Consultation strategy - case for implementation manager

Report: 8
Date: 19 December 2000
By: Clerk

Summary

This paper makes the case for the recruitment of a policy level officer to be responsible for managing the implementation of the consultation strategy on behalf of the MPA.

A. Supporting information

Introduction

1. This paper needs to be considered in the context of the summary report on the best value review of consultation that has recently been submitted to the full Authority. The report asks that members approve a number of recommendations, which will provide a framework for taking forward the implementation of the proposed strategy. The timing and content of the implementation proposals covered in this paper could be affected by the decisions made at the full Authority meeting. An oral update on any such impact will be provided to the meeting.

Requirement

2. The best value report recommends that a consultation unit be set up within the MPA Support Organisation. The Unit will be responsible, on an ongoing basis, for:

• administering the resources used to support the strategy, particularly those allocated to PCCGs, pump priming and challenge fund;
• recruitment and oversight management of the Community Consultation Officers and administrative support staff;
• supporting central Pan-London groups responsible for coordinating the flow of information and good practice to and from local consultation groups (inc. PCCGs/Crime and Disorder Partnerships);
• development and promotion of good practice:
• development of minimum standards and suitable performance monitoring regime; and,
• liaison with MPS consultation unit.

3. The following activities will need to be undertaken to implement the proposed consultation strategy:

• agree strategy with other agencies;
• agree and set up pan-London arrangements;
• assess and agree with other agencies (GLA, ALG, local authorities and NACRO) local consultation model(s) to ensure crime and disorder consultation is closely linked in;
• consult further with key stakeholders on local consultation arrangements (inc. PCCG model, PCCG name, role of CCO);
• set up the MPA Consultation Unit;
• manage the transition from the existing arrangements, particularly with regard to the impact on existing PCCG staff;
• develop a high level information flow and process model covering central and local consultation;
• develop good practice for capacity building, engagement with the voluntary sector and use of consultation toolkit; and,
• develop and agree a communications strategy both for the strategy and for subsequent consultation exercises.

4. The above activities represent a significant programme of work that must be effectively coordinated and properly planned. Implementation will take a minimum of eighteen months from 1st April 2000 and probably longer to ensure that local issues can be properly considered.

5. The best value report recommends that a MPS post be created to enable all consultation activities carried out by the MPS to be fully coordinated and integrated into the wider strategy. It is not proposed that the MPS post should lead on the activities identified above as these are the responsibility of the MPA. It will be important that there is close and effective liaison with the MPA unit.

Implementation manager

6. It is recommended that an implementation manager of sufficient seniority be appointed to plan and oversee the implementation of the programme of work described above (paragraph 3). It is also recommended that, to ensure continuity, the same person should set up and manage the new MPA Consultation Unit (see paragraph 2). A draft job description is attached at Appendix 1. In order to obtain an officer with sufficient skills and experience, the new post will need to be the equivalent of a Grade 7 or senior local authority policy officer.

This new post would replace the current MPA team leader on the best value review project (DCI Sultan Taylor) who plans to move early in the New Year. The new post should complement that of the senior policy officer responsible for other CDO issues (covering diversity, crime and disorder, lay visiting and other outreach issues). The line between consultation with the community and wider engagement with the community is blurred but it shouldn’t stop the two officers being able to work closely together in a mutually supportive way.

Budget provision

7. The costings model that has been submitted to the full Authority has estimated a budget of £100,000 a year to cover the MPA Consultation Unit and Implementation Management. It should be noted that this is presented as new funding. It does not take account of existing salary costs of about £100,000 to support the MPA best value review project team over the past ten months. It is planned that one full-time and one part-time member of the existing project team will remain for at least the first few months of the new year and will provide the nucleus of the new Consultation Unit. Additional resources will almost certainly be required and the case for these will need to be developed as soon as strategy implementation and MPA Unit set-up plans have been developed.

Timing

8. If the new permanent post is agreed by the CDO, it is unlikely that it can be filled much before the 1st April 2000. In the meantime, if the recommendations put to the full Authority are agreed, a full programme of work needs to be developed and interim arrangements, such as PCCG bids for next year funding, need to be managed. If the Authority does not at this stage agree the recommendations, a heavy programme of engagement with key stakeholders will almost certainly still be necessary. The recent Best Value Review Project Board considered this issue and agreed that an interim manager with the requisite project skills and experience should be appointed for a maximum period to cover the time up until a suitable handover to the permanent implementation manager could be completed. The MPS undertook to find and second a suitable resource(s) to the MPA.

Other committee interests

9. The post in effect replaces an existing post and is therefore covered in current budget proposals for the MPA support organisation. The recruitment will be undertaken in accordance with the equal opportunities approach required by the HR Committee and in accordance with terms being followed on other appointments. It should not therefore be necessary to refer this appointment to other committees.

B. Recommendations

It is recommended that:

1. members authorise the recruitment of a consultation strategy implementation manager who meets the job description at Appendix 1;
2. members note that the figure of £100,000 allocated to the new MPA Consultation Unit in the costings model presented to the full authority does not take account of the cost of staff within the existing MPA best value review project team; and,
3. members agree with the proposal put forward by the Best Value Review Project Board that an interim implementation manager with the requisite skills and experience be seconded to the MPA to cover the period until a permanent appointment can be filled.

C. Financial implications

The annual salary for the proposed implementation manager would be in the region of £40,000 - £45,000.

D. Review arrangements

Staffing requirements for the implementation programme.

E. Background papers

The following is a statutory list of background papers (under the Local Government Act 1972 S.100 D) which disclose facts or matters on which the report is based and which have been relied on to a material extent in preparing this report. They are available on request to either the contact officer listed above or to the Clerk to the Police Authority at the address indicated on the agenda.

• Best Value Review of Consultation - Report to full Authority 14 December 2000

F. Contact details

The author of this report is Ian Gaskell.

For information contact:

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

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