Minutes

Minutes of the meeting of the Finance Committee held on 16 January 2003 at 10 Dean Farrar Street, London, SW1H 0NY.

Present:

• Graham Tope (Chair)
• Nicholas Long (Deputy Chair)
• Reshard Auladin
• John Biggs
• Elizabeth Howlett
• Eric Ollerenshaw
• Sir John Quinton
• Richard Sumray
• Rachel Whittaker

R. David Muir, Deputy Chair, MPA also attended.

MPA staff:

• Catherine Crawford (Clerk)
• Peter Martin (Treasurer)
• John Crompton (Committee Services)

MPS staff:

• Keith Luck (Director of Resources)
• Commander Rose Fitzpatrick
• Alan Croney (Director of Property Services)
• Ailsa Beaton (Director of Information)
• Martin Chatfield (Head of Corporate Finance)
• Stuart Middleton

Part 1

114. Apologies for absence

(Agenda item 1)

An apology for absence was received from Richard Barnes.

115. Declarations of interests

(Agenda item 2)

Agenda item 28 – London Police Education Ltd. Nicholas Long asked that it be noted that he was the MPA representative on London Police Education Ltd., but that he was not a director.

116. Minutes of the meeting held on 12 December 2002

(Agenda item 3)

Resolved: That the minutes of the meeting held on 12 December 2002 be agreed and signed as a correct record.

117. Chair and Members’ update

(Agenda item 4)

No reports were given.

118. Revenue budget monitoring 2002/03

(Agenda item 5)

A report was submitted which set out the income and expenditure to the end of October and provides an update to the projected financial outturn for the year. The Committee noted that the projected outturn for the year included the areas identified at the Authority meeting on 10 December 2002 as being ones which could utilise the underspend – Glidewell, child protection and backlog maintenance.

Resolved - That

1. the report be noted; and
2. the Committee be advised in a future report of the details of the new items included following the decisions made at the Authority meeting on 10 December 2002.

119. NCS/NCIS overhead charges

(Agenda item 6)

The Committee received a report on this subject at its meeting on 27 September 2002, when it was agreed that the issue of overhead recovery should be pursued further with the NCS/NCIS service authorities. The report before the Committee provided an update on the actions taken following the September meeting.

Resolved - That

1. no further action be taken to recover overhead charges from NCS/NCIS; and
2. this conclusion be reported back to APA and ACPO pointing out the continuing subsidy of NCS/NCIS.

120. Police overtime

(Agenda item 7)

A report was submitted giving background details of the information currently available in respect of overtime working. The recent PNB requirements to reduce overtime working was also described together with the difficulties that would need to be addressed to set an agreed ‘baseline’ and enable future monitoring of levels of overtime working. The report also set out details of the budget build for overtime from 2001/02 to 2003/04 and current trends in overall expenditure.

In reply to questions, the Head of Corporate Finance clarified the position with regard to the baseline that was required under the PNB agreement, by explaining that this would reflect the actual expenditure figures shown in paragraph 24 rather than the figures shown in Appendix 4 to the report.

Resolved - That

1. the current position in respect of ongoing work within the MPS, and the involvement of MPA officers and HMIC, to respond to the requirements of the recent PNB Circular on reducing police overtime be noted;
2. a revised version of the report be submitted to the Human Resources Committee on 6 February 2003, with any updated information that is available; and
3. a further report be submitted to the Committee as part of the process of setting the ‘baseline’ for police overtime for 2003/04 to meet the timescale of the PNB Circular.

121. Football club recharges

(Agenda item 8)

One of the recommendations in the report by Accenture on income generation was that the full cost of policing Association Football matches be recovered. A report was submitted which considered how this could be taken forward. ACPO are taking cost recovery forward on a national basis.

