Corporate business plan planning and targets update

Report: 5
Date: 9 November 2006
By: Director of Strategy Modernisation and Performance Directorate for the Commissioner

Summary

This report updates members on the integrated strategic financial/planning framework and provides an opportunity for members to provide feedback on the draft corporate business plan. This report also updates on the Territorial Policing Variable Target Setting process for 2007/08.

A. Recommendations

That

1. Members provide feedback and agree the draft corporate business plan Appendix 1, following amendments, as suitable for submission to the GLA.
2. Note the progress on the Territorial Policing Variable Target Setting process for 2007/08; and
3. Members receive a paper in January reviewing progress of the current integrated business/financial planning framework and proposals for improvements for next year.

B. Supporting information

Integrated Business/Financial Planning Framework

1. The integrated business/financial planning framework reflects a developing process which aims to ensure that resource decisions are driven by strategic priorities and business need. The MPS has made great strides in working towards this, both in terms of progress made in approving new investment and in business/financial planning.

2. The Approvals process requires every significant investment to demonstrate how the change will contribute towards achieving the MPA/MPS’ strategic priorities and outcomes. This now includes approval points by Investment Board at certain times throughout the change process, through to the realisation of identified benefits.

3. The 2007/08 business planning process required every business group to write a business plan in which they were asked to outline their main activities and to demonstrate how these supported the strategic priorities and outcomes. They were also expected to align their financial and human resources to their delivery plan.

4. One of the outputs of this planning process is the three-year corporate business plan, which outlines what the MPA/MPS plans to deliver in support of the priorities, together with the resources required. The business planning process continues to evolve and will be further developed in subsequent years to achieve its aims. The draft corporate business plan is shown at Appendix 1. The focus of the present meeting is to outline the style and content of the document, particularly relating to the planning objectives. If members agree the style and content of the draft it will then be used as the basis for incorporation of budgets figures at the 23 November meeting of Finance Committee.

5. In view of the need to commence planning for next year’s budget round it is essential that lessons learnt from the current round are identified quickly. It is therefore proposed to report back to committee in January with a review of the present process and proposals for any improvements.

The corporate business plan

6. The corporate business plan has three main purposes:

• To set out how the strategic priorities contained within the corporate strategy will be delivered over the next three years, and how business groups will contribute to their achievement.
• To ensure the content of the plan meets the requirements of the business plan submission to the Mayor. This includes the financial projections (e.g. clearly identified increases in the base budget, including major initiatives and service improvements, expected changes to the funding base and efficiency savings).
• To present to the public and other stakeholders how the corporate strategy will improve service delivery to Londoners, meets their needs and demonstrates that tax-payers’ money is being appropriately spent.

7. The 2007/08 corporate business plan will form the budget submission to the Mayor in November and was agreed by MPS Management Board on the 17 October. In order for the document to be suitable for an external audience the business plan will then be adapted to form the Annual Policing Plan which will be published on the 31 March 2007. Members are asked to provide feedback and to agree the draft corporate business plan, following amendments, as suitable for submission to the GLA by the 27 November 2006.

8. At the joint Finance/PPRC meeting on the 21 September, a report was received updating members on the integrated strategic financial/planning framework, which included progress on the development of the corporate business plan. Members noted the development work being undertaken; and agreed that the corporate business plan be submitted to the Full Authority meeting on 30 November.

Performance information

9. During 2006/07, the MPA and MPS identified 13 critical areas for improving performance using the Policing Performance Assessment Framework scores and the Public Service Agreements. These will provide a link into the proposed next generation of PPAF, known as Assessments of Policing and Community Safety (APACS). Work is currently being undertaken by the Home Office to identify new Public Service Agreements and other performance regimes for 2008/09.

10. Effort has gone into streamlining the number of targets to enable focused activity on the critical areas where improved performance is required. It also takes account of key areas of operational development, for example in respect of neighbourhoods with high level of criminality, and other critical work not adequately covered by the Policing Performance Assessment Framework. It also allows the MPS to take into account issues raised by the HMIC baseline assessment and any future issues highlighted by APACS.

11. Strategic Planning will be working alongside Performance Directorate, with the other business groups to develop objectives, measures and targets to underpin the strategic priorities for 2007/08. The MPA will be consulted as part of this development activity.

Territorial Policing: Variable Target Setting Process 2007/08

12. Territorial Policing are undertaking a variable target setting process for 2007/08, the details of which are outlined in Appendix 2. This includes a section explaining the variable target setting process for 2007-08 Policing Plan targets. It also includes details of how the process is progressing, and outlines the next stages of the local target setting process with an overarching crime reduction figure. It also describes TP’s proposed focus of improvement inside and outside of the Basket of 10.

Key dates

13. The meetings and dates in relation to the development of the corporate business plan are as follows:

• 9 November – Joint PPRC Committee meeting to consider and approve draft corporate business plan for submission to the GLA
• 23 November – Finance Committee – further consideration of financial input to the draft corporate business plan.
• 30 November – Full Authority to formally sign off the corporate business plan. (NB The GLA have indicated that the business plan can now be submitted by this date rather than the previously advised date of 27 November

The Mayor is due to issue his preliminary draft budget proposals for consultation in early November. If they are received before the meeting of the committee an oral report will be made.

