Framework for policing and performance plan 2003/04

Report: 7
Date: 19 July 2002
By: Clerk

Summary

This reports proposes a change to the way in which the MPA’s policing and performance plan is prepared. A case is made for a more ‘bottom up’ process in which greater emphasis is placed on using the MPA’s annual plan to support delivery of local crime and disorder strategies across London.

A. Recommendation

That

The first draft of the MPA’s policing and performance plan 2003/04 is prepared by aggregating priorities, objectives and targets from local crime and disorder reduction strategies.

B. Supporting information

1. On 20 June 2002 the planning panel considered a report summarising the views expressed by BOCU commanders at a meeting with the chair of the MPA (see Appendix 1). The MPS has also sought feedback from senior managers and a summary of feedback from that exercise is attached at Appendix 2.

2. The main issues raised by BOCU commanders concern:

• the value of using local crime and disorder strategies as the basis for preparing the Authority’s annual policing and performance plan;
• the risk that Operation Safer Streets will focus attention and resources away from other corporate and local priorities (especially for boroughs in which street crime is not a major problem);
• the need to recruit and retain civil staff to ensure police officers are not used on core support duties;
• the need to actively manage the growth in police numbers and to minimise the risks / problems associated with a large number of new police officers;
• the need to include civil staff in any revised resource allocation formula.

3. The planning panel discussed the option of moving towards a more ‘bottom up’ way of planning and thought that COP Committee should consider the matter. At the heart of the issue is the need to clarify the relationship and relative priority of three statutory responsibilities:

• the need for an annual policing and performance plan which includes Ministerial priorities (Police Act 1996);
• the need for three year local crime and disorder reduction strategies (Crime and Disorder Act 1998);
• the forthcoming need for police authorities to issue a three-year strategy plan (a proposal within the Police Reform Bill).

4. A more bottom-up way of planning would be welcomed by BOCU commanders and partners since there is a strong feeling that priorities, objectives and targets agreed locally are more likely to be delivered. The MPA sanctioned a move in this direction last year by introducing local targets for some priority areas and a continued move in this direction would complement:

• the MPA’s desire for greater devolvement of decision-making, resource management and responsibility;
• the increasing focus of performance management and inspection frameworks on borough OCUs;
• the use being made of the results of local consultation as part of the overall MPA/MPS consultation strategy.

5. In practice a bottom-up process could produce a ‘first pass’ draft plan by aggregating priorities, objectives and targets from the 32 local crime and disorder strategies. Development work could then continue to assess what (if anything) needed to be added, changed or removed to address:

• government expectations as set out in the National Policing Plan (intended to replace annual Ministerial priorities);
• pan-London issues not regarded as priorities locally (eg anti-terrorism);
• other issues regarded by the MPA/MPS as a priority for the organisation.

6. In conclusion it is stressed that the preparation of a draft plan based on local crime and disorder strategies would simply be the starting point for further work. The MPA must retain the ability to set corporate priorities, objectives and targets to meet its own or governmental requirements.

C. Financial implications

There are no direct financial implications.

D. Background papers

None.

E. Contact details

Report author: Derrick Norton, MPA.

For information contact:

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

Appendix 1: Feedback from BOCU Commanders

The following main points were raised by borough commanders at a meeting with the chair of the MPA on 30 May 2002. Similar points have been grouped into themes.

Planning process

• Borough commanders questioned whether local plans such as crime and disorder strategies could be used as the basis for the annual plan.
• Commanders felt that the planning process would mean more to local partners and communities if it could be more related to local action.
• Commanders highlighted the difficulty of going through the process without knowing what budget would be available.

Targets and priorities

• Commanders clearly signalled their concern over the relationship between local and central targets.
• It was felt that bottom up target setting was more meaningful and that local targets were likely to be sidelined by central issues.
• The focus on street crime was felt by some boroughs to be at odds with what partners and communities wanted – particularly in non Safer Streets boroughs.

Resources

• Resource allocation between Safer Streets and non Safer Streets and inner and outer boroughs was the most frequently expressed concern. Support from TSG was specifically mentioned.
• It was felt that although the overall number of officers was rising, some boroughs were not seeing an increase in staff.
• Lack of resources was seen as hindering devolution and it was felt that better use should be made of contracts.

Partners and communities

• Borough commanders overall reflected that the quality of crime and disorder partnerships was variable. Some were particularly good at securing funding. Commanders felt the MPA should invest in crime and disorder partnerships.

Borough visits

• Commanders felt that their partners did not gain much benefit from the borough visits.
• Commanders requested contact in advance of the next set of visits to suggest agenda items for the MPA to raise with partners.
• BOCUs felt that borough visits should include civil staff.

Civil staff

• Most boroughs reported problems with civil staff vacancies and retention. It emerged that the star chamber process had affected civil staff.
• The pay review has lead to difficulties recruiting civil staff since some jobs have been regraded at a very low level and experienced police officers are being used to fill vacancies.
• A straw poll of BOCUs revealed around 200 – 300 police officers who are otherwise fit to patrol are being used to fill civil vacancies. Some boroughs felt that if the number of civil staff was increased beyond the current establishment greater numbers of officers could be released.
• Boroughs pointed out that the level of civilianisation was higher in some BOCUs than others. An assessment of civilianisation across the MPS was suggested.

