Minutes

Minutes of the meeting of the Finance, Planning and Best Value Committee held on 22 January 2001 at Romney House, Westminster, London SW1.

Present

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

MPA staff

• Catherine Crawford (Clerk)
• Peter Martin (Treasurer)

MPS staff

• Commander Duncan Croll, Keith Luck, Trevor Lawrence, Barbara Riddell and Bob Alexander

Also present five members of the press/media and public and other staff members from the MPA and MPS.

Part 1

65. Apologies for absence

(Agenda item 1)

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Cindy Butts and Roger Evans. An apology was also submitted on behalf of Ian Blair (Deputy Commissioner).

66. Minutes – 19 December 2000

(Agenda item 2)

Resolved:
that the minutes of the meeting held on 19 December 2000 be agreed and signed as a correct record.

Arising:
Minute 76 (Liabilities Insurance)

The Treasurer reported that he was due to meet representatives of an insurance company which had expressed an interest in providing liabilities cover.

The Head of Finance referred to the outstanding request to supply Rachel Whittaker with details of the HR aspect of the PFI initiative and said he hoped to be in a position to supply the information to the member within a few days.

67. Development of objectives for the policing and performance plan 2001/02

(Agenda item 3)

Following confirmation by the Full Authority at its meeting on 14 December of the list of priorities and sustained activities for 2001/02 work has been carried out to develop a series of SMART objectives for the 2001/02 priorities.

It was noted that a workshop had been held on 17 January for members of the Finance, Planning and Best Value and Professional Standards and Performance Monitoring Committees. A schedule entitled "Summary of Proposed Policing and Performance Indicators 2001/02" which updated much of the information in appendix 1 was tabled.

The Committee noted that a meeting of the Oversight Panel was due to be held on 25 January. Further comments were made on the Summary which had been tabled and it was agreed that these be considered by the Oversight Panel.

It was also agreed that the Oversight Panel would look at the question of appropriate Performance Indicators for the sustained activities.

Resolved:

1. The comments made by members on the schedule which had been tabled be forwarded to the Oversight Panel.
2. The approach taken to including sustained activities be endorsed for further consideration by the Oversight Panel.

68. MPA budget monitoring to December 2000

(Agenda item 4)

The Committee received a report which set out the current position against budget and the forecast outturn. It is anticipated that there will be a small overspend on the revenue budget in the order of 0.1 per cent.

Referring to the first bullet point in paragraph 4 the Treasurer reported that free rail travel for police officers had now been agreed. Responding to points made by members the Treasurer said he would be following up the question of how the tax liability in respect of this free travel would be treated, in particular how the charge would fall on the MPS.

In reply to a point concerning the scrutiny of the items in the budget the Treasurer said that the Efficiency and Effectiveness Review Programme would provide a vehicle for this.

Resolved:
that the position be noted.

69. Capital expenditure programme 2000/01 – 3rd quarter review

(Agenda item 5)

The Committee received its quarterly report which set out forecasts for the capital expenditure programme based on outturn up to the end of the third quarter of the financial year. It is forecast that there will be an overspend of £1.8 million in the financial year and that this can be met through higher than anticipated capital receipts.

Responding to comments made concerning monitoring of the capital budget the Chair said that in addition to the quarterly monitoring reports it would be useful if further information was made available to the Committee on how the capital programme was managed.

Resolved:
the position on the Capital Expenditure Programme 2000/01 be noted.

70. Medium term financial plan 2001/06

(Agenda item 6)

A report was considered which informed the Committee of the key objectives in developing and reporting a medium term financial plan together with the proposed methodology to be used.

The Treasurer stated that given the budget timetable it now appeared that he would not be in a position to submit the medium term financial plan to the February meeting as planned.

Members commented that there should be scope for flexibility within the financial planning process. In reply to a point raised by a member concerning the way in which the cost of training MPS recruits was financed compared with the arrangements in other Police Authorities the Treasurer advised that the matter would be taken up with the Home Office.

Resolved:
that the factors which will be included in the medium term financial plan for 2001 – 2006 be noted.

71. 2001/02 budget update

(Agenda item 7)

A report was considered which clarified the decisions made on the draft 2001/02 budget by the MPA at its meeting on 14 December 2000 and outlined subsequent developments.

Richard Sumray expressed concern that additional funding for Crime and Disorder partnerships had not been approved by the Authority. He would discuss alternative approaches with the Chair of the Authority.

Resolved:

1. It be noted that the decisions on individual budget items made at the meeting of the Full Authority on 14 December have over-committed the budget by £2.4million compared with Option F.
2. The decision of the Home Secretary in relation to NCS/NCIS levies be noted.
3. Rectifying the discrepancy of £2.4 million to be the first call on any budget flexibility.
4. The continuing requirement to achieve efficiency savings of £9.2 million be confirmed.

It was noted that the Treasurer would write to members concerning the equalities provision within the draft budget as appendix 1 had not been included in the papers sent to members.

72. Efficiency and effectiveness review programme

(Agenda item 8)

A report was considered which set out the arrangements for a programme of efficiency and effectiveness reviews which the Mayor had requested. The programme will be overseen by a steering group comprising the MPS Chair, the Commissioner and the Mayor and there will be a joint officer project board. The first task is to establish the review programme.

Resolved:

1. The arrangements made for a programme of efficiency and effectiveness reviews be noted.
2. The proposed mapping and scoping project to inform the establishment of the review programme be approved subject to:

• the addition of the Clerk to the MPA to membership of the project board;
• the project board to be chaired by the Treasurer;
• the project board report to the Finance, Planning and Best Value Committee and the Chair of the Committee to speak to the Chair of the Authority on any matters of concern.

73. Quarterly treasury management report

(Agenda item 9)

The Committee received a report which gave details of the treasury management portfolio and summarised performance for the quarter to the end of December 2000.

Arising from a point raised by Sir John Quinton the Treasurer undertook to confirm the credit rating accorded to foreign banks included in the MPA's lending list.

Resolved:
that the position be noted.

74. Former Rochester Row police station

(Agenda item 10)

A report was considered which updated the Committee on the disposal of the former Police Station which closed in 1995.

Further financial information was presented in the exempt section of the meeting.

Resolved:

1. The sale of the site be progressed and agents be appointed to obtain best and final offers for the MPA interest.
2. An exchange of land titles be effected to reflect the residential and office elements of the scheme as designed.

75. Accommodation for east serious crime group - Barking

(Agenda item 11)

A report was considered which set out the requirements to provide accommodation for the Organised Crime Group and Serious Crime Group (East) at Hertford Road, Barking.

Resolved:
that the report be noted.

76. Exclusion of press and public

(Agenda item 12)

Resolved:
that under section 100 A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involved disclosure of exempt information as detailed in paragraphs 8 and 9 of Schedule 12A of the above Act.

Summary of decisions made on exempt items

Agenda Item 13 Accommodation for East Serious Crime Group - Barking
The Committee agreed that following completion of the second stage of a tender to award the contract to Wates Construction to provide the accommodation requirements.

Agenda Item 14 Progress of C3i Project Procurement
The Committee noted the latest position with regard to this project and noted that a further report would be submitted to the Full Authority at its meeting on 8 February.

Agenda Item 15 Exempt Minutes: 19 December 2000
The Committee adopted the exempt minutes of the Committee meeting held on 19 December 2000.

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