Policing London Business Plan 2011-14

Report: 5
Joint meeting of the Strategic and Operational Policing and Finance and Resources Committees
Date: 1 July 2010
By: Director of Resources on behalf of the Commissioner

Summary

This report details progress to date on the development of corporate objectives and identification of key activities for 2011-14, and sets out the approach and timeline for delivering the 2011-14 Policing London Business Plan in line with the 2011/12 Mayor’s budget guidance. This paper has been developed alongside the MPA 2011-14 Policing Plan Process document, which includes the full timeline and has been agreed by MPS planning officers.

A. Recommendation

That

1. Members note progress to date on the MPS Corporate Strategic Assessment process and the development of draft corporate objectives and high-level activities for 2011-14.
2. Members note the amended timeline and approach for delivering the 2011-14 Policing London Business Plan in line with the 2011/12 Mayor’s budget guidance.

B. Supporting information

Approach for the 2011-14 Planning Process

1. The MPS has set its approach to the 2011-14 Planning process. The contents of the Policing London Business Plan will be informed by:

• The MPS Corporate Strategic Assessment [CSA] process.
• The delivery of the Commissioner’s three strategic themes - Safety Confidence, and Value for Money.
• The key activities and initiatives required to achieve the corporate objectives and deliver core business that are driving our gross expenditure of £3.6bn.
• Public consultation undertaken by the MPA

2. Performance measures and targets will focus on supporting scrutiny of the activities and initiatives being undertaken.

3. The principles against which budget decisions will be judged are:

• Priority to public-facing services.
• Alignment of resources to MPS corporate objectives.
• Improve outcomes and minimise unit cost of delivery.
• Achievability.
• Identification of medium-term savings proposals, not just year one.
• Understanding the impact of cost reductions elsewhere in the organisation.

Corporate Strategic Assessment Process

4. The CSA process is designed to stimulate strategic debate leading to the selection of corporate objectives, measures and high level improvement activities. The process consolidates information from three core activities: horizon scanning, strategic analysis and stakeholder engagement, to provide a solid evidence base for development of the statutory MPS Policing Plan.

5. Significant consultation has taken place with senior MPA members and officers on the content and direction of the CSA, and on seed products such as the London Landscape future analysis.

6. The 2011-14 CSA was presented to MPS Management Board Awayday on 21 April 2010, stimulating a valuable discussion on the MPS’ future direction and priorities. The CSA proposed twelve corporate objectives structured around three strategic themes - safety, confidence, and value for money. These themes align closely with the MPA’s MetForward and are a natural evolution of the themes featured in previous plans.

The 2011-14 CSA is explored in the MPS Strategy Report commissioned for this month’s SOP Committee.

7. Prompted by the MB discussions, work has continued on the CSA to refine the corporate objectives and identify the key activities for 2011-14. These are scheduled for discussion at MB Awayday on the 29th June and with the Authority in early July 2010. These will populate the Policing London Business Plan 2011-14 and inform development of Business Group Plans across the MPS.

Mayor’s budget guidance 2011/12

8. MPA/MPS officers have, during April and May 2010, constructed a planning timeline that enabled us to build the 2011-14 Policing London Business Plan within known constraints and within statutory timescales.

9. However, the Mayor’s budget guidance for 2011/12, issued on 11 May, has altered some of these constraints. In summary, the guidance requires that the 2011/12 GLA budget process starts earlier, seeks to settle a base budget before the Government’s announcements on grant and aims to have detailed exemplifications of additional savings available for decisions to be made in the New Year. The Mayor suggests that this approach is designed to support difficult decisions that will have to be made on the 2011/12 budget.

10. The Mayor’s budget guidance requires that we prepare detailed budget proposals no later than 30 September. The Mayor expects to draw up draft budget proposals by 22 October and receive comments on these proposals from functional bodies by 19 November. So the MPA/MPS draft amended timetable and engagement timeline is structured around:

• A more detailed build of the Policing London Business Plan in August 2010 for approval and submission to the Mayor on 30th September 2010 (In recent years the ‘lighter’ GLA Interim Budget Submission has been submitted in September).
• The MPA Scrutiny sessions due to take place during August 2010.
• The second build of the Policing London Business Plan in October/November 2010, as a formal response to the mayor’s budget proposals, for submission to the Mayor on 19th November 2010.
• The final Policing London Business Plan following approval to the policing element of the Mayor’s Budget in mid-February 2011, for approval in March 2011.

11. The budget guidance requires some scenario modeling to allow for more severe budget constraint than the Mayor’s current -1.5% reduction in general government grant for 2011/12. The net revenue expenditure (Budget requirement) is detailed as:

• 2011/12 Base Budget at 1.5% reduction in general government grant for 2011/12: £2,645.9 million
• Savings exemplifications at 3% reduction in general government grant for 2011/12: £2,615.5 million
• Savings exemplifications at 5% reduction in general government grant for 2011/12: £2,574.9 million
• 2012/13 Base Budget at £2,619.4 million
• 2013/14 Base Budget at £2,589.9 million

Capital Spending Plans 2011-14 – Best estimate

12. The Mayor’s priorities, in particular those for policing London, remain in line with those set out for 2010/11. ‘Safer London’ focuses on priorities detailed in MetForward, on violence against Women and on serious youth violence.

