Equality objective

Report: 11
Date: 16 September 2010
By: Chief Executive

Summary

This report sets out the equality objective that will help deliver the MPA’s commitment to ensuring the delivery of a fair police service to Londoners.

A. Recommendation

That Members adopt the proposed committee objective (see para 4).

B. Supporting information

1. The Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) is required under the Greater London Act 1999 to ensure the delivery of a fair service to all Londoners There also are several pieces of legislation that impose equality duties on public bodies, including the MPA, in the areas of race, equality, age, disability and gender. In its terms of reference the Strategic and Operational Policing committee (SOPC) states that it will “ have due regard in exercising the committee’s responsibilities to equal opportunities generally, the general duty of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 and the requirements of other equalities legislation”.

2. There are several examples of where the committee has ensured that the equality and diversity implications of policing are being addressed. In the past year the committee has:

• devoted a considerable proportion of its June meeting to discussing stop and search including the impact on Black Londoners and the apparent disproportionality in the performance data
• reviewed the development of an Anti-Violence Board, including reviewing the equality impact assessment
• investigated the gap in satisfaction with policing between white and BME Londoners
• scrutinised detailed reports on violence against women and child protection.

3. The committee’s review of Directorate of Public Affairs (DPA) in February 2010 led to a specific Equalities Sub-Committee discussion on how DPA engages with London’s diverse communities and the committee’s regular headline performance report includes updates on performance against key targets such as BME police officer recruitment and hate crime performance. Furthermore all the activities undertaken to deliver a policing plan annually ensure that the views and priorities of diverse London are captured and reflected in the plan and its performance measures.

4. As can be seen, the committee has a good track record. However, in order to ensure that SOPC delivers on this aspect of its terms of reference in a more systematic way, it is proposed that a specific objective is developed as follows:

“The committee will ensure that any differential performance in the services provided to Londoners, and specific equality groups (e.g. children, women, ethnic minorities) are identified understood and rectified as necessary.”

5. The adoption of this objective will encourage a more systematic process for ensuring that the committee meets is terms of reference and will be monitored regularly through the year by MPA equalities officers. The MPA equality and diversity sub-committee will receive an annual report outlining how committees are delivering against their objectives.

C. Other organisational and community implications

Equalities and Diversity Impact

1. The adoption of this objective will ensure that the MPA is better able to plan and deliver its equality commitments.

Met Forward

2. The adoption of this objective is compatible with the Met Forward commitment to ensure the improved delivery of services to all Londoners.

Financial Implications

3. There are no financial implications associated with this report.

Legal Implications

4. The adoption of this objective will ensure that the MPA is better able to fulfil its statutory responsibilities.

Environmental Implications

5. There are no environmental implications associated with this report.

Risk Implications

6. The adoption of this objective should reduce the risk of the committee not fulfilling its statutory responsibilities.

Background papers

None.

Contact details

Report author: Siobhan Coldwell, Head of Policing Policy, Scrutiny and Oversight

For information contact:

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

Send an e-mail linking to this page

Feedback