Minutes

Minutes of the Strategic and Operational Policing Committee of the Metropolitan Police Authority held on 13 November 2008 at 10 Dean Farrar Street, London SW1H 0NY.

Present

Members

• Reshard Auladin (Chairman)
• Jennette Arnold
• Cindy Butts
• Chris Boothman
• James Cleverly
• Toby Harris
• Neil Johnson
• Jenny Jones
• Joanne McCartney
• Caroline Pidgeon

MPA officers

• Catherine Crawford (Chief Executive)
• Jane Harwood (Assistant Chief Executive)
• Ken Hunt (Treasurer)
• Ruth Hastings Iqball (Committee Officer)

MPS officers

• Sandra Burrows (Assistant Director, Legal Services)
• Claire Hunt (Director of HR Business Partnerships, HR Directorate)
• Tim Godwin (AC, Territorial Policing)
• George McAnuff (Assistant Director HR Services, HR Directorate)
• Anne McMeel (Director of Resources)
• Edward Solomons (Director of Legal Services)
• Martin Tiplady (Director of Human Resources)
• Janet Williams (DAC Specialist Crime)

1. Apologies for absence

(Agenda item 1)

Apologies for absence were received from Steve O’Connell (member).

2. Declarations of interests

(Agenda item 2)

No declarations were made.

3. Minutes: Co-ordination and Policing Committee - 4 July 2008 and 4 September 2008 ( Part 1)

(Agenda item 3)

Members considered the minutes of the above meetings. The Assistant Chief Executive reported that a report on the historical collection (item 7, 4 July) would be received by the Strategic and Operational Policing Committee in December)

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the Coordination and Policing Committee (Part 1) held on 4 July and 4 September 2008 be agreed and be signed as a correct record.

4. Minutes: Professional Standards and Complaints Committee, 10 July 2008 and Planning, Performance and Review Committee 11 September 2008

(Agenda item 4)

Members considered the minutes of the above meetings. A member was unhappy with the minuting of item 10, ‘Child Protection and Every Child Matters (ECM) Update’ of the Planning, Performance and Review Committee, and requested that it be redrafted.

In the light of recent press interest in child welfare case, members asked which committee would consider child protection and ECM issues. They were informed it would be this committee. A report on child related issues was requested as a matter of urgency. The Chief Executive stated that a briefing paper would be prepared for members as soon as possible and that the Commissioner would also make reference to child related matters at the full Authority.

RESOLVED – That

1. the minutes of the Professional Standards and Complaints Committee, 10 July 2008 be agreed and be signed as a correct record;
2. item 10 of the Planning, Performance and Review Committee, 11 September 2008 be redrafted; and
3. members receive a briefing paper on child related issues.

5. Minutes: Professional Standards Cases Sub-committee - 10 July 2008, 19 July 2007, 28 July 2008, 8 September 2008, 11 September 2008, 16 October 2008

(Agenda item 5)

Members noted the minutes of the above meetings.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the Professional Standards Cases Sub-committee on 10 July 2008, 19 July 2007, 28 July 2008, 8 September 2008, 11 September 2008 and 16 October 2008 (Part 1) be noted.

6. Proposed change to terms of reference, appointment of vice chairman, terms of reference of and appointments to Sub-committees

(Agenda item 6)

The Committee was asked to note the proposed change to its terms of reference (ToR), ratify the appointment of the Vice Chairman and agree appointments to, and terms of reference for, two of its three Sub-committees.

Members requested that the proposed ToR for the Olympics/Paralympics Sub-committee include something on equality and diversity issues and that the monitoring of resources be more clearly spelt out more explicitly. They also felt it would be difficult for any police force to deliver ‘business as usual’ (first bullet point) during the Olympics and noted that there was no reference to effective public order policing. It was agreed that the ToR for the Olympics/Paralympics Sub-committee be redrafted.

With regard to the proposed dated of the CT and Protective Services Sub-committee, the Chair of that Committee noted that the meeting in January would have to start at 4.14 pm.

RESOLVED – That

1. the appointment of Toby Harris as the Vice Chairman of the Strategic and Operational Policing Committee be ratified:
2. the appointments to, and terms of reference for, the Counter-Terrorism and Protective Services Sub-committee be agreed;
3. the appointments to the Olympics/Paralympics Sub-committee be agreed;
4. the appointments be effective until the Authority’s Annual Meeting in June 2009;
5. the ToR for the Olympics/Paralympics Sub-committee be redrafted: and
6. that the Authority be recommended to approve the proposed changes to Committee terms of reference detailed in para 2 of this report.

7. 'The MPS promise to citizens’

(Agenda item 7)

A report was received describing MPS progress in relation to the Government Green Paper ‘Policing Pledge’, the launch of the Metropolitan Police single contact number and proposed arrangements for a ‘Promise to Citizens’ document, linked to the Pledge. The Chair suggested that the report raised questions that remained unanswered. It was therefore agreed that consideration of the subject should be deferred until a further report could be received.

RESOLVED – That a revised report be received at a future meeting.

