Minutes

Minutes of the an meeting of the Co-ordination and Policing Committee held on 7 February 2008 at 10 Dean Farrar Street, London, SW1H 0NY.

Present

Members

• Len Duvall (Chair)
• Reshard Auladin (Deputy Chair)
• Cindy Butts (Deputy Chair)
• Faith Boardman
• Toby Harris
• Kirsten Hearn (from agenda item 9)
• Karim Murji
• Aneeta Prem
• Rachel Whittaker

MPA officers

• Catherine Crawford (Chief Executive)
• Ken Hunt (Treasurer)
• John Crompton (Committee Services)
• Alan Johnson (Policy Officer, HR) attended for agenda item 9

MPS officers

• Tim Godwin (Assistant Commissioner, Territorial Policing),
• Mark Simmons, (Commander Territorial Policing),
• Martin Tiplady (Director of Human Resources),
• Steve Roberts (Deputy Director of Human Resources),
• Anne McMeel (Director of Strategic Finance),
• Simon Hart (Acting Director of Finance Services),
• Karim Mahamdallie (Director of Business Support),
• Jane Bond (Deputy Director Property Services)

Part 1

89. Apologies for absence

(Agenda item 1)

Apologies for absence were received from Jennette Arnold, Richard Barnes Damian Hockney, Elizabeth Howlett, John Roberts and Richard Sumray.

90. Declarations of interest

(Agenda item 2)

During consideration of agenda item 7 Faith Boardman declared a personal interest as a non-executive director of the Board of HM Court Services.

91. Minutes - 6 December 2007 and 10 January 2008

(Agenda item 3)

RESOLVED - That the minutes of the meeting held on 6 December 2007 and10 January 2008 be agreed and signed as a correct record.

92. Minutes of the Remuneration Sub-committee - 8 November reconvened on 14 December 2007 

(Agenda item 4)

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the Remuneration Sub Committee (Part 1) held on 8 November and reconvened on 14 December 2007 be noted.

93. INDEPENDENT CUSTODY VISITING SCHEME

(Agenda item 5)

A report was submitted which provided an update on the Scheme including the implementation of the reforms, since the last report in July 2007.

In introducing the report the Chief Executive said she wished to record her appreciation of the work carried out by the team which had brought about the areas of improvement noted in the report. Members also paid tribute to the hard work of the ICV Unit.

It was agreed that future reports would include more information on the issues raised by visitors to give members an idea of how these issues had been resolved.

RESOLVED – That

1. the progress made to date on the implementation of the reform of the ICV Scheme be noted; and

2. a further update report be provided to the Committee at its October meeting.

94. Provision of additional police officers on boroughs

(Agenda item 6)

This report was a follow up to that submitted to the January meeting of the Committee and provided further information which members had requested at that time. It sought formal agreement to the initiative which involved local authorities making a two year financial contribution to the cost of providing up to an additional 320 police officers.

In reply to questions from members Assistant Commissioner Godwin confirmed that the bids were effectively a joint bid from the LAA and the borough Commander and said he would support a suggestion made by a member that the MPA borough link members be included in the submission process.

RESOLVED – That

1. formal agreement be given to this initiative and it be agreed that discussions can continue with local authorities within the proposed financial framework set out in Section D of the report and subject to final budget decisions;

2. it be agreed that the provision of the officers is on a cost sharing basis rather than full cost recovery for this initiative only; and

3. delegated authority be given to the Commissioner to exercise the MPA’s powers under section 92 of the Police Act 1996 (power to receive grants from local authorities) to take forward this initiative with local authorities, subject to the Chief Executive approving model terms and conditions in relation to grants to be received from local authorities, and for the Chief Executive to enter into appropriate agreements recording the terms agreed for each grant.

95. Integrated prosecution teams

(Agenda item 7)

A report was submitted which outlined the London Criminal Justice reform programme, the proposal to introduce integrated prosecution teams to four further BOCUs and the intention to introduce IPTs to all boroughs.

Faith Boardman declared a personal interest as a non-executive director of the Board of HM Court Services. She said she supported the provision of the teams and would suggest that a future report include more information on the anticipated savings for the court service.

Reshard Auladin reported that he had found the briefing he had attended very useful. He would support the recommendations in the report but was still not clear as to whether all the lessons had been learn from Glidewell. He went on to identify several areas where further assurance or information was needed such as an exit strategy and a performance framework.

In reply to a question about the financial implications Commander Simmons said that a surplus was not occur until 2010/11 as the CPS had advised that their savings would not be realised until that year when they were released from their current leasehold obligations. In reply to questions from Aneeta Prem he confirmed that consideration was being given to rolling out the arrangements ins to the new custody centres. There were still some issues where further discussion and clarification was needed –for example exploring the feasibility of increasing the level of security vetting for CPS staff which in turn would govern access arrangements within police buildings.

In reply to a question Assistant Commissioner Godwin said that it was anticipated that virtual courts would generally be in operation for no more than around 16 hours per day.

Summing up the discussion the Chair requested that a further report be submitted in six month’s time which provided an update on progress on the implementation and covered an exit strategy and a performance framework.

