Minutes

Minutes of the Standards Committee of the Metropolitan Police Authority held on 10 April 2008 at 10 Dean Farrar Street, London SW1H 0NY.

Present

Members

• Aneeta Prem (Chair)
• Stephanie Caplan (Deputy Chair)
• Anne Dickens
• John Roberts

MPA officers

• Simon Vile (Head of Corporate Secretariat)
• David Riddle (Solicitor to the Authority)
• Nick Baker (Head of Committee Services)

1. Apologies for absence

(Agenda item 1)

No apologies were received. Members noted that Damian Hockney had resigned from the Authority and therefore was no longer a member of this Committee.

2. Declarations of interests

(Agenda item 2)

No interests declared.

3. Minutes

(Agenda item 3)

Members considered the minutes of the Standard Committee meeting held on 21 June 2007.

Regarding minute 14 ‘New Model Code of Conduct’ members noted that members were written to at least once a year outlining their obligation to register interests, gifts and hospitality of £25 or more. In doing so, members asked officers to ensure that there was clear guidance on this matter and in particular around hospitality from the GLA family.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the Standard Committee meeting held on 21 June 2007 be agreed and be signed as a correct record.

4. Local handling of complaints against members

(Agenda item 4)

Following the passing of Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007, members considered a report that outlined a number of significant changes to the ethical standards regime. In particular, the Act outlined the standards regime whereby local standards committees would be responsible for receiving and determining allegations that members had breached the Authority’s code of conduct.

Members welcomed the changes, but suggested that once guidelines on these issues had been received from the Standards Board for England, officers should consider developing better working relationships and practices with standard committees from the GLA family. In particular, (and if regulations allowed) members felt there was scope for discussions to take place to develop a pool of independent members in order to support the proposed wider remit of standards committees. This it was felt made the appointment of a further independent member to the MPA Standards Board unnecessary.

The Committee also asked officers to undertake discussions with other GLA family standards committees on joint training sessions for members relating to the new remit of boards and establishing joint protocols.

In noting the wider remit for standards committees, members asked officers to ensure that this was reflected at the MPA annual meeting where it was hoped that the membership of the MPA Standards Committee could be increased with Authority members.

RESOLVED – That

1. the present position with regard to the introduction of the new ethical standards regime be noted;

2. following guidelines being issued by the Standards Board for England, officers work on developing joint working with other standards committees from the GLA family, including joint training and protocols.

3. at this stage the MPA should not seek to recruit a third independent to the Committee.

5. Politically restricted posts

(Agenda item 5)

Members considered a report that informed members of the new forthcoming role for standards committees in determining application from staff for exemption from political restrictions.

It was agreed that the Committee at its next meeting should consider appropriate guidelines regarding this matter.

RESOLVED – That the Committee noted the contents of the report and that a further report would be submitted once the position is clearer on Government guidance in relation to the Committee’s new duty to consider applications for exemption from political restrictions.

6. Local code of Corporate Governance

(Agenda item 6)

The Committee received a report that outlined the development of a Local Code of Corporate Governance.

Members noted the report and agreed that it would be beneficial for cross GLA family training on this issue for members of the Committee (??)

Members also noted and broadly supported the development of some form of member assessment.

RESOLVED – That the Committee noted the contents of the MPA’s Code of Corporate Governance and supported the need for cross GLA family training.

7. Standards indicators

(Agenda item 7)

Members received the quarterly standard indicators, which were presented for information.

In noting the indicators members felt that there was scope for them to be developed to give a fuller picture of members works and role or where necessary supported by a statement that made it clear what the indicators were reflecting or did not include.

8. Any other business

(Agenda item 8)

It was agreed that the next meeting of the Committee should be 19 June 2008 at 12.00 noon, subject to the Standard Board of England issuing guidelines on the local handling of complaints against members.

It was also agreed that the Committee should meet in future twice per year and in line with other MPA Committee on Thursdays.

The meeting closed at 2:50 p.m.

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