Minutes

Minutes of the Human Resources Committee meeting of the Metropolitan Police Authority held in AG23, Romney House, Westminster on 19 October 2000.

Present

Members

• Rachel Whittaker (Chair)
• John Biggs (Deputy Chair)
• Anthony Arbour
• Elizabeth Howlett
• Nicholas Long
• Angela Slaven
• Abdal Ullah
• Jennette Arnold

Cindy Butts was also in attendance.

MPA staff:

• Peter Edwards (Clerk)
• Colin Balkman (Deputy Treasurer)

MPS staff:

• Chris Haselden (Head of MPA HR Liaison)
• Mike Harwood-Grayson (Head of Training Policy)
• M Shurety (Assistant Director of Personnel)
• Linda Van den Hende (Business Director, Occupational Health)

Present also were 10 members of the press/media and public.

Part 1

19. Apologies

(Agenda item 1)

Apologies were received from P Woods (Director of Personnel - MPS) and Mike Todd (DAC - MPS).

20. Minutes: 21 September 2000

(Agenda item 2)

Colin Balkman circulated a memorandum to Members concerning the MPA budget. A copy is attached as Appendix 1. A full report would be submitted to the next Committee meeting.

A Diversity Workshop had taken place on 27 September. The Clerk had written to Members individually with suggestions as to the way forward.

Members were informed that John Biggs had had a preliminary meeting with MPA officers to prepare for the setting up of the 'Pay and Conditions Sub-committee. Work had been commissioned on a position paper, which would be produced within the next two weeks with a view to a first sub-committee meeting later in October. Members were assured that the sub-committee would not meet until all participating members were available, and that its work would be finished by December.

Resolved:

1. a budget report be provided to the Committee next month; and
2. the minutes of the meeting held on 21 September 2000 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

21. Personnel management information (PMI)

(Agenda item 3)

Members were informed that at their request the monthly report had been refined. Traffic warden sickness figures were presented separately from those of civil staff. Members expressed surprise at the average of 22 days a year sickness absence taken by traffic wardens. They were informed that because of the nature of work, traffic warden sickness was traditionally high. A reduction strategy had been initiated, but had not had the impact hoped.

Members felt that the Committee needed more information on a half yearly basis about the length of service of constables and detective constables in the Command and Operational Resilience and Police Wastage tables.

A question was raised about national resilience targets, and Members were told there were no formal national targets, although HMIC had produced some notional targets.

In discussing wastage, Members were informed that the MPS was always going to lose police and civilian staff to other forces, as the skills and experience of Metropolitan Police staff made them valuable. However, it was hoped that the pay lead for officers would lessen the wastage of police officers to provincial forces. Member asked about the proportion of recruits who were Londoners. They were told that such information could only come from application forms, and the address given could be misleading, e.g. a provincial university, thus giving no indication where a person was bought up.

The amount of statistics submitted to the Committee was discussed. It was felt Members could be given abbreviated statistics, as long as the Workforce Data were available to them in an MPA Library.

Resolved:

1. information, on a half yearly basis, be provided on length of service of constables and detective constables in the Command and Operational Resilience and Police Wastage tables
2. targets be shown in the 'Civil Staff – progression of VEM & females' table;
3. copies of MPS Workforce Data be kept in an MPA library;
4. 'Command and Operational Resilience' table to show comparison with HMIC ratios; and
5. the contents of the report and PMI be noted.

22. Recruitment and retention workshop

(Agenda item 4)

Members received a report on a Recruitment and Retention Workshop held for Members on 18 September. Members were told that the number of recruits was increasing, but they expressed surprise at the number of applications not proceeded with. They were told that the MPS was now taking a holistic view of applicants, and not rejecting them on one factor alone.

A Member stated that the Commissioner had told the Police Federation that tenure was dead. Members were informed that tenure had been succeeded by interim succession planning, and the officers could not expect to stay in one post throughout their careers. The Chair requested an informal report on MPS's latest position on tenure.

It was requested that Appendix 2 of the report be presented as a table, stating which issues were critical.

Resolved:

1. the contents of the report be noted;
2. the information in Appendix 2 of the report be put in a table, and the criticality of each item noted; and
3. members receive an informal report on the MPS's latest position on tenure.

23. Civil staff wastage

(Agenda item 5)

Members received a report on the emerging findings of an analysis of civil staff wastage. Members were concerned about the diversion of police into civil staff roles, and felt solutions were needed quickly. A Member suggested using former communication officers as temporary staff. Although there was a reluctance to create an agency culture, it was felt agency staff could be used in transitional posts.

The Clerk cautioned that any solutions involving expenditure should be put forward early, so that they might be reflected in budget planning.

Resolved:

1. the position as identified to date be noted;
2. a paper on civil staff wastage and a rewards strategy be bought to the next Committee's meeting; and
3. fast solutions to wastage be included in the next paper.

24. Civil staff pensions

(Agenda item 6)

Members received a report providing an initial analysis of the options available to the MPA in respect of civil staff pensions, and recommending the appointment of a consultant to advise the Authority.

