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 17 March 2011 at 10 Dean Farrar Street, London SW1H 0NY.

Present

Members

• Reshard Auladin (as Chairman)
• Tony Arbour
•  Faith Boardman
• Chris Boothman
• Cindy Butts
• Toby Harris
• Jenny Jones
• Joanne McCartney
• Steve O’Connell
• Caroline Pidgeon
• Graham Speed
• Amanda Sater
• Valerie Shawcross

MPA officers

• Bob Atkins (Treasurer)
• Siobhan Coldwell (Head of Policing Policy Scrutiny and Oversight)
• Jane Harwood ( Deputy Chief Executive)
• Siobhan Coldwell (Head of Policing Policy Scrutiny and Oversight)
• Jane Owen (Head of Policing Planning and Performance)

MPS officers

• Anne McMeel (Director of Resources)
• Richard Clarke (Director of Strategy and Improvement)
• Nick Roberts (Director of Financial Services)
• DAC Stuart Osborne (Counter Terrorism Command)
• Acting DAC Simon Pountain (Territorial Policing)
• Commander Jerry Savill (Central Operations)
• Acting Commander Car Bussey (Director of Professional Standards)
• Chief Inspection Glenn Tunstall (Directorate of Professional Standards)

27. Appointment of Chair of the meeting

(Agenda item 1)

27.1 It was moved, seconded and

Resolved - That Reshard Auladin be appointed as Chair of the meeting.

28. Apologies for absence

(Agenda item 2)

28.1 Apologies were received from Jennette Arnold, John Biggs, and Dee Doocey.

29. Declarations of interest

(Agenda item 3)

29.1 Chris Boothman declared an interest as a Director of Notting Hill Carnival.

30. Minutes of the Joint meeting held on 17 February 2011

Agenda item 4)

30.1 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 17 February 2011 be agreed and signed as a correct record.

31. Policing London Business Plan

(Agenda item 5)

31.1 The Chair noted that this item was composed of two sets of recommendations, the second of which being located at page 115 of the agenda.

31.2 The MPS introduced the report, noting that the format of the Plan was as in previous years. The latest version of the Plan now included specific grants and all other incomes sources. They informed Members that the supplementary recommendations related to the key performance indicators, and that this and the other main modifications were outlined at paragraph three of the report.

31.3 The MPS noted that the projected impact on officer numbers were included at paragraph eight. Specific attention was drawn to a reduction in officer numbers in relation to DSP protections grant. They also informed members that whilst the Borough match-Funding Scheme and existing partnership schemes had been accounted for, these figures were yet to be agreed. Members will be asked to approve these in a future meeting.

31.4 With regard to the performance framework, Members were informed that the MPS had sought a different way to present performance data – only two specific indicators had been included with other crimes being considered in ‘baskets’. They noted that they hoped targets would simply be for a ‘reduction’ or ‘increase’ with no specific numbers or percentages included.

31.5 A Member expressed concern that the MPS response to proposed budget amendments (provided at page 131 of the agenda) was rushed together very quickly without real reflection on the viability of the proposals. She noted that the suggestion to reduce the Territorial Support Group was made in conjunction with redeployment to boroughs and would not therefore constitute a reduction in visible policing as argued by the MPS. The MPS responded that if taken in isolation it would do so, and that many of the proposed amendments would require more in-depth work in order to be viable alternatives.

31.6 The Chair reaffirmed to Members that the proposals would be considered in-year by the Chairman of the Authority.

31.7 A Member asked for table included on page 17 to be clarified. She suggested that these numbers were based upon a baseline figure taken during the ninth consecutive month of decreasing police numbers from a peak of 33,404 – reflecting the fact that recruitment had been frozen since July 2010 due to uncertainty around the likely budget settlement.

31.8 The MPS responded that this peak was based upon a backlog of recruitment and that the intention was always to reduce to a lower establishment. They noted that limited internal recruitment – e.g. PCSOs training to become PCs – was now ongoing.

31.9 A member suggested that this threw doubt on the Mayor’s conviction that officer numbers would not be reduced.

31.10 The Liberal Democrat group asked for it to be recorded that they would not be supporting the budget, stating that all amendments proposed by the group had been fully costed.

