Mini-review of Directorate of Information (DOI)

Report: 10
Date: 5 June 2008
By: Director of Information on behalf of the Commissioner

Summary

The report provides a mini-review of the Directorate of Information (DoI).

A. Recommendations

Members are invited to note the contents of this report.

B. Supporting information

Brief overview of the work of the DoI

1. The DoI has been established for over seven years. It has thematic responsibility, within the MPS, for all aspects of information, communications and technology (ICT). The DoI governs the use and development of information and technology and leads improvements in these areas. It also delivers technology-enabled change and ensures appropriately robust, secure and fit for purpose technology systems and infrastructure.

2. Through the delivery of information, communications and technology services the DoI provides a modern information and technology infrastructure that supports MPS staff and officers to deliver MPS objectives.

3. The DoI works together with all business areas in the MPS to provide advice, guidance, subject matter expertise and support to develop Information, Communications and Technology solutions that improve performance and modernise the service.

4. One particular business challenge for the DoI is the need to reduce the inefficiencies around multiple points of data capture and entry and create consistency in the way information is captured. Better quality information will mean faster decision-making, saving the organisation both time and money, which can then be invested into policing and to making London safer.

5. Information is critical to policing. Currently police officers and staff are required to capture and manage a vast amount of information and to record or find this information in silo IT systems.

6. It is our long-term plan to create a unified information infrastructure and single information portal through which all staff can retrieve relevant and role specific information. This will reduce the need to re-key information and enable information to be re-used throughout the policing process. Trusted information will flow quickly and accurately to the officers and staff who need it - wherever and whenever they need it.

7. This is a complex challenge that will be completed in stages over the next five to ten years. A detailed plan of how we will achieve this goal is currently being developed, but, most importantly, work has already started. For example the rollout of Single-Sign-On (SSO) has significantly reduced the time, and re-keying that goes into logging on to multiple systems. We have also introduced the Corporate Data Warehouse to allow staff to search for information across multiple systems.

8. As we continue to develop new solutions, exploit new technology and review operational business processes to work towards meeting this goal we will continue to provide 24/7/365 ICT services that protect the resilience and responsiveness of the MPS and manage key future events such as the Olympics.

9. The key business drivers for the DoI are the MPS strategic priorities and the changing nature of technology and its actual and potential impact on MPS staff, citizens of London, criminals. External drivers include national policing and government initiatives such as the Bichard Inquiry and the Flanagan review.

10. A more extensive paper on the role and work of the DoI was provided to the MPA Authority meeting on 31 January 2008.

Initiatives and work underway

11. A recent review of HR records highlighted a significant number of DoI staff whose ethnicity was unrecorded. These individuals were sent a request for the information and consequently there has been a marked improvement in the recorded ethnic profile of the DoI. This data is currently being uploaded to Met HR and the May issue of the DoI HR Monthly Management Report will reflect the improvement.

12. The DoI has a Disability and Discrimination Act (DDA) representative who is responsible for managing all issues around Assistive Technology. The Assistive Technology suite is moving out of Edinburgh House and into Empress State building (ESB) to be a shared resource in the touch down area on the thirteenth floor. MPS Occupational Health is also based at ESB and it will facilitate access by them and their clients to the assistive technology available.

13. A Disability Technology Development Group has been set up to review all new technology requirements in terms of DDA compliance. The group meets monthly and is chaired by the DDA representative. The group considers impact assessments for all new IT requirements that come through the DoI project and programme boards.

14. Further to this there is an Assistive Technology User Assurance Group (ATUAG). Chaired by a member of DoI Service Delivery Group (SDG), this group is made up of MPS users of Assistive Technologies and is driven by their experiences of service within the MPS.

15. The DoI are assisting the DCFD in defining a system to enable the delivery of the Equalities Scheme throughout the organisation. Each borough will be responsible for evidencing best practice processes around approximately 150 questions relating to the Equalities Scheme. The results will be reported to the Home Office. The tool currently being reviewed is the Corporate Sharepoint platform and work is underway to determine specific requirements.

16. We are investigating with DoI Technical Design Authority (TDA) screen reading software that allows the user to have the text read back to them without needing to install any specialist software on their system. This will allow use in public places such as libraries, schools and Internet cafes.

17. Further to this, the TDA are reviewing an automatic system that checks the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) compliance for the MPS Internet website and automatically warns us if compliance is broken. It also includes usability, spelling and tick-box accessibility. In addition, the new design for the website will have accessibility built into its architecture from the beginning.

