Update on the local assessment of complaints about MPA members

Report: 6
Date: 15 September 2010
By: Monitoring Officer on behalf of the Chief Executive

Summary

This report is to approve the minutes of an Assessment Sub-committee meeting about a Member complaint (Appendix 1), to note the Annual Return to Standards for England.

A. Recommendation

That

1. the Committee notes the report
2. that the relevant Members of the Assessment Sub-committee note and approve the minutes of the Assessment Sub-committee meeting of 12 April 2010 and the Decision Notice of that meeting attached at Appendix 1 to this report.
3. that the Committee notes on the Committee’s Annual Return to Standards for England attached at Appendix 2.

B. Supporting information

Assessment Sub-committee decisions

1. Since the last Standards Committee meeting, there has been one Assessment Sub-committee meeting. This took place on 12 April 2010.

2. At the meeting, the Assessment Sub-committee considered a complaint from a member of the public against Dee Doocey, MPA Member, about her alleged failure to respond to an email from him, and therefore not address his concerns about CPP and SNT meetings. The Assessment Sub-committee decided to take no action on the complaint.

3. As per Recommendation 2, it is recommended that the relevant Members of the Assessment Sub-committee note and approve the minutes of the Assessment Sub-committee meeting of 12 April 2010; and that the Committee notes the minutes and Decision Notices of those meetings (contained in Appendix 1 to this report).

The Annual Return

4. The Monitoring Officer completed the Committee’s Annual Return to Standards for England.  The final submission sent to Standards for England is contained at Appendix 2, which the Committee is asked to note.

C. Other organisational and community implications

Equality and diversity impact

There are no direct equalities impacts arising from this report.

MET Forward

There are no direct Met Forward implications arising from this report. However it is important that the community have confidence in the Authority’s mechanisms to respond to complaints / concerns and furthermore its ability to fight crime and reduce criminality, deliver value for money and increase public confidence in policing.

Financial implications

There are no direct financial implications arising from this report.

Legal implications

There are no legal implications arising from the report.

Environmental implications

There are no direct environmental implications arising from this report.

Risk implications

There are no risk implications arising from this report.

D. Background papers

None

E. Contact details

Report author(s): Helen Sargeant, Solicitor and Monitoring Officer, MPA

For more information contact:

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

Appendix 1

Minutes of the meeting of the Standards Committee - Assessment Sub-committee, held on 12 April 2010 at 10 Dean Farrar Street, London SW1H 0NY

Present

 Assessment Sub-committee members: Stephanie Caplan (Chairman), Christopher Boothman and Toby Harris.

MPA Officers Helen Sargeant (MPA Monitoring Officer) and Nick Baker (Head of Business Support and Members Services).

5. Appointment of Chair for the meeting

(Agenda item 1)

5.1 The Head of Authority Business and Members Support sought nominations to chair the meeting and Stephanie Caplan proposed and seconded to chair the meeting.

5.2 Members were also reminded that

Resolved – That Stephanie Caplan chair the meeting of the Assessment Sub-committee.

6. Chair’s announcements

6.1 The Chair reminded members that pursuant to Regulation 8 of the Standards Committee (England) Regulations 2008/1085 and the Standards Board for England’s guidance. ‘Local Assessment of Complaints’ the entire meeting would be held in private and that the discussions were confidential.

7. Declarations of interest

(Agenda item 3)

7.1 No declarations were made.

8. Complaints against a MPA Member

(Agenda item 3)

8.1 The Assessment Sub-committee considered a report and confidential papers from the Head of the Authority Business & Members Support of a written complaint received alleging that a member of the MPA may have breached the MPA’s Code of Conduct.

8.2 In considering the complaint, members were satisfied that the papers circulated with the agenda and subsequent papers submitted by the complainant were enough to allow them to consider the matter before them.

8.3 Members agreed to consider the complaint it in two parts; firstly that the MPA members had ignored an e mail sent by the complainant informing of his concerns about a Community and Police Partnership; and secondly, that the MPA member concerned failed to raise the highlighted concerns at subsequent meetings.

8.4 Having considered the complaint the Assessment Sub-committee resolved as set out below.

8.5 Further details and the reasons for the decision made by Sub-committee are given in the Decision Notice which is appended to these minutes as Annex 1.

Resolved – That

1. in accordance with the Local Government Act 2000, as amended, no action be taken on the complaint;
2. the main points the Assessment Sub-committee considered and the reasons for its conclusion be recorded (which are contained in the Decision Notice appended to these minutes);
3. a written summary of the complaint that was produced to the Sub-committee and the identity of the complainant be provided to the members complained about.

The meeting closed at 11.00 p.m.

• Annex 1  - Decision notice 12 April 2010

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