Minutes

Minutes of the meeting of the Finance Committee held on 18 December 2003 at 10 Dean Farrar Street, London, SW1H 0NY.

Present:

Members:

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

MPA staff:

• Catherine Crawford (Clerk)
• Peter Martin (Treasurer)
• John Crompton (Committee Services)
• Peter Tickner (Director of Internal Audit) attended for agenda items 17a and 17b
• Ken Gort, (Assistant Director of Internal Audit) attended for agenda items 17a and 17b

MPS staff:

• Keith Luck (Director of Resources)
• Richard Bryan (Deputy Assistant Commissioner)
• Alastair Thompson (Director of Logistical Services)
• Richard Earland (Group Director DoI/IPG)
• Rob Knott (Deputy Director, Procurement Services)
• Paul Andrae (Procurement Services)
• Sharon Burd (Director of Finance)
• Terry Price (Head of Corporate Finance)
• Valerie Sng (Acting Head of the Events and Income Development Unit) attended for agenda items 17a and 17b
• Ch Supt Mark Gore (Project Manager, Territorial Policing) attended for agenda items 17a and 17b

Part 1

116. Apologies for absence

(Agenda item 1)

An apology for absence was submitted on behalf of Elizabeth Howlett.

117. Declarations of interests

(Agenda item 2)

There were none.

118. Minutes of the meeting held on 20 November 2003

(Agenda item 3)

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting held on 20 November 2003 be agreed and signed as a correct record.

Arising thereon-

Minute 90 Police Overtime

The Treasurer reported that the meeting of the budget group which would look in detail at police overtime and to which all Finance Committee members would be invited would be held on 12 January 2004 at 2.00 p.m.

119. Chair and Members’ update

(Agenda item 4)

No reports were made.

120. Revenue budget monitoring 2003/04

(Agenda item 5)

A report was submitted which set out the income and expenditure for the MPA/MPS to the end of October 2003 and provided an update to the projected financial outturn for the year.

Members referred to the section of the report on income. The increases shown all seemed to be fortuitous which raised the question of whether there was scope to further increase income by the use of proactive measures. The Director of Resources confirmed that this would be included in a future monitoring report.

The Director of Resources responded to Members’ questions about the managed underspend. The Treasurer added that the underspend was also managed by the way it was being maintained, and not spent, by the MPS.

Resolved - that the report be noted.

121. Efficiency plan monitoring – as at 2nd quarter 2003/04

(Agenda item 6)

A report was submitted which set out the forecast against the MPS’s efficiency plan as at the at 2nd quarter.

In reply to a question from Sir John Quinton, the Head of Corporate Finance advised that the savings shown in the appendix were the “headline” amounts and would be comprised of many smaller sums from specific budget headings.

The Treasurer reported that since the report was written Hazel Blears, the Minister of State, had written to the Chair of the Authority on concerns which HMIC had about the progress being made in meeting the whole year savings. An initial meeting had been held on 15 December with HMIC to discuss the Inspectorate’s areas of concern – one of which was the treatment of civilianisation associated with C3i. The Treasurer would be meeting the Director of Finance to identify what further work would need to be carried out into the points raised. The response to HMIC at their next quarterly review would need to demonstrate that the targets would be met.

Resolved – That the report be noted and an update be provided to the next meeting of the Committee.

122. Procurement strategy for goods and services

(Agenda item 7)

A report was considered which asked the Committee to approve the procurement strategy for good and services to support the MPS.

A member pointed out that there was no specific reference to TUPE in the strategy and felt that the Authority would wish to see this being one of the primary considerations when considering procurement exercises.

In reply, the Deputy Director, Procurement Services explained that the document before the Committee was supported by other more detailed policies and documents which included issues such as TUPE.

Members referred to the review set up by HM Treasury chaired by Peter Gershon into efficiency in the public sector which included an examination of procurement. Some of the findings of the review might be relevant to the MPS and more specifically, some such as joint procurement initiatives would have implications for the procurement strategy.

The Deputy Director, Procurement Services confirmed that joint procurement initiatives were already pursued where appropriate but it had to be borne in mind that the MPS was a very large and complex organisation with much local delegation. He reported that the Deputy Commissioner had made preliminary comments to the Gershon review on behalf of the MPS.

It was agreed that the strategy be amended to include a reference to TUPE and to possible further revisions in the light of the findings of the Gershon review.

Resolved - That the revised procurement strategy be noted and approved subject to the inclusion in the strategy of a specific reference to TUPE and to possible revision in the light of the findings of the Gershon review.

123. Vehicle recovery and storage service

(Agenda item 8)

The Committee received a report which provided a review of the vehicle recovery and storage service following its establishment in April 2003 and outlined planned developments.

Resolved -That the report be noted.

124. Provision of fresh and frozen meat

(Agenda item 9)

A report was submitted which sought approval to commence tender action for a replacement five-year contract to provide fresh and frozen meat.

Resolved-That approval be given to commence tender action for a replacement five year contract for fresh and frozen food.

125. MPS information strategy – MetDuties (phase 2) award of contract

(Agenda item 10)

The MetDuties (Phase 2) project is key to the on-going provision of the MetCall service and the wider need to improve the management of resources within the MPS. Following an OJEU procurement, a Phase 2 supplier has been selected and, in line with the Authority’s standing orders, the Committee’s approval was sought for the award of contract.

Resolved - That the Phase 2 contract be awarded to Workbrain® on the terms detailed in the linked exempt report.

126. Procurement of the MPS enterprise applications platform

(Agenda item 11)

The Committee has previously approved the procurement of a data repository and associated facilities through which all future Metropolitan Police Service information services will be delivered. A report was submitted which contained details of a competitive procurement exercise which has been carried out for the acquisition of the Enterprise Applications Platform, and made recommendations concerning the preferred supplier.

Resolved –That

1. the contents of the report and the decision to award the contract for the supply and installation of the Enterprise Applications Platform be noted and endorsed;
2. the contract be awarded to Computercenter, the preferred supplier, as detailed in the linked exempt appendix; and
3. dialogue be initiated with the preferred supplier to enable implementation planning to commence in anticipation of the contract award.

127. 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 7, 9 and 12 of Schedule 12A to the above Act.

Part 2

Summary of decisions made on exempt items

Minute 128 agenda item 13 Provision of fresh and frozen meat

Minute 129 agenda item 14- Programme for re-tendering services delivered through current outsource contracts
The information was noted.

Minute 130 agenda item 15- MPS Information Strategy – Metduties (phase 2) - Award of Contract
Information in support of agenda item 10 noted.

Minute 131 agenda item 16 - Procurement of the MPS Enterprise Applications Platform
Information in support of agenda item 12 noted.

Minute 132 agenda item 17 – keyholder Database.
Recommendations relating to Project Penates were agreed. Further report to be submitted to February meeting.

Minute 133 agenda item 18 – Bow Street
An oral update was provided and noted.

Minute 134 agenda item 19 - exempt minutes of the meeting held on 20 November 2003.

The minutes were agreed and signed as a correct record.

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