Minutes

Minutes of the Chair's Co-ordination and Urgency Committee meeting of the Metropolitan Police Authority held in AG21, Romney House, Westminster on Friday 14 July 2000.

Present:

Members

Toby Harris (Chair)
Richard Barnes (Deputy Chair)
Reshard Auladin
Nicholas Long
R David Muir
Richard Sumray
Rachel Whittaker

MPA staff:

Peter Edwards (Clerk), Peter Martin (Treasurer), Ian Gaskell, Julia Smith, Paul Dutton, Mike Robinson

MPS staff:

AC Dunn

Plus six members of the press and public.

Part 1

1. Confirmation of Chair and nominations for Deputy Chairs

The Committee confirmed the Chair of the Authority, Toby Harris, as Chair of the Committee and similarly that the Deputy Chairs of the Authority, Richard Barnes and Peter Herbert, would act as the Deputy Chairs for the Committee.

In welcoming members to the Committee the Chair emphasised that in future a minimum of 3 clear working days’ notice of agenda items must be provided for all meetings of the authority and that urgent items should be tabled or added to the agenda only in circumstances of genuine urgency; the Committee should focus its attention on its co-ordination role.

The Committee confirmed that the items which had been circulated to the Committee with less than 3 clear working days notice could be added to the agenda in accordance with section 100B (4b) of the Local Government Act 1972. The reason for urgency was that the business of the Committee needed to be progressed swiftly and could not await a future meeting of the authority.

Resolved:
that the Chair and Deputy Chairs of the Authority be confirmed as the Chair and Deputy Chairs for the Committee.

2. Membership and terms of reference

In noting the terms of reference and membership for the Committee, the Chair explained that the Deputy Chairs of the Finance, Planning and Best Value Committee were both invited to be members of the Committee because of that Committee’s size and importance. However, it was true that any member could attend any meeting and where a Chair knew in advance that he or she would be unable to attend they should invite their Deputy Chair to sit in on the meeting.

Members agreed with the Chair that at some stage it might be appropriate for certain organisations to attend the Committee either for an informal discussion or to give a presentation. However, care would need to be taken so as to not to create too many expectations that such an invitation would be forthcoming. Invitations should perhaps be focused on organisations which give attention to London-wide strategic issues.

In response to a query from the Clerk, members confirmed that the most appropriate vehicle for Committee updates was the presentation of minutes to the full authority. However, Committee Chairs should have the opportunity to place items for the agenda with due notice to the Clerk. Finally, it was noted that the Committee should at all times be kept forewarned of matters which might become urgent at short notice.

Resolved:
that the terms of reference and membership of the Committee be noted.

3. Update on first meetings and workshops

The Committee noted the significant number of workshops and meetings that had been planned for July and thanked the staff of the MPA for their hard work in responding to members’ needs. The Chair indicated that the authority would need to monitor its workload so as to ensure that it was not becoming too intensive.

Resolved:
that the report be noted.

4. MPA support organisation staffing paper

The Committee considered in some detail a proposed structure for the MPA’s support organisation. The Clerk explained that the authority had agreed to advertise 3 senior posts, namely the Clerk, Treasurer and Communications Director. The purpose of the report was to provide members with an opportunity to input at an early stage into the proposed structure for the MPA support organisation as a whole. The Human Resources Committee would be asked to agree and progress a strategy for migrating towards the new structure. Clearly the structure would need to be reviewed in the medium term once the new Clerk and Treasurer had been appointed.

Members of the Committee discussed the proposals in great detail. The following is a brief summary of the key points raised during the debate:

• members felt that the Communications Director post should report direct to the Clerk rather than the Deputy Clerk. In addition the Press Office should be renamed the Communications Office and given a higher prominence because of its significant importance;
• members felt that the structure proposed was too hierarchical and ‘silo based’. Given the size of the structure this was not felt to be a realistic way forward, and a flatter, more flexible structure might be more appropriate. In response, the Clerk explained that the way the structure had been formulated was so as to have a professional secretariat managing the formal processes supported in tandem by separate policy expertise. The organisational structure within the appendix was a formal representation but in practice staff were working very closely together;
• it was confirmed that the Human Resources Section was both a policy unit and a unit providing basic personnel management functions for the MPA support structure; members felt that more detail on job descriptions and roles of the proposed staff would be useful. Staff needed to be deployed as flexibly as possible given the emerging nature of the authority’s work and role. In addition, information on what a “G7” as opposed to a “G8” was expected to do would be useful;
• members also requested that further detail on the costs of the structure and each individual post be presented;
• members concluded that the most appropriate way forward would be for the comments raised by members at the meeting to be taken on board by the Human Resources Committee in a detailed analysis of the structure which would need to ensure the priority that the staff recruited would be tasked flexibly to undertake a variety of different roles.

Resolved:

1. that a decision on structure be passed to the HR Committee who would take into account the views raised during the meeting;
2. that the Clerk and Treasurer be authorised to proceed with filling essential posts;
3. that the "Press Office" be renamed the "Communications Office" and report directly to the Clerk within the organisational structure;
4. that future papers contain significantly more information on financial issues;
5. that the costs of the staffing structure be made known to all members; and 6 That the review of the organisational structure and staffing levels be undertaken by April 2001.

5. Proposed MPA protocols

The Clerk introduced the paper by explaining that there were a range of protocols being developed for the authority which would spell out detailed working arrangements in respect of various issues. The purpose of the report was to advise members of progress and seek approval for both the process and a number of protocols.

