Minutes

Minutes of the Co-ordination and Policing Committee held on 05 March 2004 at 10 Dean Farrar Street, London, SW1H 0NY.

Present

Members

• Toby Harris (Chair)
• Richard Barnes (Deputy Chair)
• R. David Muir (Deputy Chair)
• Reshard Auladin
• Cindy Butts
• Elizabeth Howlett
• Richard Sumray
• Graham Tope
• Rachel Whittaker
• Cecile Wright

MPA officers

• Catherine Crawford (Clerk)
• Ken Hunt (Deputy Treasurer)
• Simon Vile (Head of Secretariat)

MPS officers

• Sir Ian Blair (Deputy Commissioner)
• Keith Luck (Director of Resources)
• David Hill (Assistant Director of Property)
• Steve House (Assistant Commissioner)
• Brian Paddick (Deputy Assistant Commissioner)
• Richard Bryan (Deputy Assistant Commissioner)

Peter Herbert also attended.

Part 1

63. Apologies for absence

(Agenda item 1)

Apologies for absence were received from Jennette Arnold, Nicholas Long and Sir John Quinton.

64. Declarations of interest

(Agenda item 2)

No interests declared.

65. Minutes

(Agenda item 3)

Resolved – That the minutes of the meeting of the Co-ordination and Policing Committee held on 6 February 2004 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

66. Review of the Resource Allocation Formula 2005/06

(Agenda item 4)

The Committee received a paper setting out progress on the review.

It was noted that the workshop for MPA members now clashed with a major Greater London Authority / Association of London Government seminar. An alternative date would be sought.

Resolved – That progress on the review be noted.

67. Policing and Performance Plan 2004/05

(Agenda item 5)

The Committee received a report with the current draft of the policing and performance plan, which would be submitted to the full Authority for approval later in the month.

As the report had been copied to members only shortly before the meeting, it was agreed that any comments should be sent to the MPA’s Head of Performance by 12 March.

68. Proposal by Transport for London to decriminalise red routes – provision of Traffic Warden Services

(Agenda item 6)

The Committee considered a joint report by the Commissioner and the Clerk.

Resolved –

1. To concur with the proposals to enter into negotiations for the provision of traffic warden services to Transport for London; and
2. that a further report be brought to the Committee in due course.

69. Possible extension of the central London congestion charging zone

(Agenda item 7)

The Committee considered a report inviting any comments on a Mayoral proposal to extend the congestion charging zone.

The Deputy Commissioner confirmed that there were no policing views on the proposal.

Peter Herbert suggested that, if not already the case, intelligence gained as a result of congestion charge cameras should be shared with other UK constabularies and that this should be built into the agreement with TfL.

70. Establishment of a new charitable ltd company for the MPA area – ‘The Safer London Foundation’

(Agenda item 8)

The Committee considered a proposal to establish a new charitable limited company.

Members had a number of queries which they wanted addressed when the further report was presented. These included:

• It was felt that the reference in para 4 to ‘capturing and protecting product etc innovation by the MPS before it is copied by other charities and organisations’ was inappropriate both in that the charity should be working co-operatively with other charities and because the charity should not be given exclusive right to the MPS ‘product’.
• Members wanted to be informed of the evidence on which the income estimate had been based
• The chief executive role in the charity would be very important and whilst fund raising would be a significant element of that role, the way that those funds were disbursed would be of equal importance
• The trustee appointments should be of a limited duration and should be openly advertised
• There should be an assessment of how the creation of this charity would impact on other community and voluntary groups already in the field, especially in terms of attracting funding

Resolved – That

1. approval be given to the setting up of a new legal entity ‘The Safer London Foundation’ in the form of a charity limited by guarantee, as set out in the report;
2. a separate report be submitted in due course on the contribution sought towards charity start up funding for the first two years of operation before self-sufficiency. This report should also address the issues raised by members, as set out above; and
3. the Chair of the Authority and one other member be appointed as trustees. (Post meeting note – Peter Herbert was subsequently selected as the second trustee)

(Cecile Wright asked that her name be recorded as having voted against the decision to establish a charitable company).

71. The proposed merger of the Royal Parks Constabulary with the Metropolitan Police Service

(Agenda item 9)

The Committee considered a report by the Commissioner on progress in this proposed merger and seeking authority to proceed with it.

In replying to members’ questions and comments, Superintendent Helen Ball said that it was intended to observe the spirit of TUPE Regulations. The PRC officers had been included in the MPS diversity training. She commented on the importance of getting agreement on funding for the pensions shortfall referred to in the financial implications. She agreed that this merger provided an opportunity to develop the links with other parks, such as Hampstead Heath. Supt Ball confirmed that in the interim before full merger, the MPS and RPC officers would be separately uniformed, not least because they would have different powers, but would be managed as one OCU.

Resolved – That

1. the progress of this project be noted;
2. to authorise the expenditure, which will be reimbursed in full by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, on goods and services required to establish the Royal Parks OCU within the MPS, as set out in the report; and
3. the formation of the Royal Parks OCU from 1 April 2004 be approved, on an interim ‘cost neutral’ basis as described in the report, pending legislation to effect a formal merger with the MPS.

72. Designated Detention Officers

(Agenda item 10)

The Committee considered a report by the Commissioner on the introduction of a new role of designated detention officer (DDO).

Richard Sumray was aware that the MPS’s criminal justice department had not been invited to provide an input to the proposals that were before the committee. He felt it was particularly important that the opportunity was taken to ensure that DDOs carried out the full range of custody duties. DAC Paddick described how the proposals had developed, in discussion and negotiation with the Home Office, from a narrower role to a wider range of functions. As his remit also included criminal justice issues, he undertook to look at the implications and opportunities.

In reply to a question from Cecile Wright on training to deal with mental health problems, it was reported that DDOs would receive a six-week training course with input on medical issues, death in custody issues and safety training to the same level as police officers. The syllabus would be copied to members of the committee for information.

Resolved – That the proposed implementation and deployment of designated detention officers be endorsed.

73. Any other urgent business

(Agenda item 11)

None

74. Exclusion of press and public

(Agenda item 12)

Resolved – That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of agenda item 13 as exempt information as described in paragraphs 10 and 11 of Schedule 12(a) (1) of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended) is likely to be made known.

Part 2

Summary of exempt items

75. Total facilities management contract for C3i facilities

(Agenda item 13)

The Committee considered a report by the Commissioner on the outcome of the tendering exercise to appoint a contractor to deliver a total facilities management service to the three C3i facilities.

Resolved – That the contract be awarded as set out in the recommendation to the exempt report.

The meeting ended at 12.55 p.m.

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