Minutes

Minutes of the Human Resources Committee meeting of the Metropolitan Police Authority held in the Press Room, Romney House, Westminster on 15 March 2001.

Present

Members

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

Peter Herbert (ex-officio Member) was also present for part of the meeting).

MPA staff

• Catherine Crawford (Clerk)
• Peter Martin (Treasurer)
• Colin Balkman (Deputy Treasurer)
• Johanna Gillians (Senior Analyst)

MPS staff:

• Peter Clarke (DAC & Deputy Director, Personnel)
• Jenny Deere (Business Director, Recruitment, Selection and Workforce Diversity)
• Chris Haselden (Performance Management and MPA Human Resources Liaison)
• Michael Shurety (Assistant Director of Personnel)
• Alastair Thompson (Director of Personnel Business Services)
• Patricia Woods (Director of Personnel

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

Part 1

71. Apologies

(Agenda item 1)

No apologies were received.

Members were informed that Pat Woods, Director of Personnel, was leaving the MPS after 34 years of service. The Chair thanked her for her contribution to personnel services in the MPS and MPA personnel workshops.

72. Minutes: 18 January 2001

(Agenda item 2)

In relation to agenda item 7, the link Member for two of the boroughs affected by PFI stated that borough commanders had informed her of the proposed PFI, but not the implications for civil staff. It was noted that Abdal Ullah's name was spelt incorrectly in the minutes. With these amendments, the minutes of the last meeting were agreed as a correct record.

Members went on to discuss matters arising from the minutes. At the previous meeting (agenda item 3), Members were promised a briefing note on the ethnic coding used by the MPS. This was being finalised and would shortly be circulated to Members. Reports on exit poll analysis and absence management in relation to traffic wardens (agenda item 3) would be bought to the April HR committee meeting. Members had asked whether GLA and associated bodies had been consulted in the development of the Human Resources Information System (agenda item 5). The Clerk informed Members that it was now on the agenda for the next GLA executives meeting.

Members then went on to discuss the decision (made outside the last Human Resources (HR) Committee meeting) that some Members would undertake activities in relation to specific topics of interest in the personnel field, outside of formal HR meetings. It was agreed that a work programme for the HR committee would be developed.

Resolved:

1. subject to amendment, the minutes of the meeting held on 18 January 2001 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair;
2. Members be provided with a briefing note on the ethnic coding used by the MPS, why it was used, where it differed from other organisations, and related matters;
3. a report come to the HR Committee in April analysing the results of exit polls;
4. a paper come to the HR Committee in April analysing traffic warden sickness; and
5. a work programme be developed for the HR Committee.

73. Progress report on personnel related HMIC recommendations

(Agenda item 3)

A progress report was received on the outstanding recommendations contained in the four HMIC inspections reported to the MPA HR Committee in September 2000, together with information about the personnel related recommendations in the HMIC's more recent reports 'Calling Time on Crime' and 'Under the Microscope'.

Members asked about the MPS's ability to provide tutor constables for probationers, and the resulting impact on borough policing. The Director of Personnel stated that it did have an impact, but it represented a positive investment in personnel. The management of the impact was being discussed with borough commanders.

Members noted that the Professional Standards and Performance Monitoring (PSPM) Committee had been informed that the rollout of Community and Race Relations (CRR) training was not keeping pace with the target to have 40% of MPS staff trained by the end of March 2002.

A question was asked about wastage of officers who were graduates but not participants in the accelerated promotion scheme. The Director of Personnel undertook to examine the statistics surrounding these officers.

Members asked about the recruitment of senior officers from other forces, and the secondment of MPS officers to surrounding forces as a result of boundary changes. They were informed that the MPS was taking a robust attitude to the recruitment of officers from other forces, and Members were promised a situation report on officers seconded as a result of boundary changes at the next HR meeting.

Resolved:

1. the contents of the report be noted;
2. the statistics in relation to the wastage of graduate recruits be examined by the MPS; and
3. the committee receive a situation report on officers seconded as a result of boundary changes in April.

74. Police recruitment and retention

(Agenda item 4)

Members received a report on the progress of police recruitment against targets for the period April 2000 / March 2001, and an update on issues raised at the Member's workshop held in September 2000. They were informed that the numbers of enquiries, applicants and recruits were increasing for both police and civil staff. Advertising was continuing, and a calendar of events supporting recruitment activity would be circulated to members.

Members were informed that a retention strategy was being formulated, which would dovetail with the recruitment strategy. Rejoining police officers were now being offered a two-week intensive course. The current television programme on recruit training at Hendon was discussed. It was noted that recruits felt they were sometimes treated like children. Members expressed continued concern at the length of time between receipt of an application form and the offer of a recruit training. They were informed that efforts were being made to reduce this period. It was agreed that this would be discussed further at the proposed recruitment and retention workshop.

Resolved:

1. the contents of the report be noted;
2. Members would be sent a calendar of events supporting recruitment activity; and
3. a closed workshop session be held with Members to discuss recruitment and retention initiatives and proposals for achievement of the next financial year's budgeted workforce targets.

75. Police negotiating board update

(Agenda item 5)

A report was received summarising the main items discussed by the Police Negotiating Board (PNB) on 8 February 2001. The Clerk stated the Authority had now received formal written confirmation of the new rates. Questions were asked as to whether the amount had been shown in agreed budgets.

