Equality and diversity implications in reports considered by MPA Committees

Report: 17 - Report not considered by the committee
Date: 16 October 2003
By: Clerk

Summary

This report summarises some of the key issues identified in reports considered at recent meetings of the Authority’s Committees.

A. Recommendation

That the Board notes the information.

B. Supporting information

1. One of the roles of the Board is to inform itself of issues relating to equal opportunities and diversity addressed by other MPA Committees.

2. The Board is advised that relevant reports on the following subjects have been considered at recent meetings.

Finance Committee 10 July

• Progress report on the sponsorship and Income Generation Unit – amongst the initiatives being undertaken are a LGBT reporting pack.

Planning Performance and Review Committee 10 July

• Criminal justice system – paper reporting improvements to the support given to vulnerable victims and witnesses and works undertaken to make cells and courts more accessible to disabled people.
• The regular performance report noted exceptions in strategic disproportionality indicators
• Domestic violence – report highlighted lack of information about the ethnicity of respondents and hence a knowledge deficit on the differential impact of domestic violence on different communities.
• Operational support policing service improvement review – equality and diversity concerns inbuilt in the project initiation document.

Co-ordination and Policing Committee 21 July

• Community safety accreditation “proof of concept” scheme proposed. Scheme gives opportunities for career progression for members of disadvantaged communities
• MPA staff pay evaluation exercise, using Hay process, reported to Committee.

Co-ordination and Policing Committee 1 September

• Progress report on step change proposals – scope to expand the mix of officers serving within the MPS given greater numbers and the creation of a new community service specialism

Human Resources Committee 4 September

• Implications of the Employment Equality (Religion or Belief and Sexual Orientation) Regulations people –report attached as appendix 1.
• Developing leadership and management skills – report outlined a number of internal and external training and development initiatives. Concern expresses about lack of success of VEM candidates for the Home Office’s High Potential Development Scheme. The gender and ethnicity take up of the Commissioner’s Leadership Programme will be monitored for future courses.
• Training issues – the opening of a south London site to extend training opportunities particularly for those whose domestic and caring responsibilities make Hendon inaccessible.
• Recruitment and retention – report attached as appendix 2.

Professional Standards 11 September

• Complaints management information – diversity data analysis contained within appendix 2 to this paper.
• Restorative justice in grievance resolution – introducing a new approach to early intervention aimed at reducing formal grievance and complaints cases, to be piloted in two areas.

Finance Committee 15 September

• Implementation of Activity Based Costing in the MPS - By providing an indication of cost to help set performance in context, ABC data may provide local managers with additional information on which to assess their compliance with the Race Relations Amendment Act and to assess equality of service provision.
• Works to Acton police station were approved which will provide:
  • improved facilities including ramped or hoist access to the front office, low level counters in the front office, a convenient parking space, lifts and toilets for people with disabilities, to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act.
  • an improved public front office to comply with current design standards will provide a greater level of privacy, security and comfort for all groups or communities visiting the police station.
  • enlarged and improved locker rooms and showers will provide improved privacy and dignity in the workplace for all groups or communities within the police.

Co-ordination and Policing Committee 19 September

• Appointments to outside bodies - R David Muir and Abdal Ullah appointed to the LGA social inclusion group.

Consultation Committee 22 September

• CPCG development – revised funding application forms will contribute to the MPA’s efforts in ensuring that its approaches to consultation are inclusive of London’s diverse communities and will contribute to the consultation requirement of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000.
• Measuring community consultation – a process has been identified for identifying what consultation and engagement is currently being carried out by the MPS. Implementing this process will give the MPS an opportunity to work towards closing the gaps with in the current approach.

C. Equality and diversity implications

Central to the report.

D. Financial implications

None arising from this report.

E. Background papers

None

F. Contact details

Report author: Catherine Crawford, MPA.

For more information contact:

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

Appendix 1

Human Resources Committee – 4 September 2003 - Report 07
Implications of the employment equality (religion or belief and sexual orientation) regulations

Appendix 2

Human Resources Committee – 4 September 2003 - Report 10
Recruitment and retention

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