Members ran through the detail of each protocol in turn.

A number of minor textual amendments and observations were recorded, with the following being the most significant:

• Correspondence Protocol
  Members felt that services for personal callers to the authority should be incorporated within the protocol, as should an indication of the need for translation and interpretation services where appropriate. In addition to many detailed comments made, members felt that the protocol was too long and contained a lot of information that was more staff procedure than strategic oversight It was agreed that the amended protocol would be submitted to the next meeting of the authority.
• Media Protocol
  The Chair confirmed that it would not be his intention to visit the scene of major incidents unless requested to do so and following liaison with the MPS. It was felt that the reference to this in the protocol should be removed as it related to crisis management rather than media. If the Chair or any officer chose to make comments on an operational issue, they would need to be well-informed and on wider issues rather than detailed specifics. The amended protocol would be put to the authority for approval.
• Crisis Management
  It was recognised that in the event of an operational “crisis” the decision from the MPS on whom to contact first would most likely be a practical one depending on who was available. The MPS confirmed that they could not foresee any circumstances in which the Chair should not be informed and assured the Committee that the existing process for local Borough Commanders informing councils and other local parties was in place and working well. It was agreed that an up to date list of Borough Commanders be circulated to members and that the updated protocol be put to the next meeting of the authority.
• Complaints Protocol
  It was confirmed that the protocol referred to complaints against civil staff and performance monitoring complaints as well as those formally under the Police Act against police officers. It was noted that there were some issues within the protocol which had yet to be fully discussed and agreed with both the GLA and the MPS. Consequently a revised protocol should be submitted to a future meeting of the Professional Standards and Performance Monitoring Committee.

Resolved:

1. that the correspondence protocol be updated in the light of the comments received and passed to the authority for approval;
2. that the media protocol be updated in the light of the comments received and passed to the authority for approval;
3. that the crisis management protocol be updated in the light of the comments received and passed to the authority for approval;
4. that the complaints protocol be updated with MPS comments and passed to the Professional Standards and Performance Monitoring Committee for examination;
5. that all other protocols be finalised and submitted to the appropriate authority meeting for approval.

6. Dates of future meetings

Following discussion, the Committee agreed that the Committee should meet on a monthly basis on the fourth Thursday, ideally either early am or late pm.

Resolved:
that the Committee meet on the fourth Thursday of every month at times to be arranged.

7. Proposed extension of consultation project

The Committee received the report which noted that the Consultation, Diversity and Outreach Committee Workshop had raised concerns regarding the composition of the independent Challenge Panel for the Best Value review of consultation. Consequently, proposals had been drawn up for a revised membership and were presented for approval. It would be necessary to agree to extend the project for 1 month so that the changes could be brought into effect.

The Chair of the Consultation, Diversity and Outreach Committee confirmed that the way forward suggested in the report reflected the views of the Committee members and was a pragmatic solution. The delay would not affect the ability of the Review Project to feed into next year’s policing plan and the suggested solution had been agreed by the MPS/MPA Best Value Steering Group.

The Chair of the Finance, Planning and Best Value Committee expressed the hope that his Committee would have an oversight role as regards all fundamental performance review projects and that proposals for working arrangements could be agreed soon with all Best Value sub-groups.

Resolved:

1. that the Project Board’s recommendations for reconstitution of the Consultation Project Independent Challenge Panel be accepted;
2. that the duration of the Best Value Review of Consultation be extended by 1 month with publication of the draft strategy targeted for November.

8. Appointments to the Association of Police Authorities

The Committee considered the report that sought appointment of members of the authority to various positions within the Association of Police Authorities. Given the urgency the Committee agreed to various nominations but requested that formal ratification also be sought from the authority.

Recommended:

1. that the MPA’s 6 nominations to the APA should comprise the Chair of the Authority, Deputy Chair, Richard Barnes and the full Committee Chairs;
2. that the APA be asked if a substitute could attend on behalf of the Chair at the Executive Sub-Committee ‘away-day’ on 26 July 2000;
3. that Nicholas Long should be nominated as the MPA Liaison Member on information management issues and to serve on the Board looking at PSRCS issues;
4. that the authority be asked to confirm the above nominations and highlight potential leads to the APA’s policy groups.

Part 2

9. Exclusion of the press and public

Resolved:
that under section 100 A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves disclosure of exempt information as detailed in the paragraphs of Schedule 12A of the above Act.

10. Negotiations over compensation claim

The Committee discussed in considerable detail the report from the Commissioner in respect of a compensation claim. The detailed discussion is not recorded as it contains exempt information as detailed in the paragraphs of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended). Members of the Committee concluded, following the receipt of detailed oral advice, that fuller information was required on the legal and associated issues surrounding the case before a decision could be made. Officers were requested to prepare this as a matter of extreme urgency and forward it to all members of the Committee. In the light of that paper, Officers would be authorised to progress the matter.

Resolved:

1. that the Clerk, Treasurer and Commissioner be instructed to prepare a full report on legal implications, costs and associated issues as a matter of urgency;
2. that the above paper be circulated to all members of the Committee as soon as possible and that it contain a recommendation as to a way forward;
3. that, subject to the receipt of views from all members of the Committee, the Clerk, Treasurer and Commissioner be authorised to carry out the report’s recommendation.

Send an e-mail linking to this page

Feedback