Composition of staff

18. As of March 2008 DoI is comprised of 751 police staff and 81 police officers (BWT - budgeted workforce target is 825 and 75 respectively. Figures rounded up from flexible working percentages).

19. These figures do not currently reflect the inclusion of Performance Information Board (PIB) staff, who joined DoI on 1 April. See Section 31.

20. Age profile - in the information below, the first column of numbers relates to police staff (including casual) and the second to police officers.

21. In support of the Diversity Strategy, age and gender are the only two compulsory fields in an employees HR record. Ethnicity, disability/DDA, belief/faith and sexual orientation information is volunteered by individuals. The following figures are offered with that caveat.

• Disability - 7 police staff and one police officer staff have identified themselves as disabled.
• Belief/faith - 28 police staff and 45 police officers have stated that they hold a belief.
• Sexual orientation - there are no figures for sexual orientation.

22. Met HR records are not currently created for consultants, contractors, temps and agency workers. The DoI does not collect this data for its own temporary staff as a consequence. Procurement activity to engage temporary staff includes the issue of Equal Opportunities Monitoring diversity questionnaires to suppliers. This is managed and collated by MPS Procurement Services.

23. The Director of Information and her senior management team (SMT) are committed to ensuring that the Directorate responds to the diverse needs of individuals working within it and we promote diversity to change culture and drive performance.

24. 28% of DoI staff and officers are female; this is a 2% decline from last year. The proportion of BME staff and officers currently stands at 15%. This is a 2% decrease from last year.

25. Women and BME staff are underrepresented in the DoI and we are committed to achieving a more representative workforce. DoI, taking the lead from HR and our Diversity Forum, continues to examine ways to achieve a more representative workforce and explore ways to encourage underrepresented groups to want a career with us. Media advertising is sourced in line with this objective, with vacancies advertised through agencies which target such organisations as Women in Technology.

26. DoI actively encourages staff to consider all aspects of flexible working patterns. These opportunities have recently been highlighted in our recruitment and staff induction material.

27. DoI is also committed to supporting personal and professional development. Our Professional Development and Diversity champions work together to ensure that appropriate learning and development activities are available to all. Development plans are specific to personal needs, and address every aspect of diversity. This provides opportunities for personal growth and allows for career aspirations and career pathway routes to be formally highlighted across the Directorate.

Key equality and diversity issues

28. See Initiatives and Work Under Way section of this document.

29. The DoI Lifecycle does have diversity factored in, although it is not explicit. In the Procurement phase of the lifecycle both the Information Policy Framework and the Statement of Requirements appear. The IPF includes guidance on the MPS Equalities Scheme and the MPS Disability Requirement. Each section in the IPF requires sign off from the project manager, a user representative and the IAu Accreditor to confirm compliance. The Statement of Requirement, currently in draft, will also incorporate diversity requirements including template letters to suppliers regarding compliance standards. The DoI Lifecycle will be raised at the next DoI Diversity forum to ensure diversity requirements are being fully met and a change request will be made, if required.

Successful outcomes

30. Recently DoI HR recruited a profoundly deaf employee, who has a hearing dog for the deaf. The building in which he was to be employed is operated by an external management company, and they challenged the requirement for a dog on the premises, effectively preventing the employee from attending his proposed workplace. DoI HR, working with DCFD and Occupational Health, educated the management company, overcoming lack of understanding and prejudice, in order to ensure the new employee's requirements were met, and educating the external company at the same time. This employee is now in full time employ at the designated building, with his dog in full time support. DoI HR have learned a number of valuable lessons from the employment of this individual, and are striving to raise awareness during recruitment exercises of the opportunities that the disabled community offers, and the abilities they bring to the workplace.

Impact of restructuring of SM&PD and move of PIB to DoI

31. As part of the restructuring of SM&PD, PIB became a business group within the DoI on 1 April, in order to brigade DoI and PIB capabilities under the IMG (Information Management Group). Nick Crouch of DoI Information Management Group, and David Sims (Head of Current Services, representing PIB) have been tasked with leading a detailed second stage review to identify synergies between PIB and other teams and recommend any alignments required to remove duplication of effort. They are to provide this review to Management Board by the end of June. There is currently no impact on PIB's current provision of diversity statistics for the MPS as a consequence of the moves. DoI HR have not yet completed the merger of PIB HR records with those of the rest of DoI, and therefore any impact on the diversity demographics within the workforce has not yet been assessed, nor included in the 'Composition of Staff' section, above.

