Minutes

Minutes of the meeting of the Finance, Planning and Best Value Committee held on 15 May 2001 at Romney House, Westminster, London SW1.

Present:

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

MPA staff:

• Catherine Crawford (Clerk)
• Peter Martin (Treasurer)
• Peter Tickner (Head of Internal Audit)
• Derrick Norton (Best Value Officer)

MPS staff:

• Tarique Ghaffur (Assistant Commissioner)
• Keith Luck (Director of Resources)
• Trevor Lawrence (Director of Property Services)
• Commander Graham James (Temporary Head of Transport)
• Supt Flowers
• Peter Theodoulou (Director of Procurement and Resources)

Also present: 20 members of the press/media and public and other staff members from the MPA and MPS.

Part 1

124. Apologies for absence

(Agenda item 1)

An apology for absence was submitted on behalf of Sir John Quinton.

125. Minutes: 17 April 2001

(Agenda item 2)

Resolved:
that the minutes of the meeting held on 17 April 2001 be agreed and signed as a correct record.

Arising:
112. Chair and Members' Update. Noted that a report on recruit training was being drafted for submission to a future meeting.

118. Effectiveness and Efficiency Review Programme. Noted that the Deputy Treasurer would represent the MPA on the project team and that Assistant Commissioner Ghaffur would join the programme board.

119. Business Case for Investment in the Finance Function. The Director of Resources reported that advertisements for the new posts would be placed in the appropriate professional journals in June. Consideration would be given to the appointment of temporary staff.

126. Chair and members' update

(Agenda item 3)

The Chair welcomed Assistant Commissioner Tarique Ghaffur to his first meeting of the Committee and it was noted that he would be attending in place of the Deputy Commissioner.

The Chair reported that he had met with representatives of the Police Federation

A review of accommodation and facilities for all the staff associations was being carried out. The Chair also reported that he together with Sir John Quinton and Reshard Auladin had recently held a meeting with representatives of the Audit Commission. He had also attended a meeting of the Resource Allocation Formula project board and together with other members had attended the presentation by Hymans Robertson on civil staff pensions.

Resolved:
that the report be noted.

127. Management arrangements for best value

(Agenda item 4)

A report was considered which proposed revised arrangements for managing the programme of best value reviews and related work.

It was noted that the notes of the best value programme board would be submitted to all members of the Committee and placed in the Members' Room.

Resolved:

1. The revised terms of reference for a best value programme board as set out in appendix 2 be agreed.
2. The work being conducted nationally on best value be noted.

128. Internal and external reviewers of the MPS and MPA – roles function and statutory responsibilities

(Agenda item 5)

A report was submitted which set out the core functions of the inspection, audit and review bodies within the MPS and outlined the roles of external inspection, audit and review bodies that have a statutory responsibility in relation to the MPA and MPS.

Reshard Auladin reported that he was due to meet Assistant Commissioner Ghaffur later in the week and would use the opportunity to discuss the scope for coordination between the various bodies.

Resolved:

1. The report be noted.
2. The report be submitted to the Professional Standards and Performance Monitoring Committee and distributed to key stakeholders within the MPA and MPS.

129. Budget monitoring

(Agenda item 6)

The Treasurer reported that no updated figures were available to report as it was necessary to carry out further validation and quality assurance of the data, and to ensure that accounting requirements had been addressed appropriately under the new accounting regime. A report would be submitted to the Committee at its next meeting and in the meantime the Chair and Deputy Chairs would be kept advised of the work in progress.

Resolved:
that the verbal report be noted.

130. Capital expenditure programme 2000/01 – 4th quarter review

(Agenda item 7)

Details of the provisional outturn for capital expenditure and receipts in 2001-02 were submitted.

Members made the point that they would wish to see an explanation given in instances such as the amount of capital receipts where there was a variance of more than 10 per cent compared with the target.

The Director of Property Services stated that part of the reason for the increase in receipts was the increase in property values, the effect of which had been enhanced by the delay as a result of the three month moratorium on the sale of property earlier in the year.

Members also said that it would be helpful if there was advance notice about property disposals.

