Minutes

Minutes of the Co-ordination and Urgency Committee held on 6 November 2001, at Romney House, 43 Marsham Street, Westminster SW1P 3PY.

Present

Members

• Toby Harris (Chair – item 1-4)
• Reshard Auladin
• Richard Barnes (Deputy Chair – in the Chair items 5-10)
• Peter Herbert (Deputy Chair)
• Nicholas Long
• Graham Tope
• Richard Sumray
• Rachel Whittaker

MPA staff

• Catherine Crawford (Clerk)
• Nick Baker (Committee Services)

MPS staff

• Ian Blair (Deputy Commissioner)

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

Part 1

19. Apologies

(Agenda item 1)

Apologies of absence were received from R David Muir.

20. Minutes: 9 October 2001

(Agenda item 2)

Resolved – That the minutes of the meeting held on 9 October 2001 be agreed and signed as a correct record, subject to the inclusion of an apology for absence from Richard Barnes.

Arising from the minutes it was reported the Abdal Ullah’s planned visit to Bangladesh as part of the MPS/Foreign and Commonwealth Office visit to discuss forced marriages had been postponed.

21. MPA Budget 2002/03

(Agenda item 3)

The Committee received a report that set out the proposed 2002/03 budget for the MPA.

The Chair sought clarification in relation to the contingency level amount and the Treasurer confirmed that this level was made up from two savings: court officers work (£3m) and a downward adjustment in national insurance (£2m). It was noted that this should be seen as part of the whole MPS budget and form part of the future budget process. Members also suggested that the future budget process should incorporate individual details relating to development bids and identify all one off costs.

In considering the report Members did not agree the incorporation of the development bids, as outlined in paragraph 14 of the report nor the option for the Authority to use the MPA contingency for development bids.

Resolved – That

1. Members agree the transfer of £54,000 from the contingency to fund the subscriptions budget;
2. the development bids outlined in paragraph 14 of the report be not incorporated in the budget for 2002/03 at this stage but be left to be prioritised against other outstanding budget proposals, depending on the identification of offsetting savings;
3. Members agree the transfer of budget for Internal Audit location allowance and administrative support for consultative groups; 
4. Members agree to increase the MPS accommodation budget by £180,000 in 2002/03 and a full year, to be financed from MPA contingency; and
5. the remaining balance of the MPA contingency be released as a contribution to the overall budget savings requirement.

22. MPA Budget monitoring 2001/02

(Agenda item 4)

The Committee considered a report that set out the forecast out-turn position against budget for the MPA for the financial year 2001/02.

It was noted that this Committee would consider this monitoring report in future rather than the Human Resources Committee. 

Resolved – That 

1. the report be noted; and
2. Members note that exceptional expenditure on recruitment of £42,000 is to be charged to the first year set up costs reserve. 

Toby Harris left the meeting and Richard Barnes took the Chair.

23. MPA commentary on HMIC inspection of MPS 2001/01

(Agenda item 5)

A report was received that considered responses to the seven recommendations contained in the HMIC inspection of the MPS and commented upon the MPS responses to those recommendations.

The Committee agreed that the following amendments/additions be made to the proposed responses:

• Recommendation 1 – MPA response – change of wording – ‘Though the MPS has yet to develop a process for OCUs and directorates, the MPA will ensure that the final programme and process is robust’.
• Recommendation 2 – MPA response should note that the development of differential targets will be developed with experience.
• Recommendation 3 – MPA response – change of wording - ‘The MPA believes the policing model and Resource Allocation Formula once adopted, will address HMIC concerns and will oversee this introduction.
• Recommendation 5 – MPA response to note the slippage of the PRISM pilot scheme to April 2002.
• Recommendation 6 – MPA response to note that the recruitment of additional HOLMES data inputter/typist for each MIR is being reassessed in the light of other priorities.

Resolved – That the proposed MPA responses as outlined in the report, subject to the additional comments highlighted by Members, be agreed.

24. HMIC inspection of borough Operational Command Units (OCUs)

(Agenda item 6)

The Committee considered a report that outlined the process for overseeing the six MPS Borough OCU inspections undertaken annually by HMIC.

Resolved – That the system for dealing with HMIC Borough OCU inspections be endorsed.

25. Members allowances

(Agenda item 7)

Members considered a report that gave an update on the independent panel commissioned by the Association of Police Authorities (APA) to look at members’ allowances following deregulation of such schemes. The key proposal from the independent panel was that schemes should move to a ‘basic and special responsibility allowances’ as opposed to one based on attendance, currently operated by this Authority.

The report informed Members that they would, in due course, need to fully review members allowances in the light of the independent panels findings, however, the Authority has an obligation to confirm by 1 December 2001 which scheme it intends to operate and it was proposed to operate the existing scheme until a new scheme could be developed.

Some Members’ expressed concerns that the current members’ allowance ceiling was insufficient and it was also noted that the GLA review of members’ allowances had been streamlined and would not now look at MPA member allowance issues.

Resolved - That the MPA continue to operate its approved scheme for the payment of members’ allowance from 1 December 2001 until such time as a new scheme is agreed.

26. Urgent business approved by Chair

(Agenda item 8)

1. Appointment to the MPA Audit Panel

The Chair agreed to receive this item as urgent as this was the last opportunity to appoint a Member to a current vacancy on the Audit Panel, before that Panel next meets.

The Committee considered a report that sought approval to Jennette Arnold replacing John Biggs as a Member of the Audit Panel.

Resolved – That Jennette Arnold replace John Biggs as a Member of the Audit Panel.

2. Change of date of February meeting

The Chair agreed to receive this report as urgent as MPA Members may wish to attend the GLA budget meeting that will now meet on 7 February 2002, the same date and time as the February meeting of this Committee and in order for arrangements to be made to give early notice of any change of date.

Resolved – That Members’ be consulted on an alternative date for this meeting.

27. Exclusion of press and public

(Agenda item 9)

A resolution was put to exclude the press and public from the meeting during agenda item 10 as it was likely to disclose exempt information as described in Schedule 12(a) (9) 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.

28. MPA accommodation update

(Agenda item 10)

The Committee received an oral update and details of the contractual issues relating to future MPA accommodation issues.

Members requested that Officers continue negotiations regarding the lease and that a further report be presented to the December meeting of the Committee.

It was noted that Members also suggested that should the proposed current site not come to fruition then future arrangements for MPA accommodation should include ‘in house’ negotiations on prospective sites instead of employing an external agent.

Resolved- That 

1. the report be received; and
2. the Committee receive a further report on this issue at its next meeting.

The meeting closed at 4.10 p.m.

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