Members asked why they had not been asked to consider police pensions. They were informed that police pensions were subject to national arrangements, whereas civil staff pensions were a matter for local determination. The Home Office had started a review of police pensions some years ago, but no conclusions had been forthcoming. Members requested, at a future meeting, a paper on police pension regulations, the cost and funding of medical requirements and other related issues. It might then be raised with the Chair of the Authority who sat on the Police Pay Negotiating Board.

It was agreed that a consultant be appointed to advise on future civil staff pensions policy, and that John Biggs and Anthony Arbour be involved in the process.

Resolved:

1. a paper to be presented to future meeting on the funding of, and regulations surrounding police retirement, including medical retirements;
2. the MPA tender to appoint consultants to advise on options in respect of civilian staff pensions;
3. two Members would serve on the appointing panel (Anthony Arbour / John Biggs); and
4. the issues in this report be noted.

25. HMIC Thematic Inspection 'Managing Learning' and Police Training – the Way Forward

(Agenda item 7)

Members received a report informing them that the HMIC report 'Managing Training' had been superseded by a number of reports into police training including 'Police Training – A Way Forward', which set out a future national model. Throughout all the reviews, the MPS had been seen nationally and internationally as a model for the way forward in police training.

Resolved:
that the contents of report be noted.

26. Metropolitan Police Service Occupational Health Strategy

(Agenda item 8)

Members received a report on different aspects of the work carried out by the MPS Occupational Health Directorate.

Members asked questions about the 'Spend to Save' scheme. It was noted that this assisted physical but not psychological illness. Members were told that in 1994/1995 a very small-scale experiment had been made in supplying assistance in both psychological and physical cases. The investment return was significantly greater in the case of physical illness. The MPS however had its own counsellors and psychologist, although these were not intended to replace the recipient's primary carer. Questions were also asked about the tax position of beneficiaries of the 'Spend to Save' scheme'.

Resolved:

1. the MPS consider the tax position of beneficiaries of the 'Spend to Save' scheme;
2. the extension of the 'Spend to Save' scheme, to include treatment where significant notional savings for the MPS could be demonstrated, be supported in principle';
3. the MPS's commitment to a fit and healthy workforce be supported;
4. the MPS's current concerns about the operation of the Police Pension Regulations be noted;
5. the need to raise awareness of Health and Safety legislation within the policing environment be supported; and
6. the robust application of the MPS's attendance management policy be supported.

27. Equal opportunities statement for the MPA

(Agenda item 9)

Members received a report containing a draft equal opportunities statement for the MPA. The Clerk had spoken to the Chair of the Consultation, Diversity and Outreach Committee, who had asked to see also the statements and templates used. The final paper would go to the Full Authority for agreement.

A Member asked if templates used by the GLA and other functional bodies had been considered. The Clerk said the GLA Equalities Commission Sub Group was meeting that afternoon, and that he would report back to Members. The Deputy Treasurer expressed concern about the wording of the third 'Statement of Intent', which could be construed as contrary to procurement practice. Some Members felt the policy as a whole should be more positive, and rights based. A range of other comments was made on the policy.

It was agreed that the paper should be amended in the light of the discussion, and be forwarded to the Consultation, Diversity and Outreach Committee.

Resolved:

1. comments from this meeting on the paper and draft equal opportunities policy be noted, and together with the templates used, be referred to the next Consultation, Diversity and Outreach Committee meeting, thence to Full Authority; and
2. GLA Equalities Commission to be consulted in relation to the policy.

28. Urgent approval for compensation

(Agenda item 10)

This item was withdrawn from the agenda. The paper would be submitted to the Chair's Co-ordination and Urgency Committee

29. Exclusion of press and public

(Agenda item 11)

A resolution was put to exclude the press and public from the meeting during agenda item 12, 'Minutes Part 2: 21st September 2000', item 13 'forfeiture of Police Pension' and item 14 'Employment Tribunal Cases' as they would be likely to disclose exempt information as described in Schedule 12a of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended) relating to:

Items 12, 13, 14 – Information relating to a particular employee, former employee or applicant to become an employee of, or a particular office-holder, former office holder or applicant to become an office-holder under the authority.

Items 12 – Any terms proposed, or to be proposed by or to, the Authority in the course of negotiations for a contract for the acquisition or disposal of property or the supply of goods or services.

Resolved: That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during the agenda items 12, 13 and 14 because they disclose or are likely to disclose exempt information as described in paragraph 1 of schedule 12a of the said Act as indicated.

Summary of exempt items

30. Minutes (Part 2): 21 September 2000

(Agenda item 12)

Members received the exempt minutes of the meeting held on 21 September 2000.

31. Forfeiture of police pension

(Agenda item 13)

A report was received asking Members to consider making a request to the Home Secretary for the issue of a certificate in connection with the forfeiture of pension of a former police officer.

32. Employment tribunal cases

(Agenda item 14)

A report was received by Members describing the approach taken by the MPS towards Employment Tribunal (ET) cases and MPS performance in ET cases.

Other actions agreed
Resolved:
that Members would meet privately with staff associations and unions prior (1.15-1.45pm) to each Human Resource Committee meeting.

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