31.11 A Member expressed concern that some partners appeared to be pulling out of Borough Partnerships. The MPS responded that the principle of the new Schemes is that if partners withdraw, they will not be eligible to receive match-funding. Indications are that the Match-Funding agreements will require 230 officers, 115 will be funded by councils. A breakdown of agreements by borough will be available at the April meeting of the Full Authority.

31.12 A Member noted particular worries that Safer Schools teams were to be reduced, informing the MPS that she had pressed this issue for over a year. Another Member added to this, noting that youth violence continued to grow, and that Safer Schools teams have a role in broad intelligence collection. These cuts also come at a time when youth services are being scaled down across London.

31.13 The MPS responded that the Safer Schools Partnership has proved to be an excellent scheme but that territorial policing is currently being subject to wholesale review and this function is being considered. They also commented that it is not for the police to replace youth service. A Member responded to this point by stating that Safer Schools is core MPS work and that this is not therefore a question of picking up the slack from disengaging partners.

31.14 A Member stated that the EIA did not accurately reflect equalities issues. She cited the disproportionate loss of women from the catering service. The MPS responded that the Plan is a high level document and the EIA reflects that. They informed Members that each change program has a lead officer with whom they can engage but that the Business Plan EIA could not take in all issues from these processes which sit beneath it.

31.15 With regard the bursary fund for qualifying new police officer recruits, members were told that this is being managed through the Training SIP and a report can be provided to CEP.

31.16 A Member asked whether the MPS had anticipated the full consequences of the Winsor Review in the budget. The MPS responded that the recommendation regarding special priority payments had been anticipated, but cautioned that the document contained 62 recommendations to be considered and that implementation would not, therefore, be a quick process. They suggested that full implementation would likely be in two to four years, following national and local negotiation – within the PNB for instance.

31.17 A Member raised concern that the KPIs would not be subject to sufficiently robust internal monitoring. Further to this, another asked what the ‘threshold’ of change would be before a proposal would be brought back to the MPA for reconsideration. The MPS informed Members that the monthly meeting of the Finance and Resources Committee monitors changes in spend and income across business areas, and that any ‘big changes’ to projects would be reported to the Authority. A Member responded that figures on spend may be insufficient for the MPA to spot a change of policy or delivery model – which would not necessarily impact budgets.

31.18 A number of Members took issue with the business case provided to explain the decision in relation to the Safer Transport Command – stating that they received only a couple of paragraphs which did not justify decisions taken. They suggested that such issues go to the heart of discussions regarding value for money. The MPS replied that TfL will be building in detail as the project progressed, and noted that the move to a new working model will be completed over 12 months. They agreed to meet with interested Members to discuss further.

31.19 Members expressed concern that no percentage or numerical reductions or increases were mooted with the KPIs. A Member also suggested that the use of knives to injure should be reported separately. The MPS responded that the full range of indicators will continue to be monitored internally, and committed to reviewing the inclusion of a further road traffic measure – the number of vehicles seized from uninsured motorists – and an overall knife crime measure prior to the March meeting of the Full Authority.

31.20 A Member suggested that the MPS should look to moving towards a benchmarking approach in order to ensure the effective use of resources. The MPS replied that benchmarking would be challenging due to the absence of comparable police forces, although it is done within those sections of the organisation within which it can meaningfully applied. They assured Members that reporting on benchmarking will be made available at further meetings of the Authority.

31.21 The MPS agreed to look at putting some numerical annual targets into the report for agreement at the Full Authority meeting of 31 March. The Chair suggested that all measures be subject to targets of two percent. Members agreed to ‘note’ as opposed to ‘endorse’ the report until that stage.

Resolved – that the report be noted.

32. Proposed budget amendments

(Agenda item 6)

32. This report was considered in conjunction with item 5 above.

33. Exclusion of press and public

(Agenda item 7)

33.1 Members agreed to exclude press and public.

34. Minutes of the joint meeting held on 17 February 2011 (PART 2)

(Agenda item 8)

34.1 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 17 February 2011 (part 2) be agreed and signed as a correct record.

35. Transfer of national domestic extremism units to the MPS

(Agenda item 9)

35.1 Members discussed the transfer of three units from ACPO TAM to the MPS.

Meeting closed – 3.20 pm

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