Minutes

Minutes of the Co-ordination and Urgency Committee held on Thursday 5 July 2001 held at Romney House, 43 Marsham Street, Westminster SW1P 3PY.

Present

Members

• Reshard Auladin
• Richard Barnes (In the Chair)
• Toby Harris (items 7-9)
• Nicholas Long
• R. David Muir
• Richard Sumray

MPA staff

• Catherine Crawford (Clerk)
• Ken Hunt (Deputy Treasurer)
• Nick Baker (Committee Services)

MPS staff

• Ian Blair (Deputy Commissioner)

Also in attendance: 6 members of the public and MPS/MPA staff.

Part 1

73 Apologies

(Agenda item 1)

Apologies were received from Peter Herbert, Graham Tope and Rachel Whittaker.

74. Minutes: 31 May 2001

(Agenda item 2)

Resolved – That the minutes of the meeting held on 31 May 2001 be agreed and signed as a correct record.

75. MPA response to the association of police authorities on the interim findings on recommendation 61

(Agenda item 3)

The Committee received a report that confirmed that the MPA had submitted a response of the consultation on Recommendation 61 of the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry Report to the Association of Police Authorities (APA).

It was noted that the Consultation, Diversity and Outreach Committee had considered the report at its meeting on 26 June 2001 and the Chair of that Committee (CDO), R David Muir and the Clerk updated Members on the discussions at that meeting.

The Deputy Commissioner suggested that the MPA needed to continue to work on the definition of what a 'stop' was. Members agreed that there was further work to undertaken on this issue and that the Authority should continue to take this forward, however it was agreed that the work already undertaken was a good starting point and that further consultations with interested parties should continue.

Resolved – That

1. Members note and endorse the response of the consultation on Recommendation 61 that had been submitted to the APA; and
2. Members note the verbal update report from the Chair of the CDO Committee and the Clerk on the outcomes of the discussions reached that the Committee meeting on 26 June 2001.

76. MPA/MPS annual report

(Agenda item 4)

The Committee considered a report that updated Members of the production and printing of the MPA/MPS Annual Report.

It had been hoped that the joint MPA/MPS Annual Report would have been signed off by a sub-group of Members of the Committee prior to this meeting. However, the report had only been received that day from the consultant and the Clerk requested that she be given an opportunity to consider it.

Resolved – That a sub-group of Members of the Committee sign off the Annual Report at the Members away day on 9 July 2001.

77. Towards the London plan

(Agenda item 5)

The Mayor is currently in the process of consulting the MPA on the Spatial Development Strategy and Members considered a report that presented the MPS response to this strategy and which sought their comments.

Arising from the discussion, Members highlighted several issues of concerns, particularly relating to community safety, crime and disorder and the need to account for London as a whole. Members also raised the importance of the plan to take account of local unitary development plans in order to help reduce crime.

Members' attention was drawn to the closing date of the consultation period, which is 31 July 2001 and it was agreed that the Clerk formulate an MPA response. Individual responses were also encouraged.

Resolved – That

1. the report be received; and
2. the Clerk formulate an MPA response on the Strategy and that individual Member responses be encouraged.

78. The Community Advice Project – Old Street Magistrates Court

(Agenda item 6)

The Committee considered a report that outlined a proposal from the Community Advice Project (CAP) for their future use of the Old Street Magistrates Court and to establish a 'community courthouse'.

The report outlined the proposals by CAP for the future use of the Court, together with details of discussions held to date. In noting that the MPA has a duty to obtain the best consideration when disposing of public assets, the Committee were asked to give, in principle, agreement to CAP request to purchase the Old Street building, in anticipation of a successful bid for capital funding. In doing so this would allow the MPS Director of Property, to establish an acceptable market value in association with the District Valuer. Discussions would also continue with CAP on the basis of sale to a single bidder.

Additional information was given that informed Members that CAP would if support in principle from the MPA was received; seek funding from various organisations including English Heritage, London Development Agency, and the European Social Fund.

In considering this proposal Members agreed that any principle support to the project should be within a time frame.

Resolved –That

1. the principle commitment to sell the interest in the Old Street Magistrates Court and police station building to the Community Advice Project, in conjunction with the Greater London Magistrates Court Authority, be approved and that this principle commitment be reviewed by March 2002, taking into account the Project's success in securing the necessary funding; and
2. subject to recommendation 1, the MPS Director of Property Services be authorised to establish an acceptable market value on the basis of sale to a single bidder and that further discussions be held between the interested parties to develop viable proposals.

79. Exclusion of press and public

A resolution was put to exclude the press and public from the meeting during remaining agenda items as they were likely to disclose exempt information as described in Schedule 12(a) (1) of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

Resolved that the press and public be excluded from the meeting during discussion of the following item of business.

Summary of exempt items

World Conference Against Racism

The Committee considered a report that invited representation from the MPA to attend a World Conference against Racism.

Status of a current inquiry

The Committee considered a report that updated Members on the status of a current inquiry.

The meeting closed at 3.55 p.m.

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