Minutes

Minutes of the Standards Committee of the Metropolitan Police Authority held on 19 March 2010 at 10 Dean Farrar Street, London SW1H 0NY.

Present

Members

• Stephanie Caplan
• Toby Harris
• Kirsten Hearn

MPA officers

• Jane Harwood (Deputy Chief Executive/Monitoring Officer)
• Nick Baker (Head of Authority Business and Member Support)
• Gemma Emmanuel-Waterton (Member Support Officer)

11. Apologies for absence

(Agenda item 1)

11.1 Apologies for absence were received from Christopher Boothman, Jennette Arnold, Anne Dickens, and Richard Tracey.

12. Declarations of interest

(Agenda item 2)

12.1 No declarations of interest were made.

13. Minutes

(Agenda item 3)

13.1 The Committee considered the minutes of the meeting held on 23 September 2009.

Resolved – That the minutes referred to above be agreed and signed as a correct record.

14. Independent Member recruitment

(Agenda item 4)

14.1 Members received a report that considered arrangements for the recruitment of Independent Members of the Standards Committee.

14.2 The Committee were asked to consider whether to shortlist and interview applicants who had expressed an interest as part of the GLA independent member recruitment process in becoming an MPA independent member. In doing so, members asked officers to evaluate those application forms to see if the applications were suitable to be considered for the short list for interview.

14.3 Members then agreed that arrangements should be made to advertise for independent members of the MPA Standards Committee, after which short listed applicants from the advert and any short listed from the GLA recruitment process should be interviewed.

14.4 Members agreed that it was a good opportunity to increase independent member representation on the Committee, particularly as the Committee had greater responsibility for Code of Conduct/complaints issues. It was therefore agreed that if possible three independent members should be appointed.

14.5 It was agreed that the interviewing panel should consist of a minimum of three members and include one Assembly member, one MPA Independent member and if acceptable the outgoing Chairman/Independent member of the Committee. (note: confirmation was sought by officers from the Standards Committee for England that it was acceptable for the outgoing Chairman/Independent Members to sit on the Interviewing/Selection panel).

14.6 The Committee noted that the Chairman of the Committee had served two four year terms and would therefore not be standing for reappointment. The Committee asked that their thanks for her work and contribution to the work of the Committee over the last eight years be recorded.

14.7 The Chairman also asked that her thanks to members and officers for their support during this period be also noted.

Resolved - That

1. officers sift applications received as part of the GLA independent members recruitment process for suitability for consideration for the short list of candidates to be interviewed;
2. arrangements be made to advertise for independent members of the MPA Standards Committee and if enough suitable applicants are short listed the interviewing panel should seek to appoint up to three independent members; and
3. the interviewing panel should consist of a minimum of three members and include at least one Assembly members and one MPA Independent member.

15. Review of members allowances

(Agenda item 5)

15.1 Members were informed that the Senior Salaries Review Board had reviewed the GLA allowance scheme and as a result had made a recommendation to the MPA that Assembly members on the Authority should decline to accept the MPA supplement.

15.2 The Committee noted the recommendations from GLA/Senior Salaries Review Board. The Committee agreed that the Greater London Assembly be informed that the Standards Committee supported its recommendation that the Greater London Authority should collectively agree that GLA members who are also members of the MPA should decline to accept the MPA supplement. They also supported that legislation be amended so that Assembly members who are also members of the MPA no longer receive an allowance for their work on the MPA.

15.3 The report also asked members to consider recommending to the Authority that its allowance scheme be amended to reflect the role of its vice chairman, if the Mayor is not chairman of the MPA.

15.4 The Monitoring Officer confirmed that the Chairman of the Authority had asked the Vice Chairman to take the lead in a number of areas including; aspects of reputational management; organisational learning, risk and supporting the Chairman on member management. She added that this was likely to need the Vice Chairman to commit more than the expected 2 and half days per week on authority business.

15.5 The Committee supported amending the MPA’s allowance scheme to reflect the role of the Vice Chairman of the Authority and that the scheme should reflect and recognise that the role has an increase expectation, particularly on providing more time on authority business. With this in mind the Committee suggested that the Authority be recommended to amend the members allowance scheme so that the Vice Chairman of the Authority is granted a special responsibility allowance (SRA) the same as that of a chairman of a committee. The Committee also agreed the allowance scheme be amended to indicate that Vice Chairman, in addition to that position, can claim one further SRA if also a chairman of either a committee or sub-committee.

Resolved – That

1. the Greater London Authority be informed that the MPA Standards Committee supported a recommendation that the Greater London Authority should collectively agree that GLA members who are also members of the MPA should decline to accept the MPA supplement and that legislation be amended so that GLA members who are also members of the MPA no longer receive an allowance for their work on the MPA; and
2. the full Authority be recommended that the members allowance scheme be amended to:
   1. provide an SRA allowance for the position of Vice Chairman of the Authority and that that allowance be the same as that of a chairman of a committee.
   2. the position of Vice Chairman can claim one further SRA if also a chairman of either a committee or a sub-committee.

16. Standards indicators

(Agenda item 6)

16.1 Members received quarterly standard indicators for the periods July-September 2009 and October-December 2009.

Resolved – That the standard indicators be received.

17. Annual report

(Agenda item 7)

17.1 Members received the Committee’s draft annual report for 2009/2010.

17.2 Officers were asked to add to Section 7 ‘Aspirations for 2010/11’ further items that the Committee are required to either undertake or monitor.

17.3 Arising from the discussion it was agreed that the Committee receive at a future meeting a report on the Committees work plan for the forthcoming year and a report that provides an update on the recommendations of the report on the of the Directorate of Audit, Risk and Assurance (DARA) review of members expenses.

Resolved - That

1. the Standards Committee 2009/2010 received, subject to the updating of Section 7 of the report..
2. the Committee receives reports to a future meeting on the Committees work plan and an update report on DARA report that reviewed members’ expenses.

The meeting closed at 2.05 p.m.

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