Programme of consultation events

Report: 8
Date: 5 December 2002
By: Clerk

Summary

This Committee has previously agreed to the principle of holding meetings in the community. This paper proposes an outline for the initial meetings and issues that could be explored.

A. Recommendations

That the comments on the proposals and the revised timetable for consultation be noted.

B. Supporting information

Background

1. The Consultation Committee has, as its terms of reference, the main responsibility of engaging with and seeking the views of the public, and thus informing the business of the Authority.

2. The statutory basis of this responsibility has been outlined in previous reports to the Committee and is detailed in the Authority’s draft consultation strategy.

Meeting arrangements

3. Members agreed that they would wish to hold up to four planned meetings per year, with different groups and communities and in different areas of London. The meetings would be flexible in purpose and outcome.

4. A programme is outlined as Appendix 1 for Members’ consideration. Members will note that the programme has tried to utilise the role of the two locally based Community Consultation Coordinators for organising some of the events. For the proposed event in March, initial discussions have been held with the Community and Police Consultative Group and borough police in Kensington and Chelsea, who are supportive. Similar discussions will be held with the other boroughs proposed, subject to the Committee’s approval.

5. There may also be the need, depending on the event, to utilise locally based ‘experts’ who can add value the meetings and meetings. This will be fully explored and a project plan developed for each event.

6. Support from the MPA Communications Unit will be important if such a programme is to be successfully organised and implemented. It is therefore proposed that members of the Coordination Committee and MPS staff hold informal meetings to progress the planning of these and other emerging events. Some events may require additional support, as agreed at the informal meetings.

C. Equal opportunities and diversity implications

The MPA Race Equality Scheme places a duty on the Authority to consult, then feed back the results of that consultation to key sections of the community who may be disproportionately negatively affected by the policing service. The programme of meetings proposed, will directly enable the MPA to satisfy this requirement of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act, 2000.

There are likely to be issues regarding the availability of materials and information about the events in accessible language formats. The MPA website already encourages the public to request materials and reports in different language and information formats. The MPA Communications and Consultation, Diversity and Outreach units will see that this need is addressed for all planned community based meetings and events.

D Financial implications

The current CDO Consultation budget will be able to sustain the meetings proposed for this financial year. The budget submitted as part of the overall growth bid for 2003/04 is still to be decided by the Authority and a negative decision could affect the plans for 2003/04 for the continuation of such meetings. Due to the importance that this committee places on these meetings as part of its core business, members may wish to support a recommendation that a proportion of the CPCG’s annual budget that is retained for development initiatives be allocated for this area of work in 2002/03. Approximately £37,000 was retained for development initiatives.

E. Background papers

None

F. Contact details

Report author: Julia Smith

For more information contact:

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

Appendix 1: Meeting arrangements programme

Meeting 1

Timescale: February 2003 (date to be decided)

Meeting location: Hackney Borough

Time: 7.00–9.00 pm

Meeting purpose: To receive presentations by the local Trident Independent Advisory Group and seek the views of the local community on the initiative to place armed police on certain estates and areas in Hackney.

Target group: Open

Planning arrangements MPA/MPS: To be finalised in consultation with the local borough commander, MPA Link member and other key stakeholders

Co-ordination: MPA Community Consultation Co-ordinator

Publicity/communications: To be co-ordinated by the MPA Communications Unit

Feedback mechanism: A feedback meeting to be held approximately four weeks following the initial meeting to inform public on progress on issues raised and actions taken.

A newsletter/report of key actions to be made available to members of the public following the meeting. This could be distributed via the arrangements that are already in place through the local Crime & Disorder Reduction Partnership.

Budget & resource: To be decided based on location of meeting

Meeting 2

Timescale: 25 or 26 March 2003

Meeting location: Hammersmith & Fulham but covering Ealing, Kensington & Chelsea as neighbouring boroughs

Time: Afternoon (4.00–7.00 pm)

Meeting purpose:

1. To engage with young people to both inform about key policing issues and its impact on young people.
2. To seek views on police operations or practice as a means of influencing policing practice.

Target group: Young people 12–17 years old in West London Area

Planning arrangements: This programme can be organised as a Focus Group and can utilise the experience of groups such as the Black Police Association who have been running a successful community programme for some months now. The MPS also has valuable experience in youth engagement that can inform this programme.

Co-ordination: MPA/MPS/Black Police Association, with lead responsibility being the Community Consultation Co-ordinator based in Kensington and Chelsea

Publicity and communications: This initiative will require detailed planning and would be co-ordinated by the MPA Communications and Consultation and Diversity Units in consultation with the Community Consultation Coordinator who will have lead project management responsibility.

Feedback mechanism: Feedback arrangements to be organised approximately four weeks following the event. This could be in the form of e-mail feedback, text messaging, CD-Rom or other format, which will make it relatively easy for young people in attendance to be informed of the outcomes and actions arising from the meeting.

Budget & resources: This event will cost approximately £5,000 to include cost for publicity, venue, food and incentives to encourage young people to attend (such as record tokens, cinema tokens, etc.) The budget could be retained in the CPCG/ICV Panel budget allocation for 2003/04. The budget could be met within the current CDO Unit consultation budget; however, the MPS may be in a position to support this initiative should the cost exceed the indicative costs.

Meeting 3

Timescale: July 2003

Meeting location: Central London

Time: Day - Workshop

Meeting purpose:

1. One-day event to inform the priorities for the Annual Policing Plan 2004/05. The event will be in the format of a workshop, with presentations by small syndicate groups focussing on key aspects of the annual priorities including issues that have emerged in previous meetings and consultation events by the MPA and MPS.
2. This will be a relatively large event and it is proposed that the event is organised in consultation with the Government Office for London (GOL) and the Mayor’s Office, who organised a very successful “BME Communities Cutting Crime” event in March 2002. The success lay in the way in which was facilitated by the Office for Public Management (OPM). The GOL/Mayor’s Office event was rather costly, so an early decision will need to be taken on the level of expenditure that members feel should be spent on this type of event, which could be an annual event.

Target groups: A range of organisations, groups and communities can be invited to the event, including Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transsexual communities, disabled people and organisations representing people with disabilities, old people, organisations representing their interests and faith groups and faith organisations and others in the eight priority groups identified in the MPA draft Consultation Strategy and Race Equality Scheme.

Planning arrangements: Due to the size and nature of the event, it is proposed that a small MPA/MPS working group be set up to plan the event.

Co-ordination: The MPA will take the lead responsibility for co-ordinating the event.

Publicity and communications:

Feedback mechanism:

Budget & resources: This will be determined, depending on the outcome of the decision taken by members. The MPA has a conference budget and it may be that the MPS can contribute to this event. Based on previous events, the cost is likely to be in the region of £10,000 to £15,000.

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