Metropolitan Police Authority and Metropolitan Police Service consultation work programme and budget 2003/04

Report: 3
Date: 23 September 2002
By: Clerk

Summary

This report proposes growth items for the MPA consultation responsibilities and activities for 2003/04. It also refers to the draft committee work programme that can be jointly owned by the Authority and the Metropolitan Police Service to enable them to progress and achieve continuous improvements in meeting their statutory and best practice consultation responsibilities.

A. Recommendations

• Members are asked whether they wish to support growth items in 2003/04 and if so, request the Finance Committee to consider these alongside other proposed new initiatives in the context of the overall budget; and
• Note the proposed associated work programme, which will be discussed in full at the forthcoming scheduled meeting of the Consultation Committee on 31 October 2002.

B. Supporting information

1. The MPA and MPS have the responsibility to consult and engage 7.5 million Londoners on policing and crime and community safety matters both at a strategic as well as local borough levels. A draft consultation strategy and detailed work programme for the MPA and MPS will be presented to the forthcoming meeting of the Consultation Committee on 31 October 2002. This will outline consultation processes, methods and timeframes for the MPA and MPS to enable them to ensure that consultation is focused at getting as representative a picture as possible, removing barriers to participation, ensuring that all voices are heard and addressing the particular needs of different communities.

2. A draft implementation Action Plan associated with the implementation of the recommendations arising from the Best Value Review of Consultation was previously developed and considered by members of the Consultation, Diversity and Outreach Committee in April 2002. This Action Plan, together with other proposals developed more recently in full consultation with MPS colleagues, forms the basis for the budget activities proposed for 2003/04.

The cost of consultation in the MPS

3. In 2001, the MPA/MPS Best Value Review of Consultation highlighted the difficulties in identifying the costs associated with all consultation activities carried out at a corporate as well as at borough levels in the MPS. The report was however able to identify those activities and programmes that were actually costed. The overall expenditure on consultation in 2001 was identified as being £1.372 million per annum.

The MPA consultation budget 2002/03

4. For the past two years, the majority of the MPA consultation activities have been met from the annual budget transferred from the MPS to the MPA to fund and support the operation of local consultative groups and independent custody visiting panels. The original budget for 2002/03 was £1.24 million of which £1.15 million (approved by Co-ordination and Urgency Committee on 9 April 2002) was directly allocated to groups and panels at the beginning of the financial year. The remaining budget has been largely used to meet development costs of groups and panels (such as the purchase of IT equipment) and in support of small-scale MPA corporate consultation initiatives such as consultation on the policing priorities. There is little remaining in that overall pot to fund new consultation activities of the MPA. During 2002/03, the MPS agreed a total one-off transfer of £280K for equalities/consultation purposes. Of this sum, £98K has been applied to consultation activities. These are identified in Appendix 1.

Efficiency savings

5. There may be efficiency savings that could be gained within the budget allocated to consultative groups and Independent Custody Visiting Panels. One of the key activities of the Consultation Committee in the new financial year will be to review the budget expenditure of the groups to see if any efficiency savings could be made as part of the overall financial management guidance that has already been received following an review carried out by the MPA Internal Audit into the financial management of consultative groups. Any such savings are therefore unlikely to be fully realised until 2004/05.

Budget proposals for 2003/04 

6. The existing budget of £1.24 million at November 2002 prices will continue into 2003/04 but proposals for budget growth are shown at Appendix 1. The proposals are based on an overall consultation activity spend for the MPA, following discussions with the Head of Consultation at the MPS.

Committed growth

7. The MPA staff costs, which are shown as commitments (Items 1 and 2 Appendix 1) reflect the cost of current staff in post (as in the policy support adviser and 2 Community Consultation Co-ordinators (CCCs). The total cost of committed growth items is £102,000 per annum. The Treasurer’s advice is that this provision will have to be treated as committed growth for the purposes of the 2003/04 budget.

New growth activities Activities listed in the new growth activity columns are not committed budgets. They reflect, however, the work priorities either previously identified and agreed in the best value implementation plan or initiatives that have been identified as meeting key gaps in the current consultation arrangements that the Authority or MPS need to have in place. The total costs of new uncommitted growth bids are £262K per annum.

C. Equal opportunities and diversity implications

All reviews, including the GLA Group and the MPA/MPS Best Value Review of Consultation, identified that consultation with traditionally discriminated and disadvantaged groups had been inefficient. The activities proposed in this budget will specifically address the MPA and MPS consultation with ‘hard to reach’ groups and communities, in line with the commitment published in the MPA Race Equality Scheme.

D. Financial implications

1. These proposals will need to be considered as a growth bid for the financial year 2003/04 and the Committee will need to request the Finance Committee to consider their inclusion alongside other potential new initiatives in the context of the overall budget and funding prospects. Members will be aware that the initial budget position for 2003/04 reported to the Authority in July 2002 indicated a shortfall of funding of £72 million.

2. The financial implications are outlined in the growth bids presented for member’s consideration. Members’ attention is drawn to the fact that the proposals include growth bids for committed costs of staff appointments.

E. Background papers

• Consultation, Diversity and Outreach Committee report, 14 March 2002
• Appendix 2 MPA Consultation Strategy and Implementation Plan
• GLA Group Equalities for All Review

F. Contact details

Report author: Julia Smith

For more information contact:

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

Appendix 1

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