Resolved:
that the contents of the report be noted.

76. Terms of reference of the remuneration sub-committee

(Agenda item 6)

Members received a report proposing terms of reference for the Remuneration Sub-Committee. This report had been circulated with fewer than three clear working days notice, as it had not been available when the agenda was circulated. Members agreed to consider the report as an urgent item.

With the following amendment, the terms of reference of the Remuneration Sub-Committee, and the authority delegated to the Clerk, were approved.

"Powers delegated to the Clerk

Authority is delegated to the Clerk, in consultation with members of the sub-Committee and Treasurer, to agree, in cases of urgency, pay and terms and conditions in respect of individual appointments to ACPO ranks and Senior MPS Civil Staff."

Resolved:
that with one amendment the terms of reference of the Remuneration Sub-Committee, and the authority delegated to the Clerk as detailed in the report, be approved.

77. Pension costs 2001/02 TO 2010/11

(Agenda item 7)

A report was received which provided a profile of police pension costs over the next 10 years, and identified the peaks of expenditure that needed to be reflected in medium to long-term financial planning. It included the recommendations that had been agreed at the Finance, Planning and Best Value (FPBV) Committee on 20 February 2001.

Questions were asked about the cost of medical retirement for police officers, Members were told that the numbers of such retirements were declining, but that the grounds on which retirement could be taken were included in statute and were mandatory, and not at the discretion of medical officers or MPS.

Resolved:
that the contents of the report be noted.

78. Superintendents' assessment process

(Agenda item 8)

A report was received providing a summary of the last Superintendents' Assessment process, which had taken place in October and November 2000.

Members felt that as superintendents were responsible for large budgets and numbers of staff, the assessment process should include more testing of business management skills. It was noted that candidates could only be selected from the rank of chief inspector. It was felt such a narrow recruitment field could perpetuate gender and racial discrimination. Members were informed that police regulations did not allow selection from outside the rank of chief inspector, however a tripartite group, made up of Home Office, Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) and police authority representatives, were working together in this field. The Clerk offered to bring a paper on their work to this Committee at a future date.

Resolved:

1. the contents of the report be noted; and
2. the Clerk bring a report to a future meeting on work of the Tripartite Leadership Group.

79. Personnel management information

(Agenda item 9)

Members received a report providing a range of personnel related management information for the period ending of January 2001.

Resolved:

1. that the contents of the report be noted;
2. MPS personnel budget

(Agenda item 10)

This agenda item was scheduled as an oral item; however, a written report was requested and received, which provided information on the MPS Personnel Department budget and spend for 2000/01. As it was circulated with fewer than three clear working days notice, Members agreed to consider the report as an urgent item. Members expressed concern over the information provided, and felt it displayed the inadequacy of MPS budgetary systems. A further report would be provided to a future meeting providing more context and historic data.

Resolved:

1. the contents of the report be noted; and
2. a report be received at later date on the same subject, but providing more context and historic data.

80. Terms and conditions of MPA support staff

(Agenda item 11)

At it's meeting on 21 December 2000, the HR Committee received a report on potential non-contractual benefits for MPA support staff. It was agreed that substantive proposals would be would be considered by Members in 2001. A report was received outlining these proposals. These were adopted, together with the recommendation that the normal working hours for MPA staff would be thirty-six.

Resolved:

1. the proposals outlined in Appendix 1 of the report be adopted for MPA support staff; and
2. the normal working hours for MPA staff would be thirty-six.

81. Meetings in 2001/02

(Agenda item 12)

Members received a report setting out the calendar of committee meetings up to June 2002. MPS officers felt the dates proposed for the HR Committee would not allow Members to receive timely management information. This would be considered further outside the meeting.

Resolved:

1. the proposed dates of its meetings be note; and
2. any problems with the dates be considered outside the meeting.

82. Concessionary travel for traffic wardens

(Agenda item 13)

A report was received informing Members of an offer from London Buses to allow MPS traffic wardens to travel, in or out of uniform, without charge, at all times on production of their civil staff pass, which specified the holder was a traffic warden. As the report was circulated with fewer than three clear working days notice, Members agreed to consider the report as an urgent item.

The report was discussed, and Members accepted the offer made by London Buses. It was agreed that the offer be accepted on a 'without prejudice' basis; if London Buses withdrew the offer at some future date, there would be no obligation on the MPA or MPS to provide free travel on buses to traffic wardens. Traffic Wardens would be informed of this. The MPS would review the operation of this offer as necessary.

Resolved:
the offer made by London Buses be accepted on a 'without prejudice' basis.

83. Exclusion of press and public

(Agenda item 14)

A resolution was put to exclude the press and public from the meeting during agenda item 15, 'MPS/MPA Personnel Developments (oral update)' as it would be likely to disclose exempt information as described in Schedule 12(a) of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended) relating to:

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.

Resolved:
the press and public be excluded from the meeting during the agenda items 15

Part 2

84. MPA/MPS personnel developments – oral update

(Agenda item 15)

The Clerk provided an update on MPA appointments, and the interviews planned for the rank of Assistant Commissioner, Deputy Assistant Commissioner and Commander.

The Director of Personnel informed Members that about 90 civil staff personnel involved in the administration of warrants would be transferring from the MPS to the transferring from the MPS to the Greater London Magistrates Courts on 1 April 2001.

The meeting ended at 4.30pm.

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