Personnel management information

Report: 3
Date: 19 October 2000
By: Commissioner

Summary

This report provides a range of personnel related management information to the end of August 2000, with a summary of key points. It supplements the main MPS Performance Report, providing more detailed information in the personnel field.

A. Supporting information

Management information charts

1. The attached charts show, at Appendix 1, the position against the personnel related Best Value Performance Indicators, and, at Appendix 2, a range of supplementary personnel management information.

2. The charts provide data to the end of August 2000. The information has been prepared in line with the principles for regular reporting of management information agreed between the MPA and the MPS.

Key points

3. The key points to emerge from the reports are set out below:

MPS strength

4. Additional charts and tables have been included in this report on page 1 as agreed at the previous meeting. These show the variation of strength against the budgeted workforce target.

5. Optimum Workforce Levels (OWL) have yet to be finalised by Business Groups. These will be included once they become available.

6. The overall strength for police officers, civil staff and traffic wardens continues to decline as wastage outstrips recruitment.

Command and operational resilience

7. To meet the request for clearer information on command and operational resilience, additional charts have been included to show a) the ratio of senior police ranks to sergeants and constables, and b) the ratio of all staff at police inspector and civil staff grade 9 and above to lower rank/grades. This represents the management ratios to staff at various levels.

Selection and recruitment

8. The police recruitment target for 2000/2001 is 1,355, the major challenge for the year. This will only be achievable if the increased London Pay Lead, the current campaign and changes introduced by the Recruitment Task Force produce significant improvements. The target of 1,355 includes 663 new recruits covered by the Home Office Crime Fighting Fund. A projection based on the first five months data (four intakes) indicates a shortfall of 380 by the end of the financial year. However the Task Force are predicting substantial increase in recruitment as the year progresses, with intakes growing steadily to reach 200 in January and March 2001 (no intake in February). This would reduce the shortfall significantly.

9. There was no police recruit intake in August. The position on general recruitment and ethnic minority and female recruitment therefore remains as previously reported.

10. Development of the outstanding target for Best Value Performance Indicator 24 covering the recruitment proportion and progression of female officers is being finalised and will be reported upon in the next report.

Police wastage

11. This year the comparator for estimated wastage has been set at 115 per month (1,380 for the year) to reflect last year’s trend. The wastage rate to date this year is slightly above at 122.16.

12. To manage wastage down we need to determine what action is required in response to the information gleaned from the new staff exit surveys. On the question of pay (the often cited main reason for people leaving), the increase in the London Pay Lead has yet to manifest itself in a reduction of wastage.

13. Development of the outstanding target for Best Value Performance Indicator 27 covering ‘turnover’ for police officers and civil staff is being finalised and will be reported upon in the next report.

Civil staff wastage

14. Current returns show that wastage this year including traffic wardens is averaging 151.4 a month. This compares with last year’s average of 131.25, an increase of 15%. As with police officers, positive responses to the issues identified in the staff exit surveys need to be found. Pay is a known major factor (see below). Also wastage rates and recruitment difficulties for certain specialisms are particularly high. These aspects are being critically examined and are the subject of a separate report to the figures for traffic wardens in future reports.

Staff exit survey

15. A new exit survey questionnaire was introduced in April 2000. An initial analysis of the first quarter’s returns reveals that the main reason for resignations was a better job offer elsewhere. However, for those people who actively sought a new job, the reasons for them seeking new work have not been established but some common reasons cited for leaving were poor pay, disillusionment and moving away from the area. It is worth noting that although moving away from the area is not directly linked to dissatisfaction with the MPS, some respondents made further comments stating that the reasons behind the moving away were related to poor pay or lack of housing allowance.

16. In respect of the cost of housing in London, significantly more police than civil staff stated that difficulty in finding affordable accommodation was a factor in their leaving. Pay is an issue, which arises again when respondents are asked what would need to be improved in order for them to continue working for the MPS. Prospects and pay are more important to civil staff, whilst allowances are more important to police officers.

17. Interestingly, although more civil staff seem to be returning the staff exit forms, it appears that more police staff are receiving an exit interview. However, because it is not possible to determine the total number of people who are being interviewed as not all of them fill in a form, no conclusion can be drawn here. Encouragingly, just less than three-quarters of respondents feel that the exit interviews are useful to themselves as well as improving the MPS.

Sickness

18. Performance Information Bureau (PIB) are still experiencing major problems with their computers. Consequently, sickness figures for the months of July and August are unavailable. June data shows no appreciable variation from the trend noted in the previous report.

Police sickness

19. The year on year comparison of police sickness to date shows a reduction on the same period last year. However, the improvements appear to have plateaued and a revitalisation of the sickness reduction initiative might be required. A review of the Attendance Management Policy has been completed and is currently being considered. The rate at June (latest figures available) was 9.5 days, against a target of 9 days.

Civil staff sickness (excluding traffic wardens)

20. Civil staff sickness to date averaged 10.67 working days lost per person, which is 0.67 days above the target of 10 days. Again the improvements may have plateaued.

Traffic wardens sickness

21. As requested by the Committee, traffic wardens have been included as a separate entity. Sickness rates for traffic wardens have generally been higher than for other civil staff and this trend continues. The current rate (for June) at 22.1days is more than double that for other civil staff. The rate has increased during the first months of this year and is higher than in 1999/2000. This group needs particular attention if an improvement in sickness rates is to be achieved. No separate target has been set for traffic warden sickness and this is now to be developed.

Regulation 46

23. The number of Regulation 46 cases is rising slightly, in the main on full pay. The increase is not as yet dramatic but will be closely monitored in the coming months.

Grievances

24. Figures to date show a slight reduction of new cases compared to the same period last year.

Employment tribunals

25. The total to date for this year shows a slight increase in the number of new cases over last year, however this includes 4 cases which are not new instances but are appeals lodged by one individual in relation to previous ET actions.

B. Recommendation

That the Committee note and consider the contents of the report and management information provided.

C. Financial implications

None

D. Review arrangements

Personnel management information will be presented to the Committee at each meeting.

E. Background papers

The following is a statutory list of background papers (under the Local Government Act 1972 S.100 D) which disclose facts or matters on which the report is based and which have been relied on to a material extent in preparing this report. They are available on request to either the contact officer listed below or to the Clerk to the Police Authority at the address indicated on the agenda.

None.

F. Contact details

The author of this report is Chris Haselden, MPS.

For information contact:

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

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