MPA budget and equalities report for 2005–06 and business plan and budget for 2006-07

Report: 9
Date: 20 July 2006
By: Chief Executive and Clerk

Summary

This report provides an overview of the Budget and Equalities Report for 2005 – 06 and Business Plan and Budget for 2006 – 7 as requested by the Greater London Authority (GLA). It highlights key areas of work for the MPA in relation to equality and diversity. The full report is attached in the appendix.

A. Recommendations

That

1. Members note and agree the content of the report to the Greater London Authority (GLA).

B. Supporting information

1. The data requested by the GLA for the Budget and Equalities Report
2005 – 06 and the Business Plan and Budget for 2006 – 07 was submitted in the following format:

• Template 1 – HR data and targets.
• Template 2A – Addresses the issue of service delivery and analyses actual equalities based expenditure for 2005/06 against budget. Similarly it details an analysis of 2006/7 planned expenditure. This expenditure is contained in the MPS approved organisational budget.
• Template 2B – summary of recommendations from the last Budget and Equalities report and comment on progress.

The following paragraphs highlight key areas of MPA work with greater detail available in the full submission.

Communities Together

2. The tragic events of July 2005 had a significant impact on both MPA and MPS business. One of the key outcomes emerging from this was the development of Communities Together: an initiative drawing people from across diverse communities to assist the MPS in sharing information, targeting perpetrators of hate crime and developing key reassurance messages. Some of the major landmarks that has developed since July include:

• The development of a joint MPA/MPS Community Engagement Strategy
• The ‘Together Against Terrorism?’ event hosted by the MPA in December 2005
• The July 7/7 & 21/7 Practitioners seminar, hosted by the MPS and GoL in January 2006; and the
• Emergency Planning Seminar for Deaf and Disabled People, hosted by the MPA, Transport for London (TfL) and the key emergency planning partners in March 2006.

MPA committee structures

3. MPA members agreed to restructure and streamline some of the Authority’s committees in order to assist its oversight and scrutiny roles. One of the consequences of this restructuring was a strengthening of EODB’s role as the Authority’s flagship committee in relation to equality and diversity across employment, service delivery and community engagement. Through its use of suspending Standing Orders, EODB not only provides a direct voice for Londoners to the MPS and MPA, but it also can act as an ‘early warning system’ for the Authority on issues such as professional standards, equality monitoring and issues of age (see ‘EODB Annual Report’).

MPA Generic Equalities Scheme

4. Following the publication of the MPA Race Equality Scheme in May 2005, there is now a statutory requirement for the MPA to produce a Disability Equality Scheme by no later than 3 December 2006 and a Gender Equality Scheme by April 2007. To demonstrate its commitment to equality and diversity in its widest sense, the MPA is developing a Generic Equalities Scheme in respect of all six strands of diversity (age, disability, gender, race, religion and belief and sexual orientation). This is one of the major business priorities for the Authority in 2006-2007 and the MPA have already distributed questionnaires to over 250 individuals, voluntary and statutory agencies. In addition, the MPA has organised a series of focus groups consultations and will also be using GLA-led festivals and events over the summer to consult Londoners.

MPA/MPS Joint Statement on Equality

5. One of the recommendations made by the GLA in the last business cycle was that the MPA and MPS produce a Joint Statement on Equality. This Statement would outline both organisations’ commitments towards equality and diversity. This Joint Statement was agreed at Full Authority on 6 December 2005 and was publicly signed by the Chair of the MPA, the MPA’s Chief Executive & Clerk and the Commissioner of the MPS.

Women’s safety

6. As part of next year’s business plan, the MPA will continue to prioritise women’s safety, through the MPA Domestic Violence Board (DVB), a sub-group of EODB. The focus will be on supporting and enabling improved performance by the MPS in relation to tackling domestic violence, supporting victims and developing appropriate multi-agency strategies. This work supports Project Umbra, the MPS-led initiative in response to domestic violence and an integral part of the Mayor’s Second Domestic Violence Strategy.

Stop and Search

7. Another area of focus in the 2006-2007 Business Plan will be the monitoring and scrutiny of MPS stop and search performance. The MPA is currently reviewing progress made by key stakeholders across the 55 recommendations of the MPA Scrutiny of MPS Stop and Search Practice. This work is being led by the MPA Stop and Search Review Board (SSRB), a sub-group of EODB and supported by the (Stop and Search) Community Monitoring Network (CMN). At a recent MPA Business Meeting Group (9 June 2006), members agreed that the SSRB should run for another 18 months in order to ‘sign off’ the Scrutiny Report’s recommendations.

Budget & equalities

8. One of the mechanisms currently being explored is to develop a joint MPA/MPS Oversight Group that will provide a strategic overview and drive through the changes outlined in the Budget & Equalities process. It is anticipated that this Group will commence early in 2007, which will support the production of both organisations’ Equalities Schemes.

C. Race and equality impact

9. The GLA’s budget and equalities process further enables the MPA to examine its alignment of resources to both its business and equality and diversity objectives.

10. Through this alignment, the MPA is better placed to see how it can best exercise its scrutiny, oversight and accountability roles in relation to the MPS, thus ensuring that policing in the capital is not only fair, effective and responsive, but also meets the needs of all of London’s diverse communities.

D. Financial implications

11. The equalities based expenditure for 2005-6 and planned expenditure for 2006-7 is included in the appendix.

E. Background papers

• Full Submission
• GLA Budget & Equalities Review 2004-5
• GLA Budget & Equalities Review 2005-6

F. Contact details

Report author: Laurence Gouldbourne, Race and Diversity Unit, MPA

For more information contact:

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

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