs
6. where there is a risk of the Authority becoming unduly dependent on a facility which is liable to be withdrawn

No sponsorship proposals negotiated by MPA staff can be entered into without authority from the Treasurer. He will consult with the Monitoring Officer as appropriate. Any sponsorship etc with a market value in excess of £50,000 must be approved by the MPA Finance Committee.

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