Minutes - draft

These minutes are draft and are to be agreed.

Minutes of the Joint meeting of the Strategic and Operational Policing and Finance and Resources committee of the Metropolitan Police Authority held on 23 September 2010 at 10 Dean Farrar Street, London SW1H 0NY.

Present

Members

• Reshard Auladin (Chairman)
• Tony Arbour
• Chris Boothman
• Jennette Arnold
• Joanne McCartney
• Jenny Jones
• Steve O’Connell
• Graham Speed
• Valerie Shawcross

MPA officers

• Annabel Adams (Deputy Treasurer)
• Catherine Crawford (Chief Executive)
• John Crompton (Treasury Team)
• Jane Owen (Head of Policing Planning and Performance)

MPS officers

• Richard Clarke (Director of Strategy and Improvement)
• Anne McMeel (Director of Resources)
• Lynne Owens (Deputy Assistant Commissioner, Territorial Policing)
• Nick Rogers (Director of Financial Services)

Also attended: Valerie Brasse

1. Appointment of Chairperson of the meeting

(Agenda item 1)

1.1 It was moved, seconded and

Resolved - That Steve O’Connell be appointed as Chair of the meeting.

2. Apologies for absence

(Agenda item 2)

2.1 Apologies were received from Tony Arbour, John Biggs, Dee Doocey and Caroline Pigeon.

3. Declarations of interest

(Agenda item 3)

3.1 There were no declarations of interest.

4. Minutes of the joint meeting of the Strategic and Operational Policing, and Finance and Resources Committees – 1 July 2010

(Agenda item 4)

4.1 Members agreed the minutes of the above meeting.

Resolved - That the minutes of the joint meeting of the Strategic and Operational Policing, and Finance and Resources Committees held on 1 July 2010 be agreed and signed as a correct record.

5. Quarterly management report period 1

(Agenda item 5)

5.1 This report provided an update in respect of the first quarter on the MPS’ operational performance, financial position and forecasted use of resources and management of risk.

5.2 In introducing the report the Director of Resources stated that this was the first such quarterly monitoring report and she apologised for the fact that some of the information was slightly out of date. Steps would be taken to try to ensure that the information in future reports was as up to date as possible, subject to the constraints of the meeting timetable.

5.3 Members asked for more information about the freeze on police officer recruitment which was referred to several times in the report. The freeze had caused disappointment and uncertainty to the many successful applicants who had assumed that they were shortly to start training. There was also concern at the effects that the freeze would have on meeting the targets for recruitment from members of BME groups. The Chair of the meeting confirmed that no decision to introduce a freeze had been made by the MPA.

5.4 Deputy Assistant Commissioner Owens explained that because of the budget pressures facing the MPS and the lower rate of attrition the decision had been made by the Management Board to suspend officer recruitment. It was not known for how long the pause would be in place, but it was not likely that any further decisions in this regard would be taken until the outcome of the Comprehensive Spending Review and grant settlement had been made known and the implications considered by the Management Board. The MPA Chief Executive said it would be her intention that a report on the alternative measures regarding BME recruitment would be submitted to Communities Equalities and People Committee.

5.5 Members commented that there were several other areas in the report which did not appear to have been the subject of prior consideration by members of the Authority . Particular concerns were expressed in relation to the proposals regarding the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to be included in the 2011/12 business plan and members said it was important that they were involved in discussions on both the number and nature of the KPIs. One KPI which the MPA might wish to add concerned Value For Money. In reply to a question on the KPIs for the Olympic and Paralympic Games the Director of Strategy and Improvement advised that the MPS Performance Board was clear that the MPS should concentrate on KPIs which covered areas which the MPS itself could deliver on.

5.6 In reply to a question from a member, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Owens advised that the new victim, offender, location and time (VOLT) model was not ready to be rolled out.

5.7 A member referred to the position regarding the overstrength in Territorial Policing discussed in paragraph 6 and asked for an assurance that any realignment did not lead to a reduction in the number of officers at BOCU level. Deputy Assistant Commissioner Owens referred to the many factors which were taken into account before decisions on resourcing were made.

5.8 Members referred to the report entitled “Anti Social Behaviour stop the rot” which Her Majesty Inspector of Constabulary had published earlier that day before and asked whether its findings would be relevant to the business plan. The comment was also made that the MPS appeared to have been unduly criticised by HMIC. DAC Owens confirmed that any implications for the business plan would be considered.

5.9 In reply to a question from a member the Deputy Treasurer confirmed that the Chair of the Authority had written to the Mayor on aspects of the budget process. The Chair of the meeting asked that this be included in the budget submission report.

5.10 The Chief Executive said that in view of the concerns which had been raised by members about several aspects of the report she would suggest that a way forward would be for the joint meeting to simply note the report and to request that where decisions were required that reports be submitted to the appropriate MPA Committee or sub-committee. Members indicated that they supported this approach.

Resolved – That

1. the report be noted; and
2. Officers be requested to bring to the appropriate MPA Committees further detailed papers on those aspects of the report that require Authority decision or approval in a timely manner.

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