Lead member roles

Report: 16
Date: 14 October 2004
By: Clerk

Summary

This report asks committees to review and appoint their lead member positions. These will be subject to confirmation by the full Authority at its 28 October meeting.

A. Recommendation

That

1. the committee decides which issues or areas of its work require a lead member and appoints to those positions (subject to confirmation by the full Authority on 28 October); and
2. considers how the lead member role has operated up to now and how it might be improved – any views will be included in the report to the October full Authority meeting

B. Supporting information

1. In September 2002, the Co-ordination and Policing Committee agreed a statement of the lead member role and responsibilities and invited other MPA committees to consider which lead member roles they required to address particular areas of the committee’s work. Committees have done this annually for the past two years.

2. Attached as Appendix 1 is a list of the formally approved 2003/04 lead member roles and the statement of what that role should involve. These appointments have now lapsed and so, with the exception of the lead members appointed by the Finance Committee in July 2004, there are currently no agreed lead members for 2004/05.

3. At the members’ away day on 20 July it was agreed that the number of lead members, the role and the areas covered should be reviewed. There was a perception that the number of lead member positions has developed in a fairly ad hoc manner that has not always reflected the priority that the MPA gives to a work area or issue. As a result it was felt that there are probably too many such positions and not enough focus on the key areas. It was also a general view that there should be more rigour in expecting lead members to report back to the relevant committee on their activities, in the way envisaged in the statement of the role (Appendix 2).

4. The committee is, therefore, invited to review its lead member appointments. Once each committee has reviewed and made lead member appointments for their areas of responsibility (in the September/October cycle), a report will be made to the 28 October full Authority meeting. This will enable members to take an overview of lead member appointments, to confirm (or not) committee decisions and to identify any gaps. One area that the Authority will want to consider at that stage is whether there are non-borough operational command units (OCUs) that would benefit from having an identified lead/link member.

5. To avoid more of a hiatus than necessary, it is proposed that lead member appointments should be effective from the date of the committee’s decision, but with the proviso that these appointments may be changed at the October full Authority meeting.

C. Race and equality impact

The appointment of lead members is the opportunity to address equalities and diversity implications, including the specific and general duty under the Race Relations (Amendment) Act, to ensure that key areas of responsibility are properly covered. Under their terms of reference, all committees must have due regard to equal opportunities generally, the general duty of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 and the requirements of any other equalities legislation – this requirement also applies to lead members in carrying out a role given to them by the committee.

D. Financial implications

None – lead member appointments do not attract a Special Responsibility Allowance.

E. Background papers

Report to Co-ordination & Policing Committee, 24 January 2003.

F. Contact details

Report author: Simon Vile

For more information contact:

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

Appendix 1: Lead Member roles 2003/04

Full Authority/Co-ordination & Policing Committee

• National and international functions: Sir John Quinton
• Forensic services: Sir John Quinton
• Public order policing: Nicholas Long
• Policing of football matches and other sporting events: Richard Sumray
• Health & Safety: Jennette Arnold
• Road safety: Jenny Jones
• Trafficking in women: Jenny Jones
• Domestic violence: Jennette Arnold
• Drugs: Richard Sumray
• Transport Operations Command Unit: Diana Johnson

Consultation Committee

• Independent Custody Visiting: Abdal Ullah
• Community Police Consultative Groups: Richard Barnes
• Appropriate Adults: Nicholas Long

Equal Opportunities and Diversity Board

• Mental health issues: Rachel Whittaker
• Faith groups: R. David Muir
• Hate crimes against vulnerable people: Kirsten Hearn
• Stop and search: Cecile Wright
• Youth issues: Abdal Ullah

Finance Committee (agreed at their meeting on 22.7.04)

• IS/IT: Reshard Auladin
• Estate issues: Murad Qureshi

Human Resources Committee

• A representative workforce: Kirsten Hearn

Planning, Performance and Review Committee

• Criminal Justice: Richard Sumray & Reshard Auladin
• Response times: Lynne Featherstone
• Best Value: Reshard Auladin
• Child Protection: Richard Sumray

Professional Standards and Complaints Committee

• None formally approved by the committee.

Appendix 2: The Lead Member role

• To act as champion for that particular subject area, recognising that on occasions the lead member should have the freedom to act in a scrutiny or questioning capacity.
• To be the initial point of contact for the MPS or others wishing to discuss issues informally with an MPA member or to sound out views.
• Under some circumstances, and particularly in the event of non-availability of the Chair, to act as a spokesperson.
• To contribute to policy development locally and nationally as appropriate, by representing the MPA on other bodies etc.
• Committee Chairs are by definition the lead member for those areas in their committee’s terms of reference, unless another member has been allocated a specific responsibility – in such cases it is preferable for that member to be drawn from the committee’s membership.
• Lead members do not have the authority to commit the MPA to a course of action or to make decisions on its behalf.
• In carrying out their role or speaking publicly, the lead member must promote and represent views or policies agreed by the MPA or its committees even if these are not their own views.
• Lead members have a responsibility to keep the relevant committee informed of their work by way of regular written updates, and to keep themselves informed of the key developments and issues in their lead area.
• A lead member can request briefings/information on their subject area from MPA and MPS officers (within reason in terms of the time it might take to produce a briefing).
• The lead member role does not attract a special responsibility allowance unless specifically agreed by the MPA and the general assumption is that SRAs will not apply, given that basic allowances were set at a comparatively high level to recognise such demands on MPA members.

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