Members generally supported the move to recover these costs and with regard to paragraph 5 indicated that the option of billing football clubs directly was more appropriate than the payments coming from the Football Association. The Committee noted that there was likely to be a considerable delay before payments were received under any national agreement and that in the meantime the officers should continue to explore a solution for London clubs.

Resolved -That

1. the MPA agree a policy, in line with the Accenture recommendation, to recover the full directly attributable costs of policing commercial events, including the costs of policing both inside and outside of premises; and
2. both of the following options be pursued:

• to monitor the progress of the current national negotiations, and;
• to continue to explore methods of ensuring that football clubs pay the full costs of policing football matches in London.

122. Premises improvement fund

(Agenda item 9)

This report provided information on the two successful bids made to the Home Office for monies from the Premises Improvement Fund.

Resolved- That

1. approval be given to the use of the two grants of £0.5M. from the Home Office Premises Fund to support expenditure on joint criminal justice units and vulnerable and intimidated witnesses interview rooms; and
2. the conditions set down for the use of these monies be agreed.

123. Proposed MPS police officer growth for 2003/04

(Agenda item 10)

The 2003/04 budget submission included proposals for growth of 1,000 police officers in MPS numbers. This report asked members to note how, in the event that GLA budget approval allowed for sufficient funding for that growth, those officers would be deployed in policing London.

Resolved -That the report be noted.

124. Efficiency and effectiveness review programme

(Agenda item 11)

The Committee was advised of the progress made in determining the revised tranche 2 programme and proposals for tranche 3.

Resolved - That

1. the progress on the efficiency and effectiveness reviews be noted; and
2. Accenture’s final reports on HR and Inspection be agreed.

125. Revenue budget 2003/04

(Agenda item 12)

A report was submitted updating the Committee on matters relating to the 2003/04 revenue budget.

Resolved – That

1. members note the further clarification of the grant settlement and confirm the consequent incorporation of new initiatives in the draft budget for 2003/04 in accordance with the decision of the full Authority on 10 December; and
2. the response to the consultation on the grant settlement be noted.

126. Disposal of Old Street Police Station and Magistrates Court – Submission from Community Advice Project

(Agenda item 13)

No report. This report was exempt item 21a

127. Disposal of Old Street Police Station and Magistrates Court – Reference from Equal Opportunities and Diversity Board

(Agenda item 14)

This report advised the Committee that the Equal Opportunities and Diversity Board had received a presentation by the Community Advice Project and would recommend that the Authority support the proposals.

Resolved - That the report be noted.

128. Disposal of Old Street Police Station and Magistrates Court

(Agenda item 15)

The Old Street property is owned by the MPA. The Greater London Magistrates' Courts Authority (GLMCA) have a lease on the court part of the building which specifies arrangements between the parties in the event of sale. The property is surplus to the needs of both the GLMCA and the MPA and all police use will cease shortly. The Community Courthouse Project (also known as CAP) have shown an interest in using a part of the property and the MPA, with agreement of GLMCA, agreed to allow them an opportunity to purchase the property ‘off market’ provided certain criteria were met. A report was submitted which advised the Committee of the latest position and made recommendations concerning the way to proceed.

The Treasurer reported that the potential private sector partner of CAP had submitted a counsel’s opinion earlier in the day. In the very limited time available, it had not been possible for the relevant officers to make a considered appraisal of it. He also understood that CAP had also very recently raised issues concerning the disposal with relevant Government Ministers.

The Committee agreed to hold all the discussion on this matter in the public part of the meeting.

The Treasurer stated that if the Authority wished to deal exclusively with CAP rather than seek tender on the open market, there were issues which needed to be explored further namely:

• the basis of a valuation which, in the circumstances would represent best consideration for the purpose of S123 of the Local Government Act 1972; and
• the legal basis for any benefit which the Authority considered it would receive from disposing at less than best consideration

R. David Muir, Deputy Chair of the MPA, attended for consideration of this item. He said that given its complexity it would be appropriate for the matter to be referred to the full Authority. The possibility of involving the Mayor and/or other parts of the GLA group was raised.

