Minutes

Minutes of the Consultation Committee of the Metropolitan Police Authority held on 25 June 2003 at 10 Dean Farrar Street, SW1H 0NY.

Present:

Members:

• Cindy Butts (Chair)
• Jenny Jones
• Nicholas Long (items 5 to 12)

MPA Officers:

• Ken Hunt (Deputy Treasurer)
• Julia Smith (Head of Consultation, Diversity and Outreach)
• Tim Rees (Consultation, Diversity and Outreach Unit)
• David Riddle (Deputy Clerk)
• Ruth Hastings Iqball (Committee Services)

MPS Officers:

• Chas Bailey (Superintendent, Consultation Manager)
• Richard Bryan (DAC Strategic Planning)
• DCI Nick Hallet (Specialist Crime Directorate) (item 5)
• Chief Inspector Ian Jenkins (Territorial Policing) (item 7)
• Detective Superintendent Dave Tucker (Diversity Directorate) (item 8, 10 and 11)

Co-opted members: Sandra Flower, (Chair London PCCG Forum) and Kate Monkhouse (Director, London Civic Forum)

Part 1

64. Apologies for absence

(Agenda item 1)

Apologies were received from Kirsten Hearn and Abdal Ullah (members) and Foston Fairclough (co-opted member).

65. Declarations of interests

(Agenda item 2)

No declarations of interests were made.

66. Minutes of the Consultation Committee – 24 April 2003

(Agenda item 3)

The Committee considered the minutes of the committee meeting held on Thursday 24 April 2003.

Resolved – That the minutes of the meeting on 24 April 2003 be agreed.

67. Chair and Members oral update

(Agenda item 4)

Members were invited to give an oral up date on issues relating to any activities since the last meeting of the Committee. The chair reported that she had attended several meetings in her role as chair of the Consultation Committee. Nicholas Long had attended the Custody Visiting Association’s conference in Scotland, which had proved productive. Jenny Jones had attended a conference on the trafficking of people. She had felt the MPS had been criticised unfairly for Immigration and Nationality Directorate activity. Sandra Flower had attended a murder forum organised by the MPS, which Nicholas Long also attended.

Resolved – That the Chair and members’ oral update be noted.

68. Capital Crime Conference 2003

(Agenda item 5)

Members received a report on the Capital Crime Conference held on 3 April 2003, a consultation event undertaken by the Metropolitan Police Service on serious and specialist crime. The conference, principally sponsored by the MPS Specialist Crime Directorate, had led to the implementation of a gun declaration, strategic partnership development and knowledge forums. Three knowledge forums had been held thus far and a report would be made back to the Consultation Committee next year.

Although welcoming the outcomes, members felt the cost of the conference of approximately £190,000 was excessive. They were informed that the short timescales for arranging the conference had meant that sponsorship could only be obtained from the Government Office for London, and delegate fees could not be charged. Members requested a further report on the cost of conferences of this type.

Resolved – That

1. the report be noted; and
2. a further report on the cost of this and other conferences be received.

69. Measuring community engagement

(Agenda item 6)

A report was received informing members of proposed MPS scoping study on how to measure consultation at a local level. Members expressed a desire to have the opportunity to input and comment on the scope before the submission of a further report to the Consultation Committee in September.

Resolved – That the report be noted

70. Youth consultation and engagement

(Agenda item 7)

On 5 December 2002, members were informed that consultation between young people in schools and the MPS would involve partnership with the London Voluntary Services Council (LVSC). It was now felt this was impractical and consultation would involve officers working in the school environment and involvement with the Independent Advisory Group on youth, using questionnaires, followed by consultation on emerging priorities.

Resolved –the intention to strengthen the way in which youth consultation and engagement is conducted be noted.

71. Islamic community safety

(Agenda item 8)

The Equal Opportunities and Diversity Board (EODB) commissioned a report on the initiative by the MPS to consult with Muslim communities, in response to the events in America of 11 September 2001. This report was received by the Consultation Committee. The accompanying report confirmed the total costs for consultation and the running of the multi language helpline. Members were informed the helpline had not been successful in terms of the number of calls received and had since been closed down, however but the multi-language element would be incorporated into C3i .

Resolved – That report be noted

72. Citizen panels and focus groups

(Agenda item 9)

A report was received recommending that the MPA proceed with establishing an MPA/MPS citizens’ panel that could be consulted on policing issues. The Committee has previously considered a report on this subject at its meeting of 27 February 2003.

Resolved – That

1. quotes from selected appropriate consulting firms in establishing a citizens’ panel be sought and a programme be implemented with the successful firm for the present fiscal year; and
2. relevant statutory authorities in London be consulted to assess the potential of cost-sharing partnerships in the on-going use of the citizens’ panel, subject to the proviso that the partnerships did not detract from the needs of MPA.

73. Independent advisory groups’ role in consultation

(Agenda item 10)

The MPS had two central advisory groups, to advise the Deputy Commissioner about diversity issues affecting the MPS. Operation Trident had its own advisory group. Following the Damilola Taylor Murder Investigation Review, the MPS was carrying out an audit to find out which boroughs had advisory groups or similar arrangements. A report was received stating that those that did not have satisfactory arrangements would be identified and supported in forming such groups.

