Minutes

Minutes of the Human Resources Committee meeting of the Metropolitan Police Authority held in the Room AG23, Romney House, Westminster on 16 November 2000.

Present:

Members:

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

MPA staff:

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

MPS staff:

• C Haselden (Head of MPA HR Liaison)
• M Harwood-Grayson (Head of Training Policy)
• M Shurety (Assistant Director of Personnel)
• P Woods (Director of Personnel)

Also present 15 member of the press/media and public.

Part 1

33. Apologies

(Agenda item 1)

Apologies were received from A Ullah (Member –MPA)

34. Minutes (Part 1): 19 October 2000

(Agenda item 2)

The Clerk requested that paragraph 5 and resolution 6 of agenda item 3 (Personnel Management Information) be deleted. A Member questioned the deletion, but the Chair explained that this issue was covered under agenda item 6 (Civil Staff Pensions). The minutes were otherwise agreed.

Members were informed that the draft equal opportunities statement for the MPA (agenda item 9) had been referred to the Consultation, Diversity and Outreach Committee. A working party would meet on 22nd November to produce a revised statement and policy document informed by best practice in other organisations, including the GLA. Members were informed that the statement was unlikely to be completed by the next Human Resources Committee meeting. The Chair felt the draft statement should be adopted at an early stage.

A report on police pensions (agenda item 6) was expected at the next meeting.

Resolved:

1. after amendment, the minutes of the meeting held on 19 October 2000 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair; and
2. a report on police pensions be received at the next Committee meeting.

35. Personnel management information (PMI)

(Agenda item 3)

Members received a report that provided a range of personnel related management information based on data to the end of September 2000, together with a summary of key points. The report also included additional information as requested by the Committee at previous meetings. Some additional material, requested by the Chair, was tabled (attached as Appendix 1).

Members asked about recruitment and wastage. They were informed that numbers in police intakes to Hendon Training School were increasing. The MPS was still losing officers, but there was optimism that given all the work taking place, that they could be replaced. The increase in the London pay lead had not had a significant effect, and the MPS would not be helped if there were additional payments to officers in home county forces. The national police recruitment campaign had not been particularly helpful to the MPS, as callers were sent applications for the force covered by their postcode. The MPS was hoping to be able to approach applicants who had not been accepted by their home force because it had reached its recruitment target. The MPS continued to advertise in job centres, the 'Evening Standard' and home county newspapers, and an application form was available on the Internet.

Questions were asked about the Commissioner's public statement on recruiting officers with criminal records. Members were aware of the planned policy change, but not how it would be made public. The Director of Personnel undertook to raise this with the MPS's Management Board.

Concern was expressed about the increase in civil staff wastage. It was noted that paragraph 18 of report 3, 'Personnel Management Information', should read 'Civil staff wastage this year is averaging 153.6 a month. This is significantly above last year's average of 127.5 a month', not 'slightly' as written. A Member noted that there were many graduates in lower civil staff grades, and asked about career progression. Members were informed that promotions were advertised internally and were open to all qualified candidates irrespective of rank, but a recent promotion exercise for personnel managers had not succeeded in filling the available vacancies. The MPS offered staff the opportunity to specialise and sponsored specialist training. On being asked about exit surveys, Members were informed that the main reason given for leaving was pay. Some wastage was always to be expected, but this had been exacerbated by the inability to recruit.

Members were told that only one other force had a better police sickness rate. A paper on sickness rates broken down by ethnic origin was requested. On being asked about officers on recuperative duties, Members were told that police officers' progress was monitored, so that they did not remain in a 'desk jobs' indefinitely. These posts were not included in the 160 civil staff posts being filled by fully fit officers.

A question was asked about the way in which officers received the results of police exams. The Director of Personnel undertook to circulate an informal report on the subject.

Resolved:

1. the Committee note the contents of the report and management information provided;
2. the Director of Personnel raise the Committee's concerns about not being kept informed of personnel related statements with the MPS's Management Board;
3. a future meeting (January) to receive a paper on sickness, broken down by ethnic origin; and
4. an informal report to be circulated on the way in which police examination results were disseminated.

36. Recruitment and retention workshop

(Agenda item 4)

A Recruitment and Retention Workshop was held on 18 September 2000. A report was received on the various issues raised at the workshop and an update was given on the number of calls received by the call centre and careers office, and the size of intakes of new recruits into Hendon.

Concern was expressed about the physical condition of facilities like locker rooms, showers and canteens. It was felt that their enhancement would show the workforce it was valued. Members were informed that the staff survey had shown similar findings, and the MPS Management Board had agreed money would be made available to Borough Commanders for refurbishment.

Resolved:
that the contents of the report be noted.

37. Training strategy

(Agenda item 5)

Members received a report that provided an overview of the main features of the training strategy for the period 2000-03, and a summary of how the strategy met the requirements of the HMIC thematic inspection report 'Managing Learning'.

Members were informed that a Bill was being prepared which would give police authorities a statutory obligation to set out annual proposals for the training and professional development of their officers. The MPS's current training strategy would be reviewed when the Bill was published, and would be updated to reflect the current structure of the MPS.