Resolved:

1. The provisional outturn position of the 2000/1 capital expenditure programme at £73.8m against a budget of £72.3m be noted.
2. The provisional level of capital receipts generated of £47.6m against a budget of £40.0m be noted.
3. A full outturn review be submitted to the June meeting of the Committee.
4. Link members to be advised of property disposals in their borough.
5. The Estate sub-group to be given details of all property disposals.

Arising:
the Committee requested information on an approach made to the Home Office on MPS bulk fuel sites.

131. Provision of budget and monitoring information to the GLA budget committee 2001/02

(Agenda item 8)

The GLA Budget Committee has requested information from the MPA to assist in its work in scrutinising budget development and monitoring achievement of budget objectives.

The Chair asked that it be noted that he was a member of the Budget Committee.

Resolved:
that the suggested response for initial information from the GLA Budget Committee be made to the Committee.

132. Budget devolution and disaggregation

(Agenda item 9)

The Committee was updated on progress made by the MPS in the further devolving of budgets in 2001-02.

The Committee noted the arguments put forward in paragraph 9 on the lack of flexibility for police pay budgets in the current financial year. Several members expressed the view that the devolution of the pay budgets should be carried out at the earliest opportunity. The suggestion was made that in the first instance it be piloted in one borough. The Chair said that there was a need to look at the overall deployment of staff rather than the crude numbers and the issues around the division of certain duties between uniformed and civilian staff.

Resolved:

1. The progress on budget devolution and disaggregation be noted.
2. A further report be submitted to the Committee in July.

133. Civil staff pensions

(Agenda item 10)

In October 2000 the Finance Planning and Best Value Committee and the Human Resources Committee agreed to appoint consultants to advise on the options available to the Authority in respect of civil staff pensions. A panel of four members, two from each Committee, appointed Hymans Robertson to carry out this work. The firm has now submitted its findings to the Authority and there had been a presentation for Members.

Resolved:

1. That, on the basis of the advice from Hymans Robertson.
2. The option of transferring from the Metropolitan Civil Staffs Superannuation Scheme (MCSSS) to the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme (PCSPS) be pursued.
3. The transfer should be achieved at the latest by October 2002 when PCSPS 2000 is implemented.
4. Officers should negotiate the appropriate contract changes with Capita.
5. Officers negotiate with Cabinet Office and/or Treasury with a view to securing application of the current reduced rate Accruing Superannuation Liability Charge (ASLCs).
6. The Treasurer should review the impact of the changes on the civil staff pensions uplift in the grant formula with a view to ensuring appropriate recognition of the Authority's pension arrangements in the grant allocation.
7. Officers review with the Human Resources Committee a communications strategy to inform civil staff of the new arrangements which should be the subject of appropriate staff consultation.
8. The specialist services of Hymans Robertson are drawn upon to support the implementation of these recommendations as appropriate.

134. Services undertaken for the criminal records bureau

(Agenda item 11)

Part V of the Police Act 1997 provides that the Secretary of State shall issue criminal record certificates to individuals who seek employment with vulnerable client groups (including children or the elderly) or who work in other sectors where the identification of past criminal activities or associations is desirable. In order to give effect to the provisions of the 1997 Act the Secretary of State has created the Criminal Records Bureau. A report was submitted the arrangements for carrying out this work in London.

In reply to a question the Director of Resources advised that for operational reasons the Criminal Records Bureau staff would have to be sited at New Scotland Yard.

Resolved:
that the report be noted.

135. Capital building projects over £1,000,000

(Agenda item 12)

A report was submitted for information which contained details of projects uncommitted in the five year capital building programme which exceed the delegated authority and which will require MPA approval in due course. The report also listed building projects currently on site with a value of over £1m.

It was noted that in appendix 1 the project justification for Larkhall Lane should read "centralisation for FSU & SCG South"

In reply to a question from Roger Evans the Director of Property Services said that to the best of his recollection there were no projects in the plan with a value of under £1M which involved the loss of section houses. If this should prove not to be the case he would let the Member have details.