Review of the strategic priorities

14. The Policing London Strategy 2006-09 and Annual Policing Plan 2006/07 was published in March 2006. It has set the direction and strategic priorities for the MPS over the next three years. The document was developed through a process of information gathering that included public, partner and internal consultation throughout 2005 and took account of the Government and Mayor’s priorities to ensure that the MPA’s three-year strategy reflected the needs of London.

15. A draft of the National Community Safety Plan for 2007/08 has now been received. The MPS’ strategic priorities and outcomes are closely aligned to Government’s five key strategic priorities for the police service for 2007/08. The MPA and MPS are in the process of developing a joint response to the document.

16. It is intended that, whilst the MPA/MPS’ strategic outcomes should remain the same, the seven strategic priorities will be reviewed as part of the annual refresh of the Policing London Strategy to ensure that the strategy remains meaningful and reflects the future needs of Londoners. The continuation of the strategic priorities was agreed by MPS Management Board in June 2006 and PPRC members in September. These are shown in Figure 1, together with the MPS Management Board member with lead responsibility for delivery.

Figure 1. The Strategic Priorities with MB leads

Abbreviations

DDOs

Designated Detention Officers

DSPs

Dedicated Security Posts

IBOs

Integrated Borough Operations

IPLDP

Initial Police Learning and Development Training

MoPI

Management of Police Information

MPA

Metropolitan Police Authority

MPS

Metropolitan Police Service

MTFP

Medium Term Financial Plan

NSPIS

National Strategy for Police Information Systems

PCSO

Police Community Support Officer

PROSPA

Procurement Opportunity & Spend Analysis

SMT

Senior Management Team

SO

Specialist Operations

C. Race and equality impact

There are no issues directly impacting on race and equality in this paper, although there are equality considerations within the business plan, particularly in relation to service delivery and diversity of the workforce.

D. Financial implications

There are no specific financial implications arising from this report, although the way in which MPS finances are aligned to delivering the strategic priorities forms the basis for the integrated strategic/financial-planning framework as described in paragraph 1.

E. Background papers

None

F. Contact details

Report author: Ross Daniels, Met Modernisation Programme and Tim Bryars, Territorial Policing, MPS

For more information contact:

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

Appendix 2

Territorial Policing: variable target setting process 2007/08

Progress

• Following the success of last year's variable target setting (VTS) process TP will use a broadly similar approach to facilitate local BOCU target setting in relation to the basket of ten PSA 1 comparator crimes. The ten crimes include personal robbery, theft from person, theft from MV, theft of MV, interfering and tampering with MV, criminal damage, wounding, common assault, theft of pedal cycle and residential burglary. The MPS has a four-year target to achieve a 19.4% reduction by the end of March 2008 and a current, one-year target of a 6.3% reduction.
• Assuming no further improvement in 2006/07, current projections (8th October) suggest the MPS will achieve a 6.1% reduction in this planning year, which would contribute to a 12.8% total reduction over the first three years of PSA 1. A further 7.6% reduction in BCS basket crime in the final year would then aggregate to a four-year reduction of 19.4% by March 2008
• Progress has been steady in the last few months and TP are confident of meeting the current 6.3% reduction target.

Next stages

• The TP Command Team has agreed the VTS timetable. Milestones include:
  • Engagement with TPCT in October 2006 to agree a draft set of measures for inclusion in the 2007/08 policing plan;
  • Contacts with BOCU senior managers and planning coordinators early in November 2006 to communicate the VTS strategy;
  • Build of the VTS planning tool over Christmas to facilitate the bespoke process; BOCUs embark on local target setting, overseen by Link Commanders at the beginning of January 2007;
  • Star Chamber meetings involving TP senior managers, GoL, MPA, etc. at the end of January 2007;
  • Final targets presented to PPRC in February 2007.
• TP will focus its performance management framework around the critical performance areas ('Super 13') agreed by Management Board and the MPA in May. TP lead on ten of these measures, and co-lead on one other (gun crime) with SCD. In relation to the two satisfaction/citizen focus measures DAC Fitzpatrick supports the notion that compliance with the new victim code of practice will be the most effective way to improve MPS performance in relation to victim trust, confidence and satisfaction. TP will target the more serious categories of violence to reduce violent crime and with particular emphasis on domestic offences. In terms of gun crime, TP will work closely with SCD colleagues, agree a sub-set of gun crime BOCUs and challenge each BOCU in this sub-set to propose a gun crime reduction target as part of the variable target setting process.

Focus of improvement

• In 2007/08, subject to review TP will focus on personal robbery, more serious violence and theft from motor vehicle. Theft from motor vehicle is the only crime type within the basket to be showing an increase in 2006/07. This will be taken into account when setting the next control strategy.
• TP will continue to build on the success of Safer Neighbourhood Teams (SNTs) with a view to further reducing anti-social behaviour and disorder. SNTs have already played a significant role in building trust and confidence and in increasing local satisfaction.

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