Questions were asked about links between police training and other educational institutions. Members were told that there was considerable collaboration between the MPS and education suppliers. In 1993 the MPS had become involved in a distance-learning project with Portsmouth University, the model of, which was now used nationally. The proposed Police National Training organisation was being considered by the DfEE and should be in place by April 2001. Its training would be recognised by organisations outside the police and NVQs would be increasingly prevalent. Sharing of training was in various stages of development. The increasing standarisation of police training across forces, would eventually lead to a core curriculum.

Members asked about aspirational strategies and training for potential recruits. They were informed the Positive Action Team was looking at the latter. The Chair felt training should take account of the personal circumstances of trainees, and that residential courses could present difficulties for people with families.

The Chair thought a workshop on training, to be held in the coming year, might be useful and would discuss this further with Jennette Arnold and the Director of Personnel.

Resolved:

1. the contents of the report be noted; and
2. the Chair to discuss holding a workshop with Jennette Arnold and the Director of Personnel.

38. MPA support organisation budget 2000/01

(Agenda item 6)

Members received a report providing information on expenditure. The Deputy Treasurer stated that there were significant variances in a number of areas, reflecting the difficulties faced in developing a budget for a new organisation. The Internal Audit budget continued to be underspent as a consequence of the difficulties faced in recruitment. The underspend reported against Consultative Groups was slightly misleading in that expenditure related to payments made in 2000/2001 for previous years, because such groups claim payment after the year-end. Under the previous cash accounting regime based on receipts and payments, this was acceptable. However, the system for reporting current year spend against budget would now need to be reviewed. The External Audit budget provision related to the 1999/2000 National Audit Office audit of the final financial year (of 15 months) that ended with the establishment of the Authority. As with Consultative Groups, the system for recording spend against budget in respect of external audit would need to be reviewed.

Members requested forecast outturn figures in future budget reports, details of growth bids, and of the future budget. Some Members were not sure of this committee's role in relation to the MPA budget, the total MPS budget, and the relationship with GLA's budgetary considerations.

Resolved:

1. MPA budget reports to be presented with forecast outturn figures, when available;
2. the Chair discuss with the MPA Chair when the support structure budget should be approved;
3. the year to date position of expenditure, against budget for the areas for which the MPA is responsible, be noted; and
4. the intention to carry out a detailed exercise to reconcile locally held financial data with that held on MetFin be noted.

39. MPA discipline procedure

(Agenda item 7)

The Members received a report inviting them to consider a draft discipline procedure, based on ACAS guidelines with a view to its adoption by the MPA. The Clerk noted that Members might prefer not to be involved in disciplinary hearings, only in appeals; Members agreed. It was further agreed that the procedure should include more detail on possible outcomes, like formal reprimands or financial penalties and that employees should be allowed to be accompanied at all stages whether or not this was a statutory requirement. The need for a separate capability procedure, which could be used to deal positively with capability as well as sickness and attendance, was discussed. The Assistant Director of Personnel stated that the MPS had separate procedures, but felt the MPA as a smaller organisation, needed a clear process which could encompass both. It was agreed that a revised procedure, subject to review in six months time, would come back to the Committee.

Resolved:

1. the discipline procedure be revised to incorporate comments of Members; and
2. the committee review the discipline procedure in six months.

40. Approval for secondment/appointment for lay visiting review/policy officer

(Agenda item 8)

The Members received a report that sought the Committee's approval to recruit a consultant, on a short-term basis, to undertake the work on Lay Visiting in preparation for the Authority's implementation of new guidance on Custody Visiting soon to be published by the Home Office. The Clerk stated that while he had been given responsibility to appoint temporary staff, the interim MPA staffing structure had not shown this post. The appointment was agreed.

Resolved:

1. that the basis for recruitment of a short-term consultant to undertake the review of Lay Visiting be agreed, subject to this being agreed by the CDO Committee;
2. exclusion of press and public.

(Agenda item 11)

A resolution was put to exclude the press and public from the meeting during agenda item 10 'Minutes Part 2: 19th October 2000 (Part 2 – for Approval); item 11, 'MPS/MPA Staffing Developments / Senior Staff Appointments – Oral Update'; item 12, 'Report From MPA Pay And Conditions Working Party – Oral Update'; item 13 'Learning From Employment Tribunals: Charles Shoebridge'; and item 14 'Civil Staff Pay And Grading', 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 10, 11, and 13 – 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 10, 12, and 14 – 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 10 to 14 because they could disclose or would be likely to disclose exempt information as described in paragraph 1 of schedule 12a of the said Act as indicated.

Summary of exempt items

41. Minutes (Part 2): 19 October 2000

(Agenda item 10)

Members received and agreed the exempt minutes of the meeting held on 19 October 2000.

42. MPS/MPA staffing developments / senior staff appointments – oral update

(Agenda item 11)

Members received an oral update on senior staff appointments within the MPS and MPA. It was agreed that this part of the agenda be renamed "MPA/MPS Personnel Developments."

43. Report from MPA pay and conditions working party (oral update)

(Agenda item 12)

Members received an oral update on the work of the working party, which had held its first meeting.

44. Learning from employment tribunals

(Agenda item 13)

Members were informed how the MPS was reacting to the lessons learnt from recent Employment Tribunals.

45. Civil staff pay and grading

(Agenda item 14)

Members discussed proposals in relation to civil staff pay and grading.

The meeting closed at 4.35pm.

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