A member suggested that in the light of changing circumstances (ie: Glidewell), consideration would need to be given to the accommodation requirements for the custody process. For example, in future it may be that custody suites would be sited in Magistrate Court buildings.

Resolved:
that the report be noted.

136. Accommodation for Lambeth borough

(Agenda item 13)

A report was submitted concerning the accommodation needs of the Lambeth Borough Command Unit and the possible lease of a property for the administration and CID functions.

The Director of Resources reported that the Resource Allocation Committee had discussed the report at its meeting earlier in the day. The Committee had been mindful of the fact that the proposal was not included in the capital programme and that there were uncertainties over how the proposal would be funded and how it related to possible changes in the criminal justice system. In the circumstances it had been agreed that negotiations could continue but that no commitments be entered into until a further report had been considered by the MPA.

Resolved:

1. The recommendations be not adopted.
2. The decisions of the Resource Allocation Committee be endorsed – ie. for negotiations to continue, but that no commitments be entered into until a further report had been considered by the MPA.

137. Estate strategy

(Agenda item 14)

A report was submitted which detailed the main points of the estate strategy for the MPS .

Resolved:

1. The updated estate strategy be endorsed.
2. It be noted that MPS Property Services has sought Management Board endorsement in parallel to that of the MPA.

138. Estate strategy – report by the treasurer

(Agenda item 15)

This report proposed a way forward for developing MPA ownership of this estate strategy.

Resolved:

1. The estate strategy for 2001/02 be noted.
2. MPA/MPS officers develop proposals to facilitate the achievement of MPA ownership of the strategy.
3. The initial set of immediate member priorities be endorsed.

Arising:
the Chair said he wished to remind report authors that acronyms should be spelt out in full when they first appeared in committee reports and minutes.

139. MPS procurement strategy

(Agenda item 16)

A report was submitted which proposed a strategic framework for the procurement of goods and services by the MPS.

Arising from a question from a Member, the Director of Procurement and Commercial Services undertook to circulate to members details of the criteria of firms to be included in the approved list of contractors.

Members commented that they were surprised that the proposed strategy did not include any reference to diversity issues nor the question of using local suppliers.

The Director of Procurement and Commercial Services extended an open invitation for members to visit his department at Cobalt Square.

Resolved:
that subject to the foregoing comments the procurement strategy be approved and a further report be submitted concerning the diversity and local supplier issues.

Arising:
the Committee asked that when practicable, reports be circulated to Members ahead of the agenda dispatch.

140. North East operations OCU tender approval

(Agenda item 17)

A report was considered which set out the outcome of a formal competitive exercise for the accommodation for the north east Operational Command Unit.

Resolved:
that the report be noted.

141. Provision of recruitment advertising and publicity media buying services to the MPS

(Agenda item 18)

A report was considered which set out the requirements for the provision of recruitment advertising and publicity media buying services.

Resolved:
that the report be noted and fresh formal tender action be authorised.

142. Supply and delivery of stationery, desk top consumables and copier paper

(Agenda item 19)

A report was considered which set out the outcome of a formal competitive exercise for a replacement stationery contract.

In reply to questions the Director of Procurement confirmed that the possibility of splitting the contract and awarding parts to different companies had been considered but been considered to offer the best value.

Resolved:
that the report be noted.

143. Exclusion of press and public

(Agenda item 20)

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 21 North East Operations OCU Tender Approval
The Committee awarded the contract to Wates Construction Ltd.

Agenda Item 22 Provision of Recruitment Advertising and Publicity Media Buying Services to the MPS
The Committee noted the financial details.

Agenda Item 23 Supply and Delivery of Stationery, Desk Top Consumables and Copier Paper
The Committee awarded the contract to Banner Business Supplies Ltd.

Agenda item 24 Vehicle Maintenance Contract
The Committee received a report on this contract.

Agenda item 25 Vehicle Removal Contract
The Committee received a report on this contract.

Agenda item 26 Exempt minutes of the meeting held on 17 April 2001
These were agreed as a correct record.

The meeting ended at 5.20pm.

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