Policing London Business Plan

Report: 5
Joint meeting of the Strategic and Operational Policing and Finance and Resources Committees
Date: 11 November 2010
By: Director of Resources on behalf of the Commissioner

Summary

This report seeks approval to the Draft Policing London Business Plan submission to the Mayor in accordance with his guidance for the 2011/12 GLA group budget.

A. Recommendation

That Members

1. comment on the submission to the Mayor in respect of the 2011/12 Policing Plan and budget.
2. approve the submission under delegated authority from Full Authority, for submission to the Mayor on 19 November.

B. Supporting information

The 2011-14 Planning Process

1. The MPS has developed corporate objectives, key activities, budget proposals and performance indicators against a challenging and uncertain background. The full implications of budget reductions announced in the Comprehensive Spending Review and the Mayor’s level of precept support for the Service will not be known until December. Even then clear details may not be available, particularly on specific grants and partnership income.

2. The developing Policing Plan, therefore, remains a work in progress based on a series of best assumptions, both in terms of the budget and associated staff numbers and also the text that supports much of the activity. These will be subject to change once the implications from the review become clearer.

Mayor’s priorities and Met Forward

3. The Mayor’s priorities for 2011/12, in particular those for policing London, remain in line with those set out for 2010/11. ‘Safer London’ focuses on priorities detailed in Met Forward, on violence against Women and on serious youth violence.

4. Following discussions with the MPA Chair around the ways in which the MPA/MPS could project a shared public mission, MPS officers have been invited to comment on a refreshed Met Forward and to discuss how best to integrate this into the Policing London Business Plan 2011-14.

Policing Plan 2011-14

5. The Commissioner has proposed fourteen corporate objectives, focused on Safety, tackling violence and delivering security on our streets, improving Confidence and Satisfaction in policing services, delivering a safe and secure Olympics, and delivering significant Savings whilst still prioritising frontline policing. These are consistent with themes in the MPA Met Forward strategic framework.

6. An earlier outline of the Policing Plan 2011-14 was submitted to 12 October SOP for comment. This draft explored our operating environment, outlined the corporate objectives and key activities, and mapped these against the Mayor’s priorities and Met Forward. These objectives and activities have also been discussed at members awayday on Friday 29 October.

7. The developing Policing Plan being considered by members today is drafted in a more succinct format than previous versions. The Plan sets out how we intend deliver our outcomes in a very challenging environment, the resources available to us, and the ways in which we will manage our performance.

8. In line with member consultation around the MPS Corporate Strategic Assessment for 2011-14 this Plan signals a greater focus on a cross-functional Victim - Offender - Location approach to Safety. This intelligence-led policing approach identifies vulnerable victims and tackles problem people and problem areas to reduce crime more effectively rather than the traditional approach of addressing crime by type, such as robbery. It maintains Neighbourhood Teams at the heart of our policing model, whilst specialists focus on violent crime, serious and organised crime and counter terrorism.

9. Although the corporate objectives and key activities remain the same as the earlier draft, the text in this Plan is formatted to focus the reader on delivery of our key priorities - Neighbourhood Policing and satisfaction; Serious sexual offences, youth violence, and criminal justice; Organised crime and drugs; Counter-terrorism and the Olympics; and Value for Money initiatives. This will provide valuable strategic context and also give better insight to an enquiring public about our future direction.

10. The performance indicators shown in this Plan remain a work in progress. They will be amended with the MPA over the next few months as the emerging performance environment becomes clearer.

11. The MPS has regularly engaged with MPA officers during this planning process, including at Monthly budget meetings with MPA finance and planning officers, fortnightly planning meetings with MPA planning and performance officers, and senior officer one to one sessions.

Business planning and budget guidance 2010/11

12. The draft Policing London Business Plan, with supporting financial statements, will be submitted to the Mayor on 19th November 2010 following today’s members briefing and approval under delegated authority at this SOP/F&R. The Plan will NOT include targets for 2011/12.

13. As agreed the Authority will be asked to formally sign off the developing Policing Plan at key stages. MPS officers remain available to discuss the Plan in informal sessions. The Planning timeline between December 2010 and March 2011 remains, at this time, as agreed in May 2010.

C. Other organisational & community implications

Equality Implications

1. The planning framework for 2011-14 will help to ensure than equalities and diversity implications are properly reflected in budget and business plans. Throughout the planning process Business Groups have been encouraged to consider the impact they have on internal and external communities and therefore develop activities that reflects the Service's commitment to equality and diversity issues.

2. An Equality Impact Assessment on the final Policing London Business Plan 2011-14, based on assessment against our corporate objectives and against key equalities and diversity issues will be available in time for the publication of the plan in March 2011.

Financial Implications

3. 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.

Legal Implications

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.

Met Forward Implications

7. The developing Policing London Business Plan 2011-14 is drafted in full consideration of Met Forward and follows the same themes and outcomes for policing London.

Environmental Impact

8. The proposed planning framework will help to ensure that environmental sustainability issues are properly reflected in future plans and budgets.
Report Authors: Anne McMeel (Director of Resources)

D. Background papers

• Appendix 1: Draft Policing London Business Plan

E. Contact details

Report author: Thomas Foot, MPA

For information contact:

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

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