13. In reducing crime and fear of crime, the Mayor highlights:

• A renewed focus on violent crime, particularly knife crime, gangs and hate crime.
• Continued emphasis on public transport and town centre safety.
• Maximum front-line visible policing by redeploying officers from back office roles.
• [Work to] Recruit more special constables.

14. These priorities, and the MetForward priorities described in ‘MetForward one year on’ (MPA Full Authority 27 May 2010), will inform the Policing London Business Plan 2011-14.

Engagement

15. Following discussions with the MPA, a proposed engagement model had been outlined with the Authority for the Policing London Business Plan 2011-14:

• A number of MPA SOP, F&R and Full Authority meetings have been scheduled, where appropriate, between July 2010 and March 2011 inclusive. Submission dates have been adjusted, as appropriate, to allow for MB approval and for Committee dates.
• MPS officers will attend MPA BMG meetings on a monthly basis from May 2010, at which planning, performance and finance will be discussed with senior MPA Members and Officers.
• Extraordinary Members briefings have been suggested for November 2010 and February 2011.
• Bi-monthly planning meetings with MPA planning and performance officers will continue through 2010/11, supplemented where appropriate.
• Monthly budget meetings with MPA finance and planning officers will continue through 2010/11.

16. We propose that this is now supplemented with additional meetings to account for the changes outlined above:

• This MPA SOP paper (1st July) to communicate progress on the CSA process since April MB Awayday and to agree the timeline we now propose to follow to build the Policing London Business Plan 2011-14
• A briefing to MPA officers at MPA BMG on 9th July to share the 2011-14 corporate objectives and key activities approved by MB at the 29th June Awayday.
• Additional meetings, in mid-July and early September, with the MPA Chairman and officers to give an update on the progress in building the Policing London Business Plan 2011-14.
• Additional exempt, confidential MPA Members sessions at the end of July and in mid September to share progress.
• Changes to MPA Committee engagement to allow for submission of the draft Policing London Business Plan in September 2010 and again in November 2010.
• Most notably a proposed SOP/F&R on 11th November 2010, in lieu of Full Authority, to approve the Policing London Business Plan 2011-14 prior to formal submission to the Mayor on 19th November 2010. This will require a formal delegation from Full Authority.

17. The dates of MPA Budget Scrutiny Sessions, scheduled for August 2010, have yet to be confirmed.

18. In this way the Authority will be asked to formally sign off the Plan at key stages. The Planning timeline between December 2010 and March 2011 remains, at this time, as agreed in May 2010.

19. The Policing London Business Plan will be approved in March 2011 following Mayor’s questions on the consolidated GLA budget in late January and GLA plenary in mid February 2010.

20. An amended draft timetable for the planning process has been agreed between MPA and MPS officers and is included in the MPA 2011-14 Policing Plan Process document.

C. Race and equality impact

1. The proposed planning framework will help to ensure that race and equalities implications are properly reflected in future business plans and budgets. The planning process will be subject to an Equalities Impact Assessment.

D. Financial implications

1. This report sets out the financial framework within which the Service needs to operate to ensure the Authority sets a legal budget. The proposal aims to ensure the efficient and economic use of resources in the delivery of an effective policing service.

E. Legal implications

The Greater London Authority Act 1999, as amended, sets out the requirements of the GLA to calculate the budget requirements for the Mayor, and the Assembly and its four functional bodies. The budget requirements for each body are calculated by determining the difference between projected expenditure and projected income - including specific Government grants. In order for the GLA to estimate the sums required by the MPA/MPS, the MPA/MPS must provide information to the Mayor and Assembly to facilitate this. The Mayor is required to consult with the MPA/MPS prior to setting the final budget.

To help assist budget setting and fulfil meeting the priorities within the Policing Plan, the budget and business development process is a key element to ensure there are sound financial plans within which the MPA/MPS priorities and objectives are adequately funded.

Expenditure or activities undertaken by the MPA/MPS as statutory bodies must only budget for activities that fall within its statutory powers. There are also positive duties under S3 Local Government Act 1999 to secure the continuous improvement in the ways functions are exercised having regard to a combination of the economy, efficiency and effectiveness. This report identifies steps under the budget and business plan process will be taken to ensure best value is achieved in the delivery of policing services.

F. Environmental impact

1. The proposed planning framework will help to ensure that environmental sustainability issues are properly reflected in future plans and budgets.

G. Background papers

• Mayor’s budget guidance 2011/12
• MPS Strategy paper, SOP 1 July 2010

H. Contact details

Report author: Paul Clarke, Strategy and Improvement

For information contact:

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

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