8. The role and work of the Directorate of Legal Services

(Agenda item 8)

The Coordination and Policing Committee had resolved that it should receive twice-yearly reports on the role and work of the MPS Directorate of Legal Services (DLS). Members of the Committee that has taken on much of the Committee’s remit now received DLS’s end of year report. The report brought to members attention issues relating to DLS performance, its working relationships and its links with the key objectives/priorities of the MPS.

Members asked about the DLS’s work categories in relation to traffic. They were told that one category related to advice on highway issues, e.g. advice to the Traffic OCUs on road closures, the other to traffic accident claims involving police officers. Members noted the fewer Proceeds of Crime Cases dealt with in 07/08. They were informed that, under pressure to be more effective, the DLS no longer dealt with undefended cases and those involving sums less than £5,000. These were now dealt with by officers themselves. Members asked why the cases handled by DLS involving children and wardship had increased so dramatically. They were informed that family courts were increasingly encouraging appellants to apply for copies of police statements and notebooks. These had to be reviewed by the DLS and possibly be redacted before they could be forwarded. This increased volume was causing strain within the DLS which was preparing suggestions for easing the burden.

RESOLVED - That the report be received

9. Business interests, secondary employment and political activities

(Agenda item 9)

Members received a report outlining a process and rules for the MPS on business interests, secondary employment and political activities for both police officers and police staff and the procedures to be followed. These had been drawn up following referral to the MPA and its Professional Standards and Complaints Committee and discussion with its Trade Unions and the DLS. As former Chair of the Professional Standards and Complaints Committee, the Chair outlined some of the background to the report.

Members asked why the standard operating Procedures (SOPs) only referred to family members living with an officer. They were informed this was a restriction enshrined in Police Regulations. The MPS was asked to look at this issue again.

RESOLVED – That

1. the Standard Operating Procedures be noted and
2. It be recommended that the issue in relation to family members not living with an officer be looked at again by the MPS.

10. Key performance indicators

(Agenda item 10)

This report presented the 2009/10 Critical Performance Areas within the Policing London Business Plan 2009/12. Associated targets remain under development. It had been circulated to members with less than five clear working days’ notice, however Chair agreed to receive it as an urgent item under the provisions of section 100B (4b) of the Local Government Act 1972.

The Assistant Chief Executive stated the report was work in progress and the Chair suggested a meeting between members, officers and the MPS to discuss key performance indicators (KPIs) further. The Director of Resources added that the KPIs formed part of the business budget planning process and would be discussed the Finance and Resources Committee in the coming week and then the full Authority. They would then be submitted to the Mayor on 27 November as part of the draft budget process. However the submission could be refined until March.

Members were concerned that the KPIs did not included hate crime and people trafficking. They were informed that these KPIs before members represented the apex of a pyramid and were the top of many more performance indicators. This was a model already agreed with the MPA and that having too many key performance indicators was counterproductive. It was agreed that members should send any observations on the KPIs to officers as soon as possible.

RESOLVED – That

1. the 2009/10 Critical Performance Areas agreed by MPS Management Board in support of the MPS corporate objectives be noted;
2. it be noted that the targets associated with the Critical Performance Areas were under development; and
3. any comments on the KPIs be emailed to MPA officers as soon as possible.

11. MPA Scrutiny Programme

(Agenda item 11)

A report was received outlining a proposed scrutiny programme for 2008/09. It had been circulated to members with less than five clear working days’ notice, however Chair agreed to receive it as an urgent item under the provisions of section 100B (4b) of the Local Government Act 1972.

RESOLVED – That

1. members endorse the proposed scrutiny programme for 2008-09; and
2. endorse the proposal to review the framework for identifying the scrutiny programme.

12. Exclusion of Press and Public

(Agenda item 12)

A resolution was put to exclude the press and public from the meeting during remaining items on the agenda as they were likely to disclose exempt information as described in Schedule 12(a) of the Local Government Act 1972, paragraph 3.

RESOLVED - That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during discussion of the remaining items on the agenda

Summary of decisions made on exempt items

13. Analysis of the reduction in gun crime and identification of good practice

(Agenda item 13)

A report was received on the current reduction in gun crime across the MPS and the identification of good practice and initiatives that could be adapted or transferred to address knife crime. The Chair felt that there was insufficient time available to the Committee to consider the report adequately and requested that it be deferred to a future meeting. Members requested that the report be amended to put much of the information contained in the report as possible into the public domain.

14. Travel concession – review of travel benefit

(Agenda item 14)

A report was received providing an update on the current position regarding the rail travel concession for officers. The Chair reluctantly conceded that the scheme had to continue for the present but would become unsustainable as its costs escalated. Approval was given to proceed with Option 1 in the report and it was requested that a report be received in a year’s time on progress in exploring methods of capping the cost.

15. Any other urgent exempt business (if any)

(Agenda item 15)

There were no urgent exempt items.

16. Minutes: Co-ordination and Policing Committee – 4 July 2008 and 4 September (Part 2)

(Agenda item 16)

Members agreed the minutes (Part 2) of the above meetings

17. Minutes: Professional Standards Cases Sub-committee – 10 July 2008, 28 July 2008, 8 September 2008, 11 September 2008, 16 October 2008

(Agenda item 17)

Members noted the minutes (Part 2) of the above meetings.

The meeting ended at 6.30 pm

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