Terms of reference, membership and member involvement in specialist topics

Report: 2
Date: 20 July 2000
By: Clerk

Summary

The Committee is invited to note its terms of reference and membership. Also to consider any issues in relation to how it would wish to operate.

A. Supporting information

Background

1. This Committee was established at the meeting of the Authority on 26th June 2000 following consideration of a report into a proposed decision making structure for the Authority. The overall structure is shown in the diagram attached at Appendix 1.

Membership

2. The membership of the Committee was agreed as follows:

• Reshard Auladin (Deputy Chair)
• John Biggs
• Cindy Butts
• Roger Evans
• Nicholas Long (Deputy Chair)
• Cecile Lothian
• Sir John Quinton
• Richard Sumray
• Graham Tope (Chair)
• Rachel Whittaker

The Chair and Deputy Chairs of the full Authority may attend a meeting, but do not have voting rights.

Terms of reference

Finance, Planning and Best Value Committee
The Committee should undertake two main related roles. First it would take a lead on the development of all strategic planning documents such as the Policing Plan and Best Value Performance Plan. Secondly, it would give detailed consideration to all finance and resource matters. The Committee should perhaps meet on a monthly basis. Detailed terms of reference are proposed as follows:

Finance matters

1. To consider a medium term financial strategy and make recommendations to the Authority for its adoption.
2. To examine the draft revenue and capital budgets for the ensuing year and to recommend to the Authority a budget set in accordance with the Authority’s strategy and policing plan for submission to the Mayor.
3. To receive regular monitoring reports from the Treasurer and Commissioner on revenue and capital budget performance and achievement of the efficiency plan.
4. In accordance with financial regulations, to consider and approve, or recommend to the Authority, major capital programme scheme financial appraisals, and justifications and briefs.
5. In accordance with contract regulations, to consider and award, or recommend to the Authority, major contracts.
6. To consider directly, or by reference from other Committees, all policy proposals with significant financial implications.
7. To give detailed consideration to any other non-audit financial matter and make recommendations to the Authority as appropriate.
8. To approve, in relation to Treasury Management, the Authority’s policy and annual strategy and receive reports on performance.
9. To consider the financial risks to which the Authority is exposed and to approve measures to reduce, eliminate or insure against them.
10. To consider strategic and policy-related issues in respect of the MPS estate and other resource issues e.g. transport, catering etc.
11. To consider financial, strategic and policy related issues relating to Information Systems and Information Technology issues e.g. C3i, PCRCS Planning and best value matters
12. To receive and report to the Authority as appropriate on all matters relating to Best Value, including the progress of the fundamental performance review programme.
13. To work with the Commissioner in preparing a draft Policing and Performance Plan for the year and lead on its production, together with the preparation of policing objectives for London; and to present a draft plan to the Authority having regard to the budget strategy and best value.
14. To be responsible for leading on any other corporate planning issues and reporting to the Authority as appropriate. This to include the development of any MPA strategies and development plans.
15. To consider and make recommendations to the Authority on the draft efficiency plan.
16. To consider, all HMIC reports, both thematic and on MPS inspections and any appropriate audit/VFM thematic reports, including those from the Audit Commission, and make recommendations to the Authority as appropriate.
17. To oversee consideration of recommendations from HMIC reports and to request individual Committees to examine and monitor issues as appropriate.
18. To lead on the production of the Authority’s Annual Report and on any Joint Annual Report prepared in conjunction with the MPS.

Arrangements for member involvement in specialist topics

3. Members may wish to consider, given the breadth and complexity of this Committee’s Terms of Reference, the best way for this Committee to accomplish consideration of important topics.

4. Member involvement in Best Value is addressed in the paper on Implementation of Best Value. There may be other specialist areas where the Committee might wish to consider nominating lead members, for example in relation to Information Strategy and Estates, where the role of that member(s) would be to keep fully informed of developments on behalf of the Committee, represent the Committee in day-to-day dealings and keep other members informed outside of formal Committee proceedings. An alternative possibility would be to establish one or two sub-groups to keep particular areas under review, or working parties to carry out specified, time-limited tasks on behalf of the Committee.

B. Recommendations

1. That the terms of reference and membership of the Committee be noted; and
2. That members give initial consideration to working arrangements for the Committee, particularly relating to member involvement in specialist topics.

C. Financial implications

There are no direct financial implications arising from this report.

D. Review arrangements

It is already agreed that there be a detailed review of all Committees in December 2000.

E. Background papers

The following is a statutory list of background papers (under the Local Government Act 1972 S.100 D) which disclose facts or matters on which the report is based and which have been relied on to a material extent in preparing this report. They are available on request to either the contact officer listed below or to the Clerk to the Police Authority at the address indicated on the agenda.

• Agenda Report ‘Proposed Committee Structure’ - MPA 26th June 2000

F. Contact details

The author of this report is Nick Baker, Secretariat.

For information contact:

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

Current position

General duty

MPA officials have recently been invited by the GLA to participate in a best value steering group for all four functional bodies. The group has yet to meet and agree its remit.

Best Value Performance Plan

The plan for 2000/01 was developed in full consultation with the MPC/MPCS and on advice from HMIC. However, as the plan is non-statutory in nature, a separate paper to the FPBV Committee on 20 July 2000 recommends Members to note the plan as a document for monitoring MPS performance.

Programme of reviews

The programme of reviews was developed by agreeing prioritisation criteria with the MPC. The criteria were then applied to a functional breakdown of the MPS and poor performance data was also used to determine priorities for review. Three ‘Year 1’ reviews were identified: (1) Consultation; (2) Investigating and detecting crime; (3) Combating bureaucracy and managing information. The current position for all three reviews is presented in a separate MPS paper to the FPBV Committee on 20 July 2000 and it is anticipated that the MPA will wish to consider the reviews proposed for Years 2 to 5.

Best Value Performance Indicators (BVPI)

Performance measures in the plan use baseline data from the last full year of published figures (1998/1999) and 1999/2000 performance data was published at the end of June. The MPS compares its performance to that of similar metropolitan forces. The Government stated that five-year reduction targets must be set for three BVPIs. These targets are:

• 10% reduction in domestic burglary - with 2% reduction in 2000/01;
• 15% reduction in robbery - with 0% increase in 2000/01 (ie no rise);
• 31% reduction in vehicle crime - with 8% reduction in 2000/01.

Audit and inspection

A (non-statutory) auditor’s report should be available in October 2000 and guidelines have been produced by the Audit Commission outlining the process of audit. An analysis of performance plans nationally should be available in September 2000. HMIC has prepared an inspection protocol and has produced a Memorandum of Agreement with the APA. Informal views from HMIC indicate that the MPA is unlikely to be subject to best value inspection before February 2001.

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