RESOLVED- that

1. agreement be given to the implementation of Integrated Prosecution Teams throughout the MPS within the projected costings demonstrated in the report;

2. the roll out of the Integrated Prosecution Teams to the proposed four BOCUs be noted:

3. the cost and savings implications of fully implementing Integrated Prosecution Teams be noted;

4. approval be given to the funding proposals for the programme including the carry forward of Territorial Policing resources totalling £7.75m;

5. a further report be submitted in six months.

96. Project Herald

(Agenda item 8)

Project Herald is concerned with the introduction of a new custody-staffing model which aims to deliver a more efficient, safer custody environment. This report focused on the arrangements for forensic medical provision within police custody suites.

The Chair referred to correspondence concerning the proposed changes which had been submitted by Dr Green and Dr Wilks. This had been circulated to members together with a response from the Director of Business Development, Territorial Policing.

Assistant Commissioner Godwin said that the contents of the correspondence be noted and the points raised be the subject of further discussion. The MPS’s proposals were in line with established best practice elsewhere and he confirmed that that there would still be a role for Forensic Medical Examiners.

Members indicated that the new arrangements should be introduced, but
having considered the report and the representations made there were a
number of points would required clarification.

In response to points raised by members Commander Simmons advised that there was ACPO guidance on the professional aspects. There would be a Head of Profession and would confirm that a structure would be put in place to ensure that there was professional supervision of the nurses and any professional concerns raised would be addressed through this route. The custody Sergeant would retain overall responsibility for the conduct of the suite. The Director of HR advised that there would be protocols to ensure involvement by healthcare professional in issues like recruitment of the nurses and professional development.

The Chair requested that a further report be submitted which set out the progress of the introduction of the new arrangements which he would suggest should be on a phased basis. It would also be useful if this report included information which gave members a better idea of the vision behind the changes and highlighted any anticipated risks.

RESOLVED That-

1. the proposed new arrangements for the forensic medical provisions within custody suites and the proposed financial terms be agreed and be introduced; and

2. a further report on the introduction of the new arrangements be submitted to the Committee.

97. Scrutiny into succession planning and talent management

(Agenda item 9)

This report outlined the findings of a member-led scrutiny into succession planning and talent management for police officers in the MPS which had been carried out by the Authority.

In reply to a question advised that the scrutiny panel expect to see an explicit or implicit ‘read across’ to police staff in the recommendations wherever possible, e.g. in the proposed succession planning and talent management strategy. The issue of police staff would be reviewed once the strategy was in place.

The Director of HR said that the MPS generally supported the recommendations flowing from the scrutiny and a full response to each recommendation would be made. He also advised the Committee that the MPS had simultaneously been carrying out several pieces of work which had a similar them to the scrutiny. He suggested that when these had been considered by the Management Board they be submitted to a full Authority meeting together with the MPS response to the MPA scrutiny. In response to a suggestion from the Chief Executive he confirmed that these reports would be available for the 27 March Authority meeting. Kirsten Hearn advised that this timetable would fit in very well with the work programme for the Equal Opportunities and Diversity Board which had representative workforce as the theme at its meeting on 3 April 2008.

RESOLVED – That

1. the MPA endorses the approach adopted by the scrutiny and the recommendations that have been made;

2. the MPS submits its response to the scrutiny at the March meeting of the Authority together with a report on the related pieces of work it has been carrying out; and

3. a progress report be submitted to the Committee three months after the reports to be submitted to the Authority meeting.

98. MPA resourcing

(Agenda item 10)

This report sought approval for an increase to the MPA’s budget to reinforce capacity to support members in achieving the aims of the Corporate Strategy.

In reply to a question from a member the Chief Executive acknowledged that there was a need to seek alternative accommodation for the Authority said that various options would be considered. She also confirmed that the to provide the necessary flexibility the specialist consultants would be engaged to advise on particular pieces of work or programmes which could be as little as a few hours. There was certainly no question of the consultants becoming employees by default.

RESOLVED – That, subject to detailed proposals on job descriptions, approval be given to an increase to the MPA’s budget of £0.5million to finance three extra posts, accommodation and specialist consultancy support.

99. Any other urgent business

(Agenda item 11)

None.

100. Exclusion of press and public

(Agenda item 12)

RESOLVED - That the press and public be asked to leave the meeting during discussion of the remaining items of business because exempt information as defined in Schedule 12a to the Local Government Act 1972 as amended is likely to be made known.

Summary of decisions made on exempt items

Minute 101 Agenda item 13 – request for authority to refurbish vacant floors at Marlowe House, Sidcup
Approval given to capital expenditure to provide up to four floors of flexible office accommodation for future MPS use.

Minute 102 agenda item 16 exempt minutes of the meeting held on 6 December 2007 and 10 January 2008
Subject to two amendments agreed as a correct record.

Minute 103 agenda item 16 exempt minutes of the Remuneration Sub Committee held on 8 November reconvened on 14 December 2007
Noted.

The meeting ended at .....pm

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