Proposal to charge recruits at Hendon for meals and accommodation

Report: 11
Date: 13 February 2003
By: Commissioner

Summary

At its meeting on 28 January the Commissioner’s Management Board considered the attached paper (see Appendix 1) which outlines proposals to charge police recruits undergoing initial training at Hendon for their meals and accommodation. The annual income this initiative would generate is estimated to be in the region of £3.8 million.

Management Board members supported the proposal to charge recruits for food and beverages. However, concerns were expressed about the proposal to charge recruits for their accommodation, particularly as the views of the police staff associations were not available at the time the paper was circulated.

The police staff associations have now had an opportunity to respond and their views are encapsulated in this paper.

A. Recommendations

That

1. Members agree that recruits be charged for their meals;
2. note the concerns expressed about charging recruits for their accommodation; and
3. consider whether to proceed with the proposal to charge recruits for their accommodation, noting the financial implications if accommodation charges were not to be implemented.

B. Supporting information

Background

1. The present arrangement is that recruits attending the 18 week initial training course at Hendon are fed and accommodated free of charge. Recruits joining other police forces in England and Wales enjoy the same privilege. Access to free meals and accommodation is not enshrined in Police Regulations. Neither the Home Office nor Centrex could advise when this concession was introduced or the rationale for doing so. It is thought to have been introduced to aid recruitment when the salary on offer made it extremely difficult to attract new recruits. It is now the case that the MPS is successful in its recruiting and that recruits are reasonably well paid (£24,429 during initial training). A London allowance and (on completion of the initial training) free travel on the underground, buses, and railways (up to 70 miles from central London) are also provided.

2. A comparability study indicates that student nurses (who are paid significantly less than police recruits) are charged on average £60 a week in London for a single room. Meals are paid for separately. First year university students required to live in halls of residence typically pay between £85 - £100 a week for accommodation and two meals a day.

Proposals

3. It is acknowledged that the residential accommodation at Hendon needs to be improved, and in recognition of this the proposal is to charge £50 a week (seven days), which is a third less than the charge for section house accommodation.

4. It is proposed to charge recruits £4.20 a day for breakfast, lunch, and evening meal and associated beverages Monday to Friday (i.e. £21 a week). This sum represents the full cost recovery of the food costs plus labour, and a contribution to other variable costs.

Consultation

5. The Metropolitan Police Federation are firmly opposed to the proposal, which they regard simply as an income generation initiative with the worst possible timing. At a time when the MPS is gearing itself up to dealing with maximum recruitment, it is being proposed to introduce a scheme which will, in their opinion, put people off joining the Service. If it were to be agreed to charge recruits for accommodation, the Federation considers that standards would need to rise significantly.

6. The point is made that if it is decided to proceed with the proposal to charge for meals and accommodation we shall be treating our recruits differently to others in training with Centrex elsewhere in England and Wales. The Federation are concerned that the MPS is seeking to pay for the renovation of an ageing training estate by trying to impose charges of this nature simply because it could raise such a large amount of money. In their opinion this would be 'a cheap and shoddy approach from an organisation that prides itself that it cares for its staff'.

7. The MPS Branch of the Superintendents’ Association is equally opposed to the proposals. The reasons for maintaining the present arrangements can be summarised as follows:

• as the MPS seeks to attract more experienced recruits it is likely that some will have to maintain a home base as well occupy accommodation during training. The prospect of additionally paying for accommodation at Hendon may well be enough to deter some potential recruits;
• like the Federation, the Superintendent’s Association draws attention to the inequity of the MPS charging recruits whilst other forces do not. Again this might well serve as a deterrent to potential recruits;
• £50 a week for living in sub-standard accommodation is not an insignificant charge;
• it is inappropriate to charge a 'levy' on recruits to fund improvements;
• comparisons with students and student nurses are inappropriate. In the main students and student nurses are younger people with no other financial commitments whereas many police recruits have mortgages and families to support; and
• in the main recruits are not in a position to seek alternative accommodation placing the MPS in a monopolistic position which should not be abused.

