Terms of reference of the Board

Report: 04
Date: 26 September 2002
By: Clerk

Summary

This report invites members of the Board to discuss how they want it to operate, and confirm its terms of reference.

A. Recommendations

That members

1. recommend to the full Authority the proposed additions to the terms of reference in appendix 1.
2. agree the relationship between this Board and the MPS Diversity Board.
3. agree the performance information requirements and other working arrangements of the Board.

B. Supporting information

Terms of reference

1. The Board’s terms of reference as agreed by the full Authority are attached as Appendix 1.

2. Following further consideration of requirements by officers, two additional areas of work for the Board have been proposed. These are at numbers 12 and 13 of Appendix 1.

3. Much of the Board’s terms of reference are concerned with monitoring and reviewing. The additional term of reference (at No. 12) proposes one major review/scrutiny of an aspect of the MPS diversity activity be carried out each year at the request of the Board. The MPA, through the Performance and Review Unit, has developed a great deal of experience in undertaking scrutinies. The learning has proved most useful to the Authority. Such scrutinies could greatly assist and inform the Board on matters it chooses to review.

4. The MPS diversity budget for 2002/03 amounted to £57m; the MPA’s was £280,000. Whilst a high proportion of these budgets were salary costs, members of the Board will wish to satisfy themselves that the budget spend of both organisations is closely linked to improvement in performance. The Mayor’s Office has also placed a requirement for the monitoring and accountability of diversity budgets from each part of the GLA Group. MPA and MPS officers have been involved in carrying out this exercise; it is now proposed that because of the importance of this aspect of budget performance, should be a key responsibility of this Board. The additional term of reference (at No. 13) makes this a specific responsibility.

5. The revised terms of reference are presented for members’ consideration and approval.

Relationship with MPS Diversity Board

6. The MPS Diversity Board, under the direction of the Deputy Commissioner, has the lead responsibility for progressing the key diversity policy decisions in the MPS. The MPA Equal Opportunities and Diversity Board’s remit to have an overview of the MPS’s diversity progress will require that there is a clear relationship between the MPS and MPA Boards. It may be that the Chair of the Equal Opportunities and Diversity Board should be a member of the MPS Diversity Board and thus ensure that matters addressed are brought to the attention of the MPA. The Equal Opportunities and Diversity Board will be able to request regular reports and updates from the Chair of the MPS Diversity Board.

7. Members of this Board may also wish to take a more proactive role by requesting the MPS Diversity Board Chair to hold regular briefing meetings with the Chair and Deputy Chair of the Equal Opportunities and Diversity Board in order to ensure that they are fully consulted on all emerging and proposed diversity matters within the MPS.

8. Members are asked to confirm the relationship they wish this Board to have with the MPS Diversity Board.

Performance monitoring and review

9. The Equal Opportunities and Diversity Board will be interested in a wide variety of information related to equal opportunities and diversity issues. The challenge will be to provide the Board with information on key areas of concern or interest whilst at the same time not overloading the Board with information.

10. With regard to the terms of reference of the board, there seem to be four distinct areas on which the board would wish to receive reports and/ or regular management and performance information:

1. MPA secretariat staffing and diversity issues
2. MPS staffing and diversity issues
3. MPS external fairness in policing 
4. MPS crimes requiring specialist policing

11. Within each of these areas, and wherever possible, information will be requested to be broken down in terms of ethnicity, gender, age, and disability. Ideally, this would be extended to categories of faith and sexual orientation too, although these categories are not widely adopted at present in many areas of interest.

12. It is suggested that the MPA Performance and Review Unit regularly collects and analyses performance information in each of the areas specified. The type of information that it is proposed to be collected is attached at Appendix 2.

13. Apart from the MPS staffing information, no regular reporting or analysis of this information is currently carried out. The Performance and Review Unit can provide this function and report to the Board as required.

14. Members’ views are sought on both the content of equalities and diversity performance information to be received, as suggested at Appendix 2. Members are asked to decide on the type of information, frequency and level of detail they wish to receive in each area. This is possible as either regular monthly information and/or as subject specific reports spread over the course of the year. Members may also wish to indicate information they wish to receive but not necessarily place on the Board’s agenda.

