Terms and remit of the Consultation Committee and the draft consultation strategy

Report: 5
Date: 04 July 2002
By: Clerk

Summary

Members have had the opportunity in previous Authority meeting to consider the terms of reference of the new committee. This report invites members to review the terms of reference for this committee and to propose changes to the full Authority. The report also discusses delegation of the consultation of the 2003/04 policing priorities to the Consultation Strategy Management Board.

A. Recommendations

That

1. the terms of reference be discussed and amendments, revisions and additions be referred to the full Authority;
2. consultation on the 2003/04 policing priorities be delegated to the Consultation Strategy Management Board; and
3. the draft Consultation Strategy be circulated to local community and police consultative groups and borough commanders prior to finalisation.

B. Supporting information

1. The terms of reference of this committee are relatively general to ensure that they encapsulate the MPA's broad statutory responsibility for consultation. This first meeting gives the opportunity for members to discuss these in some detail as well as proposing an agenda for the way and type of issues that could be considered by the committee. A copy of the terms of reference are given at Appendix 1

Consultation Strategy Management Board

2. The Consultation Strategy Management Board (CSMB) was formed as a direct result of one of the recommendations arising from Recommendation 2 of the Best Value Review of Consultation. The membership of the group is attached, however, members will note that efforts are still underway to find young people to sit on the Board. Two community and police consultative groups have been approached to send youth representatives to the meeting but neither has been able to assist with this. Other approaches are being made via youth offending teams and youth committees to secure this representation that the Board feels it is important to have.

Draft Consultation Strategy

3. A draft MPA/MPS Consultation Strategy has been considered by the former Consultation, Diversity and Outreach Committee. Further revisions have been considered by the Consultation Strategy Management Board and are given at Appendix 2 (see Supporting material). The Deputy Chair of the Board, Assistant Commissioner Tarique Ghaffur has proposed that the current draft should be comprehensive and that further revisions should include processes for the range of internal consultation that will need to be carried out by the MPA and primarily the MPS. The current draft does not address this.

4. A significant amount of consultation takes place at borough level, both by borough commanders, crime and disorder partnerships of which both the MPA and MPS are partners and by local consultative groups. The current draft has not adequately addressed the relationship between the strategy and these local consultation initiatives, all of which are intended to contribute to more efficient and effective policing and engagement on crime and community safety issues at local level. MPA and MPS officers will be reviewing the current draft to take these areas into consideration and members' views are sought on whether other aspects of consultation should be taken into account in the redraft. It is proposed that the revisions should be considered initially by the CSMB.

The definition of consultation

5. Although the term consultation is used, the Authority has not, to date, defined the work that will be carried out under this broad banner.

6. The draft strategy has proposed a definition that this committee is asked to ratify. The definition has been adopted from the GLA Group 'Listening to London' Best Value Review, and as such is being adopted by the other functional bodies.

• The proposed definition is broad to reflect the range of types of engagement that the Authority will wish to have both to meet its statutory requirement as well as being seen as a best practice organisation in the field of consultation.

Consultation definition and the impact on local consultative groups.

8. The agreement on a definition of consultation will contribute directly in giving clear guidance to local community police consultative groups (and to an extent, borough commanders) on the Authority's expectation of them. This has been one area of immense confusion which will need to be clarified in order for the MPA to continue to be assured that the consultation activities carried out by consultative groups is enabling it to meet its basic statutory responsibilities as well as being an exemplar in community consultation.

Priority groups for consultation

9. The strategy proposes that in addition to the usual groups that local consultative groups, borough commanders and the MPA and MPS at a corporate level regularly engage with, all consultation should seek to include those groups that are specifically listed in the strategy as 'priority groups' with which it will consult. Progress has already been made in this area and a well-developed database of organisations is continually being developed.

10. Members' views are sought on the priority groups and whether it is considered that any key traditionally 'hard to reach' group has been omitted from the list.

11. The report to the Authority had proposed that the consultation to support the policing plan for 2003/04 should be a responsibility of the CSMB. Members' views are sought on the delegation of this specific responsibility for this financial year. Members may also wish to review and agree the terms of reference of the CSMB in view of the fact that this was developed prior to the decision being taken about the establishment of this committee. A copy of the terms of reference are attached at Appendix 3 (see Supporting material).

C. Financial implications

There are no financial implications arising from this report.

D. Background papers

• Appendix 1 MPA/MPS Draft Consultation Strategy and implementation Plan 2002/05
• Appendix 2 Terms of Reference for Consultation Strategy Board - April 2002 (see Supporting material)

E. Contact details

Report author: Julia Smith (MPA) and Chas Bailey (MPS)

For information contact:

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

Appendix 1: Consultation Committee – Terms of reference

As agreed by the Full Authority - May 2002

1. To lead on all matters relating to the Authority's communications and public relations strategies and systems.

2. To advise the Authority on ways of raising the profile of the MPA and making the community and partner organisations aware of its role and work.

3. To consider all matters relating to MPA and MPS consultation strategies and processes, in consultation with other committees as appropriate.

4. To ensure that where consultation is carried out it engages with, and reflects the views of, London's diverse communities.

5. To consider all matters relating to Community Police Consultative Groups and Independent Custody Visiting Panels, including approval of their annual funding.

6. To have due regard, in exercising the committee's responsibilities, to equal opportunities generally, the general duty of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 and the requirements of any other equalities legislation.

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