Links with Diversity and Citizen Focus (DCFD)

32. For the last four years the DoI has held a Diversity Forum every two months, chaired in rotation by members of the Directorate's Information Board. Members are volunteers from each of the DoI business groups, and it has established Strand Leaders for each area of diversity who report on issues of interest within their specific area. All members of the Forum are asked to review each strand of the Equalities Scheme as it is published (initially in draft, for consultation) and feedback to the forum.

33. A representative from DCFD is a member of the Forum, and the Chair represents DoI at the MPS's Diversity Board.

34. Another member of the Diversity Forum represents the DoI on the MPS Equalities Scheme Programme Board (first meeting was 18 March 2008, chaired by Denise Milani of DCFD).

35. A variety of speakers are invited to address the forum, recent examples being members of the MPS Dyslexia and Diabetes Societies, DCFD members with particular specialities, and NDPA (National Disabled Police Association).

36. The Forum's Terms of Reference are:

• to identify DoI strengths and areas for improvement in all diversity matters using as a benchmark the Employee Audit undertaken by Focus Consultancy Ltd in April 2001. Develop actions plans to address issues
• to 'champion' and provide a focal point for diversity issues within the Directorate of Information
• to act in an advisory capacity to the DoI Information Board in all matters relating to managing diversity
• to assist the Information Board in making the DoI a better place to work for all staff
• to monitor DoI compliance with the overarching MPS Diversity Strategy
• to keep aware of any legislative change in diversity matters and to bring this to the attention of DoI Information Board members.

37. The Strand Leader's Terms of Reference are:

• providing a single point of contact for DoI staff, who have concerns regarding specific diversity strands and championing related issues through the DoI Diversity Forum
• representing the DoI, as a Diversity Forum member, to review the impact of the MPS Equalities Scheme on DoI, its business, and its customer focus
• responding to the Diversity and Citizen Focus Directorate's invitation to participate in the MPS Equalities Scheme Consultation process (which may include attendance at workshops and reviewing documentation)
• promoting diversity strand initiatives and providing advice and mentorship.

Recent CIA and EIA

38. No Community Impact Assessments have been undertaken. Equality Impact Assessments are undertaken when DoI HR are running recruitment campaigns.

Abbreviations

ATUAG

Assistive Technology User Assurance Group

BME 

Black and Minority Ethnic

BWT 

Budgeted Workforce Target

CIA 

Community Impact Assessment

DCFD

Diversity and Citizen Focus Directorate

DDA

Disability and Discrimination Act

DOI

Directorate of Information

EIA

Equality Impact Assessment

ESB

Empress State Building

HR

Human Resources

IAu

Information Authority

ICT

Information, Communications and Technology

IPF

Information Policy Framework

IT 

Information Technology

MPA

Metropolitan Police Authority

MPS

Metropolitan Police Service

NDPA

National Disabled Police Association

PIB

Performance Information Bureau

SDG

Service Delivery Group

SM & PD

Strategy, Modernisation and Performance Directorate

SSO

Single Sign On

TDA 

Technical Design Authority

WAI

Web Accessibility Initiative

C. Race and equality impact

1. Compliance with the meaning and scope of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, the Race Relations Act 1976, the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, the Equal Pay Act 1970 and any Act of Parliament or other legal provisions relating to discrimination in employment, is fully and actively supported by DoI. The Director of Information and her senior management team are committed to ensuring that the Directorate responds to the diverse needs of individuals working within it and we promote diversity to change culture and drive performance.

2. All DoI policies are subjected to an equality impact assessment during development. All DoI recruitment and selection activities are undertaken in line with corporate policy.

D. Financial implications

1. The DoI operates on an annual budget. In 07/08 this was £223 million (Revenue) and £49 million (plus £31 million carry forward) Capital, which was subsequently reduced to £65 million Capital.

2. The total DoI budget for 2008-09 has been agreed as £210.3 million plus £99million Capital Programme. The DoI staff budget for 2008-09 is £44.2 million, of which £5.1 million is Police Officer and £39.1 million is Police Staff.

3. The equal opportunity and diversity activity within the DoI is incorporated within our day-to-day business. Diversity and Equal Opportunity is an integral element of our existing service delivery; in consequence there is no significant financial impact arising from this review.

E. Background papers

• MPA paper - The Role and Work of the DoI 31 January 2008
• DoI HR Monthly Management Report for March 2008
• Minutes - MPS Equalities Scheme Programme Board Meeting 18 March 2008
• Introduction to the DoI - for Contractors, Consultants and Agency Staff in the DoI December 2007.

F. Contact details

Report author(s): Caroline Pocklington

For more information contact:

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

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