The Chair said that it was clear that the Committee was not in a position to make a decision on the matter and suggested that a further report be submitted to the next meeting.

Resolved - That the matter be deferred to the 13 February meeting of the Committee when the further issues identified by the Treasurer could be pursued. Discussions should also take place with the GLA.

129. Policy recommendations on the use of the MPA estate for non emergency aerial sites

(Agenda item 16)

A report was submitted outlining the public and community health hazards perceived to arise from installations such as mobile phone masts and which made recommendations as to a policy to be adopted by the MPA for commercial use of its estate as aerial location points.

Resolved - That

1. in light of the Stewart Report recommendations the MPA adopt a policy for non essential (policing and emergency service) aerial installations based upon the “precautionary” principle contained in the Stewart Report; and
2. where MPA sites are not close to residential, school or hospital locations the Director of Property Services be authorised to enter negotiations with interested parties and be asked to bring each case to Finance Committee for approval with an appropriate risk analysis based on a presumption of “remoteness”

130. Procurement strategy for replacement armoured vehicles for employment with the public order OCU (CO11) and Force Firearms Unit (SO19)

(Agenda item 17)

A report was submitted proposing the procurement of 13 new armoured vehicles by a non-OJEC restricted competition the funding for which has already been allocated and approved in the Medium Term Capital Programme.

In reply to a question, the Director of Property Services advised that work was being undertaken to evaluate any necessary works to accommodate the extra weight of these vehicles compared with those presently in use. Consequent revisions would be made to the capital programme as necessary.

Resolved - That approval be given to the procurement of 13 replacement armoured vehicles for deployment with the Public Order OCU (CO11) and Force Firearms Unit (SO19) by a limited non-OJEC competition

131. Provision of telephony equipment for C3i

(Agenda item 18)

A report was submitted which outlined the requirements for the provision of the telephony equipment for C3i and sought approval to initiate tender action by means of an OJEC notice.

Resolved - That approval be given to tender action for a contract to provide telephony equipment for C3i as set out in the linked exempt report.

132. Procurement of Integrated Communications Platform (ICP)

(Agenda item 19)

A report was submitted which sought authority for the supply and maintenance of the ICP. which is a crucial part of the delivery of both the Airwave and C3i programmes

Resolved (in the exempt section of the meeting) - That in view of the need to report appropriately the emerging information about the financial position of suppliers, the matter be deferred for consideration by the Co-ordination and Policing Committee on 24 January 2003.

133. 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 to the above Act.

Part 2

Summary of decisions made on exempt items

Minute 134 and 135 agenda items 21a and b - Old Street
Matter deferred to Finance Committee on 13 February 2003. See minute 128

Minute 136 agenda item 22 - Replacement armoured vehicles
Exempt information noted.

Minute 137 agenda item 23 - C3i telephony
Approval was given to the procurement of telephony equipment for the C3i centres in line with the C3i business case through an OJEC competition leading to a contract award in mid-2003.

Minute 138 agenda item 24 - Procurement of Integrated Communications Platform
Deferred. Matter to be considered by the Co-ordination and Policing Committee on 24 January 2003.

Minute 139 agenda item 25 - Commercial strategy for forensic science
The discussion on this item was held in the public part of the meeting. Agreed to enter into a contract for the profiling of DNA criminal justice samples to the Forensic Science Service.

Minute 140 agenda item 26 - Special Services Agreement –Harmondsworth Detention Centre
The discussion on this item was held in the public part of the meeting. Agreed to enter into a revised special services agreement.

Minute 141 agenda item 27 - Vehicle maintenance contract
Report noted.

Minute 142 agenda item 28 - London Police Education Ltd
Report relating to this organisation noted.

Minute 143 agenda item 29 - exempt minutes of the meeting held on 12 December 2002
The exempt minutes were confirmed and signed.

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