Policing priorities consultation update

Report: 5
Date: 20 September 2001
By: Clerk

Summary

The timescale for consulting on policing priorities for 2002/03 was severely curtailed by the Mayor's budget development timetable for 2002/2003. However, in order to satisfy the MPA’s statutory requirement to consult Londoners on the priorities, the MPA undertook a limited exercise to seek the views of key community representatives and children. In parallel, the MPS also conducted the Public Attitude Survey, consulted Borough Commanders and undertook analyses of all data to inform the decisions on the emerging priorities. This process is still underway and priorities will be proposed to the Planning Panel on 17 September 2001, and the Finance, Planning and Best Value Committee on 4 October 2001 and the full Authority on 25 October 2001. This report is presented to inform the committee of the consultation undertaken, and highlights the emerging issues.

A. Recommendations

1. That Members note the consultation that was carried out to inform the policing priorities;
2. That Members note the proposal in paragraph 6 that the Chair of this Committee holds discussions with the Chair of the Planning Panel and that meanwhile Nicholas Long represents the views of this committee on the Panel; and
3. That Members note the issues in paragraph 7, which highlights the potential differences in the emerging priorities identified for the policing priorities and the crime and disorder partnership strategies.

B. Supporting information

1. In order to meet its statutory responsibilities, to consult the public to inform the priorities for the policing plan for 2002/03 within the timeframe imposed by the Mayor’s budget timetable, MPA officers undertook the following consultation:

• Two meetings with consultative groups on 6 and 14 August 2001, to be followed up by a meeting on 27 September 2001 to feed back on the emerging priorities proposed by the MPS.
• Analysis of the views of children on the priorities via the Children’s Rights Commissioner for London.
• Consultation meetings with church leaders (10 September).

2. In addition, over 800 questionnaires were sent to the private and voluntary sectors via the London Civic Forum membership list. A report of the consultation is attached in Appendix 1. The MPS carried out the Public Attitude Survey, consulted borough commanders and undertook other work to help identify priorities. Following the earlier consultation meetings, Hammersmith and Fulham Consultative Group and other community groups have submitted detailed written responses, which have been forwarded to the MPS.

Meetings with consultative groups

3. The meetings held with consultative group chairs and secretaries were extremely useful and highlighted a number of issues and areas for future consideration, which there was not scope to address in the current consultation. Members will note that only 11 of the 33 panels were represented at the meeting. This may have been because the meetings were, unavoidably, held during the height of the summer season, and that they took place in central London. These factors will need to be taken into consideration for future consultation.

Consultation with children

4. The report arising from the consultation undertaken by the Office for the Children’s Rights Commission marked a significant input into the consultation on the priorities. This is the first time that the views of children have been sought, and members will note that some of the key priority issues for children are not so dissimilar to those identified by adults. The report is attached at Appendix 2. The MPS will ensure that the priorities identified by the children are considered in the selection of proposed priorities.

Timescales

5. Having collated the data from all sources, the MPS is in the process of identifying emerging priorities. These will be presented to the MPA/MPS Planning Panel on 17 September 2001 and Finance, Planning and Best Value on 4 October 2001. The final output of this analysis will be considered formally by the full Authority on 25 October 2001.

6. This Committee had made representation to the Finance, Planning and Best Value Committee for CDO representation on the Planning Panel where the emerging priorities are discussed. It is understood that the Panel did not support this request given that the Committee is already represented through the dual membership of Nicholas Long, who is also a member of the Finance, Planning and Best Value Committee. The Chair of this Committee may wish to discuss this decision with the Chair of the Planning Panel. Meanwhile, members may wish to formally request that Nicholas Long represents the Committee’s interests.

Further consultation

7. Two further meetings have been planned. On 10 September, a meeting will be held with church leaders in Southwark and on 27 September, a further meeting will be held with consultative groups’ chairs to inform and update them on the emerging priorities for 2002/03. In addition, detailed feedback on the priorities has been received from community and voluntary groups, including, for example, Roadpeace who have a specific interest in road deaths.

Links between policing priorities and crime and disorder audits and ministerial priorities

8. The current timeframe for setting the policing priorities is different from that of the local crime and disorder audits and the ministerial priorities. Discussions with the Regional Crime Reduction Director, Ellie Roy, indicate that the audits will not be collated and analysed in time for the forthcoming Joint Steering Group meeting of 27 September - after the MPS Management Board has considered the priorities. The crime and community strategies may not be available until November, and neither are the ministerial priorities.

9. Officers will be liaising with the Government Office for London (GOL) on the emerging priorities from the partnerships and on the difficulties created by the different deadline. This issue will be addressed at the Joint Steering Group meeting.

C. Financial implications

The budget utilised by the MPA for its consultation was within the Unit’s Consultation budget for 2001/02. The total cost was £600.

D. Background papers

None.

E. Contact details

The author of this report is Julia Smith, 020 7944 8916

For information contact:

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

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