8. The civil staff trade unions noted the proposals outlined in the paper without comment.

C. Equality and diversity implications

1. There are no equality and diversity implications arising from this report.

D. Financial implication

1. Implementation of both proposals would generate income in the region
of £3.8 million per annum, assuming 3,000 recruits pass through Hendon’s doors in 2003/04. Adoption of the proposal to charge for meals only would generate approximately £1.1 million.

2. The draft budget for 2003/04 agreed at the full Authority meeting on 10 December 2002 includes the £3.8 million income as part of the identified £25.8 million of budget savings considered by the Finance Committee on 14 November 2002. If these charges are not approved in full (or approved in part), a budget shortfall will arise.

3. However, at the time of writing, the Mayor’s budget has yet to be approved. There may be a requirement, therefore, for the MPA to review the budget allocations in the light of the final budget approval by the GLA. Additionally, other items may need to be reviewed taking account of recent developments (e.g. congestion charging) and funding issues arising from specific grant approvals within the final grant settlement by the Home Office. A separate report on this agenda updates the Committee on the latest position. Any shortfall as a result of a decision not to charge recruits for accommodation would need to be taken into account as part of a wider consideration of the budget when final details of the resources available have been clarified.

E. Background papers

None.

F. Contact details

Report author: Alastair Thompson, Director of Commercial Services, MPS.

For more information contact:

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

Appendix 1

Proposal to charge recruits at Hendon for meals and accommodation

Summary

1. The purpose of this paper is to seek Management Board authority to charge police recruits undergoing initial training at Hendon a contribution towards the cost of their meals and accommodation, to be deducted in advance from their salaries. It is recommended that this new arrangement be introduced as from 1 April 2003. The annual income is estimated to be in the region of £3.8 million. It is intended that some of this income will be invested to improve the residential accommodation and recreational amenities at Hendon, and to enhance the catering facilities.

Background

2. The present arrangement is, that whilst attending the 18 week initial training course at Hendon, recruits are fed and accommodated free of charge. Recruits joining other police forces in England and Wales enjoy the same privilege. Access to free meals and accommodation is not enshrined in Police Regulations. Neither the Home Office nor Centrex could advise when this arrangement was introduced. It is thought to have been introduced to aid recruitment when the salary on offer made it extremely difficult to attract new entrants. It is now the case that we are successful in our recruiting and that recruits are reasonably well paid (£24,429 during initial training). A London allowance and (on completion of the initial training) free travel on the underground, buses, and railways (up to 70 miles from central London) are also provided.

3. A comparability study indicates that student nurses (who are paid significantly less than police recruits) are charged on average £60 a week in London for a single room. Meals are paid for separately. First year university students required to live in halls of residence typically pay between £85 - £100 a week for accommodation and two meals a day.

Proposal

4. It is acknowledged that the residential accommodation at Hendon needs to be improved and accordingly it is proposed to charge £50 a week (seven days), which is a third less than charged for section house accommodation.

5. It is proposed to charge recruits £4.20 a day for breakfast, lunch, and evening meal and associated beverages Monday to Friday (i.e. £21 a week). This sum represents the food cost plus a contribution to other costs, including labour. The subsidy level is the same that applies in other MPS catering units.

6. The recruits’ dining room closes at the weekend because the majority of recruits return home. However, a reduced catering service is available in the adjacent miscellaneous courses dining room over the weekend and any meals taken should be paid for at the time of consumption.

Financial implications

7. This initiative is anticipated to generate annual income in the region of £3.8 million:

• 3,000 recruits x 18 weeks x £50 a week accommodation = £2.7 million
• 3,000 recruits x 18 weeks x £21 a week for meals = £1.134 million

8. It is planned to invest some of this income at Hendon to realise improvements to the residential accommodation and the recreational amenities, and to enhance the size, layout and general décor of the catering facilities.

9. The payroll contractor anticipates no technical difficulties in accommodating this proposal but will require six weeks notice to provide the deduction facility on the payroll.

Consultation

10. Copies of this paper have been sent to the police staff associations and to the civil staff trade unions and once they have had an opportunity to examine the proposals, their responses will be given careful consideration.

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