Forward agenda

15. Members are invited to identify issues for the committee’s forward agenda (either for the Board meetings or informal briefings). As the Board has a strategic overview of the MPA’s corporate equalities and diversity performance it can include issues which are in the terms of reference of other MPA committees. The following may be a starting point for a forward agenda.

1. Proposals for implementing Phase II of the MPS Diversity Strategy
2. GLA Group Best Value Review Equalities for All recommendations and implementation
3. Race Hate Crimes Working Group – Phase II proposals
4. HMIC thematic review of equal opportunities and diversity training
5. Gender Agenda implementation
6. Disability Discrimination Act implementation

Meetings and partnerships

16. The Chair of the EODB has already indicated an interest in seeing that arrangements are made for the Board to meet with various key groups and organisations that could add value to the MPA’s diversity agenda. A proposal of organisations and groups, with a suggested timetable, is attached for members’ consideration at appendix 3. Propoasls are also made of different groups and oeganisations that the EODB could usefully engage with over the coming year. Some of these meetings may need to be scheduled outside of the formal committee meeting cycle. Officers will confirm arrangements with these groups or others that are proposed by members.

C. Equality and diversity implications

The whole focus of this paper is on equalities and diversity implications for the MPA and MPS.

D. Financial implications

None specific to this report.

E. Background papers

• None

F. Contact details

Report authors: Julia Smith 020 7202 0226 and Johanna Gillians 020 7202 0213.

For more information contact:

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

Appendix 1: Equal Opportunities and Diversity Board - Terms of Reference

1. To lead on all issues relating to equal opportunities and diversity within the MPA and the MPS. This includes:

2. To ensure that the MPA meets its statutory responsibilities under all relevant anti-discrimination legislation; and to monitor the MPS’s response to this legislation.

3. To monitor the implementation of the MPS’s race equality action plan.

4. To approve the MPA’s annual equal opportunities and diversity work programme.

5. To consider and advise on the equalities and diversity implications of all MPA and MPS major policy proposals and initiatives.

6. To keep under review the Authority’s equal opportunities statement and strategies that put this statement into practice.

7. To review and interrogate MPS performance data on diversity issues, including trends and performance against policing plan objectives, particularly with regard to:

• stop and search data
• hate crimes (race, homophobic, rape, domestic violence, child abuse)
• street crimes (diversity issues)
• possession of knives/weapons (diversity issues)
• CRR training
• other areas of performance which have a specific impact on diversity issues

8. To propose the development of performance indicators and target setting in areas of diversity issues.

9. To consider areas of diversity where new or improved performance monitoring is required.

10. To co-ordinate action on issues arising from the Lawrence Report

11. To advise other MPA committees on equalities and diversity issues of relevance to their responsibilities

12. To undertake an in-depth review and/or scrutiny of at least one area of the MPS diversity strategy annually

13. To monitor and review the MPA and MPS annual diversity budget to ensure efficiency of spend against performance and to satisfy the budget requirements of the Greater London Authority.

Appendix 2: Performance information to be regularly collected and analysed

MPA secretariat staffing information

a) Staff diversity – recruitment and strength

b) Staff views

MPS internal staffing information

a) Workforce profile

b) Staff recruitment

c) Staff retention

d) Staff views

MPS external fairness (using the MPS developed fair practice management information)

a) General

% BCUs with Fair practice MI implemented

b) Crime – victims and suspects

c) Stop and search

d) Complaints

MPS crimes requiring specialist policing

Appendix 3: Proposed initial schedule of meetings with partners and stakeholders

In addition to these meetings, the Board may wish to hold meetings with other strategic organisations including:

• the business sector
• MPs
• Health Trusts (mental Health issues)

MPS specific arrears of work could include

• Presentation by Trident (Mike Fuller)
• Senior Women’s Association
• Youth Crimes Unit (Steve Roberts) 
• Child Protection Unit
• Homelessness Unit

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