Probationers

• The pressure of increased numbers of probationers on boroughs over the next two years was discussed. BOCU commanders were concerned that the practicalities of increased numbers had not been assessed and that BOCUs would have to be more focused on probationer training (possibly at the detriment of service delivery).

Reform agenda

• A short discussion on PCSOs was held. The new officers might be allocated to wards to report to beat officers. It was suggested that the MPS could recruit, train and task these officers if local authorities provided additional funding.
• It was felt that concerns over civilianisation might lead to PCSOs being deployed in civil jobs.

Other issues

• The operational policing measure was briefly covered. It was felt to be sophisticated and easily misunderstood.
• The issue of the desirable overall level of police numbers was raised at intervals throughout the meeting.

MPA
14 June 2002

Appendix 2: Notes from MPS planning workshop

Introduction

This document summarises the main points from a workshop on 27 June of senior managers to discuss the corporate planning process for 2003/04.

Relationships between crime and disorder strategies and annual plans, development of bespoke target setting

It was proposed that, wherever possible, primacy be given to activities in the crime and disorder strategies, especially as these provide the access to external funding. It was suggested that the activities identified in the crime and disorder strategy for the coming year should form the basis of a BOCU's annual plan. However, there is a need for any 'gap' between the aggregation of local objectives and corporate demands to be managed. Ways of achieving this include:

1. Determine (from the MPA) whether any parameters for local targets can be established at the outset. It was suggested that an aggregation of the targets set in Borough's crime and disorder strategies could be undertaken (making simple assumptions about the achievement of targets in each year of the plan) to identify how these could translate into corporate targets.
2. Include (as last year) a 'challenge' process that can assess whether locally set targets are challenging and achievable. Sufficient time needs to be built into the planning process to allow this dialogue to take place and for plans to be revised if necessary.
3. PRS8 to conduct a 'gap' analysis to determine how many Boroughs have objectives or targets relating to priority crimes and other MPS objectives in their crime and disorder strategies.
   Whilst it may not be appropriate for the centre to impose targets on Boroughs for crimes type that do not appear in their local plans it could ask Boroughs to forecast changes in particular crime levels over the coming year.

It may be appropriate to use the concept of TP intervention in hotspots to support Boroughs with disproportionate problems. This could build on the approach adopted by safer streets, such as deployment of traffic officers. Undertake analysis to identify 'hotspots' for gun crime, drugs and youth crime.

Development of objectives

Youth objective - important for those developing the objective and the measurement system to consult with national or pan London organisations involved in youth justice, e.g. the Youth Justice Board. It is important to strive for a consistent measurement regime across all agencies.

Terrorism objective - seen as appropriate that the organisation imposes a corporate 'standard' in this area - important to ensure that related targets are realistic.

Vulnerable victims - seen as appropriate that the organisation sets a standard customer satisfaction measure, the rationale for setting a JD rate target was questioned - it was suggested that a clear up rate target may be a better measure - there is a need to take account of the local context.

Fear of crime - work is required as part of the development of this objective to determine what Boroughs can do to achieve improvements in this measure. The introduction of quarterly results from the PAS will assist with monitoring however it may still be difficult for Boroughs to take action to influence public perceptions in this area as they are heavily affected by external events/media.

Plans for non TP Units

This year's process was helpful in encouraging support departments to make better linkages between their work and corporate objectives. Support also for the concept of enabling objectives/business as usual.

Need to ensure that the planning process achieves an appropriate balance between units making links with objectives that are so tenuous as to be meaningless but neither to be solely focused on internal activities.

Whoever has the lead on developing an objective should run a workshop with planners to explain rationale behind the objective and to establish the contribution support units can make. This could be helpful in generating a real understanding of the contribution that support units can make.

Suggestion that a 'challenge' element could be introduced into the planning process (in the same way that it is built into the planning process for BOCUs). This could be used to review the contribution units are making to corporate objectives and also introduce some challenge about what the units will stop doing. In some cases it could be a management board decision to agree what activities will be stopped.

Budget and resources

It was proposed that units should adopt a planning assumption that they will have the same level of resources as last year, unless any significant changes are expected which should be notified by the centre early in the process.

It was felt that the information provided on efficiency savings in this year's plans was meaningless. Unless a consistent corporate approach to deriving this information can be developed the requirement to include this information should be removed.

It was recognised that a major piece of long term work would be required to develop effective mechanisms to cost objectives accurately. However, a number of practical suggestions were made to develop assessments based on the information the organisation currently has available, these included utilising the information from the CARMS system, making estimate based on the numbers of staff working in units and using activity analysis data to make estimates of the proportion of time officers and staff spend on different activities and objectives.

Next steps

1. Prepare and circulate the notes (to attendees and others) from this session.
2. Incorporate summary into MPA report.
3. Reconvene this group to discuss planning issues at appropriate points in the planning process. (Felt to be valuable to have representatives from across the organisation to ensure different perspectives are taken into account.)
4. Consider inviting MPA representative to further sessions.
5. Run objective specific workshops to identify contribution that support units can make to corporate objectives.

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