Members were concerned

• as to the issues that were raised with independent advisory Groups (IAGs). They were informed that everything possible was raised subject to time constraint.
• that IAGs had a self-selecting membership. It was felt centralised policies about recruitment of members were needed to safeguard the MPS.
• as to what administrative support would be given to borough IAGs

A member expressed interest as to whether IAGs had been consulted about issues concerning the trafficking of women and joint MPS and Immigration and Nationality Directorate operation and whether immigrants and refugees had a ‘voice’ in the IAGs. MPS officers undertook to report back outside the committee meeting. It was noted that the Deputy Commissioner had indicated that a report would be prepared on this subject at the Co-ordination and Policing Committee in March.

Resolved – That the report be noted.

74. Proposed contingency plan for quick time community consultation

(Agenda item 11)

A report was received outlining a proposed formalised quick time community consultation model that complemented the MPA/MPS consultation strategy.

Resolved – that the report be merged with MPA report on this subject and returned to this committee before submission to the Co-ordination and Policing Committee.

75. MPA consultation on the policing priorities 2004/2005

(Agenda item 12)

Members received a report outlining the specific activities that would be co-ordinated by the MPA to seek the views of the public on the annual policing priorities for 2004/05. It was noted that Rev Nims Obunge was a member of the Haringey Peace Alliance not the Evangelical Alliance as stated. Recommendation 2 referred to paragraph 20, this should have been paragraphs 17 and 18 and the reference to paragraph C in recommendation 3 should been to paragraph D.

Members requested that any youth consultation carried out with the Peabody Trust include use of the questionnaire contained at agenda item 7. They also asked that, if possible, the committee be provided with a full timetable of other agencies consultation events on which the MPA could piggyback.

Chair noted that she had not been informed of Faith Breakfast when it had been first mooted, despite it being funded from the consultation budget. Concern was expressed about cost of this event. With the dissent of one committee member, its funding was agreed subject to exploration of ways of reducing costs.

Resolved – That

1. the activities outlined for seeking the views of Londoners’ on the 2004/05 policing priorities be agreed; and
2. the cost proposed in paragraph D be agreed, subject to exploration of ways of reducing those costs.

76. Final figures and appeals process for grants to Community Police Consultative Groups (CPCGS) and Independent Custody Visiting Panels (ICVPS) 2003/2004

(Agenda item 13)

A report was received providing the final allocations to the CPCGs and ICVPs for 2003/2004. In recognising that CPCGs should have an appropriate process by which they might appeal the recommended grant allocation, the report recommended that, for this year, an Appeals Panel be established comprising of two members of the Consultation Committee and the Deputy Clerk, and that the Appeals Panel be delegated the authority to determine the final allocation.

It was noted that figure for Wandsworth in the report should have read £51,0000. In relation to paragraph 2 of the report members were informed that questions had been raised about the legal authority of the MPA to give money to the London Chairs’ Forum, however it was now established it could and this would be added to the recommendations, subject to discussion on how the MPA and Chairs’ Forum would work together. It was also noted that Hammersmith and Fulham and Kensington and Chelsea ICV Panels were merging. When this occurred their funding would have to be reviewed.

Members felt that because of their participation in the allocation of funding, they should not be members of the appeals panel, and membership should be selected from remaining MPA members.

Questions were also asked about the work of the Community Consultation Officer in Kensington and Chelsea. Members were informed that a report would come to the next committee.

Resolved – That

1. the Committee establish, for this year, an Appeals Panel comprised of the Deputy Clerk and two MPA members who were not members of the Consultation Committee to consider appeals by CPCGs regarding their grant allocation; and
2. authority be delegated to the Appeals Panel to determine the final grant allocation.

77. Annual report

(Agenda item 14)

A draft annual report was received, presenting an overview of the work of the Consultation Committee since its establishment. Members felt the work of link members and co-opted members should be acknowledged in the report.

Concern was expressed about the about the wording of para 4.2 concerning CPCGs and quick time consultation. It was noted that CPCGs were not unwilling to participate, but that the frequency of their meetings made it unrealistic to expect them to do it short timescales. There was discussion of para 9.1 and the difficulties experienced in relations between the MPA and CPCGs. The Deputy Clerk acknowledged that the MPA had failed to deal with funding and other matters in the way that CPCGs had a right to expect, and he undertook that these matters would be addressed in order to improve relationships. It was felt that the wording should acknowledge the MPA’s failure in this respect whilst at the same time reflecting that there was a need for CPCGs to accept change in their roles and functions in order to modernise MPA consultation.

Resolved – That the annual report be revised and reviewed again by members before submission to the July meeting of the Authority.

78. Co-opted Members

(Agenda item 15)

The report was received inviting members to make co-optee appointment for the new Authority year.

Resolved – That Sandra Flower, (Chair London PCCG Forum), Kate Monkhouse (Director, London Civic Forum), a named youth representative; a named representative from a multi-faith group, a named representative of Action First and a named representative of Independent Custody Visiting Panels be appointed co-opted members of the Consultation Committee.

The meeting ended at 4.50pm

(Note - The meeting was followed by a presentation to members on the on-line consultation being undertaken by the MPS on policing priorities.)

The Committee closed at 3:20 p.m.

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