Minutes

Minutes of the Human Resources Committee meeting of the Metropolitan Police Authority held in AG23, Romney House, Westminster on 17 May 2001.

Present

Members

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

MPA staff

• Peter Martin (Treasurer)
• Ken Hunt (Deputy Treasurer)
• Alan Johnson (Head of Human Resources)
• Simon Vile (Head of Secretariat)
• Johanna Gillians (Senior Analyst)

MPS staff

• Peter Clarke (DAC & Acting Director, Personnel)
• Jenny Deere (Business Director, Recruitment, Selection and Workforce Diversity)
• Chris Haselden (Performance Management and MPA Human Resources Liaison - MPS)
• Alastair Thompson (Director of Personnel Business Services - MPS)
• Linda Van den Hende (Business Director Occupational Health - MPS)

Also present 17 member of the press/media and public.

Part 1

105. Apologies

(Agenda item 1)

Apologies were received from Abdal Ullah (Member), Catherine Crawford (Clerk) and Michael Shurety (Assistant Director of Personnel, MPS).

106. Minutes: 19 April 2001

(Agenda item 2)

Nicholas Long asked that item 110 (agenda item 19) of the minutes be amended to state that the figures on employment tribunals would in future be presented in a revised format providing additional information. It was agreed this would be done at the next meeting of the Human Resources (HR) Committee. With this change, the minutes of the last meeting were agreed.

In relation to agenda item 4, 'Civil Staff Pay and Grading', the Chair stated that in the light of a Member's request to the MPA to review the number of boroughs included in the inner London band, a report would come to a future meeting on the approach of local authorities and local education authorities to London weighting allowances.

The Clerk stated that the report by the MPS's Bureaucracy Task Force (agenda item 9) had been received. A report would be made to the Professional Standards and Performance Monitoring Committee, in the first instance.

Resolved:

1. subject to the amendment noted, the minutes of the meeting held on 19 April 2001 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair;
2. the figures on employment tribunals would in future be presented in a revised format providing additional information and presented to the next meeting of the HR Committee; and
3. a report on the approach of local authorities to London pay allowances be presented to a future meeting of the HR Committee.

107. Minutes of the Remuneration Sub-committee - 2 May 2001 (Part 1)

(Agenda item 3)

The minutes of the Remuneration Committee on 2 May 2001 were circulated for information. The recommendation (agenda item 3) that Toby Harris be appointed as a full Member of the Remuneration Sub Committee was agreed.

Resolved:

1. the minutes of the Remuneration Committee on 2nd May 2001 be received; and
2. The Chair of the Authority (Toby Harris) be appointed as a full Member of the Remuneration sub-committee.

108. Chair and members' update (verbal report)

(Agenda item 4)

Jennette Arnold and Nick Long reported that they were continuing their examination of facilities such as showers, locker rooms and WCs at operational police buildings. Members were informed that money had been devolved to local commanders by the MPS for improvements, but its use was at their discretion.

Resolved:
the verbal report be received.

109. Personnel department business plan

(Agenda item 5)

Members received the 2001/02 Business and Performance Plan for Personnel Department. It had been completed in accordance with the corporate template and set out the priorities and objectives for the year, together with an outline of the budget and structure of the department. Members were informed that the financial information provided would be refined over the coming year with the assistance of the MPA's Deputy Treasurer, and efforts would be made to ensure that this information related to that provided to the Finance Planning and Best Value (FPBV) Committee. It was noted that the underspend in 2000/2001 by Personnel Department, had been recognised by Finance Department and would be used to offset some of the £5 million overspend in the overall police budget. The Personnel Department budget allocation for 2001/2002 had not been made by carrying forward excess allocations from 2000/2001, but reflected the budgetary requirements for 2001/2002, including increased funding for recruitment. The Treasurer noted that accounting practices within the MPS had not been of an order that would be acceptable to a local authority. The MPA was addressing this by ensuring Finance Department had an adequately skilled workforce.

The Internal Business and Performance Plan (Appendix 6) had been produced by the MPS's Personnel Department. In future, it would be discussed with the HR Committee. Members were informed that objectives therein had measurable targets that were contained within each of the business directorates' individual plans. Members expressed an interest in monitoring these targets, which were reviewed on a regular basis by the MPS.

Resolved:
the contents of the report be noted.

110. Accelerated promotion scheme for graduates

(Agenda item 6)

Members received a report on the Home Office's Accelerated Promotion Scheme for Graduates (APSG). A further paper was circulated at the meeting giving some statistics relating to the scheme. Members felt that the Home Office scheme did not represent value for money as, following a lengthy and expensive selection process, so few were selected from the many applicants. Members were informed that the Home Office was reviewing the scheme. The MPS was being consulted and Members' views were welcome.

Members expressed surprise about the lack of information the MPS had on beneficiaries of the scheme both past and present and were told this was due to devolved personnel management and inadequate databases.

Members were informed that the APA had circulated a paper on the Leadership Development Board, (which included the APSG) and a paper on this would come to the HR Committee at a future date.

Resolved:
the contents of the report be noted.

111. Civil staff pensions

(Agenda item 7)

The FPBV Committee on 15 May 2001 received a report containing the executive summary of Hymans Robertson's Strategic Review of Pension Options. Its Members concluded that the MPA should transfer from the Metropolitan Civil Staffs Superannuation Schemes (MCSSS) to the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme (PCSPS). This report had come to the HR Committee for information. It was agreed that the Human Resources Committee would want to ensure that civil staff were fully consulted on any changes and that an adequate communications strategy about these significant changes was in place.

Resolved:
the contents of the report be noted.

112. Employment flexibilities - retention of officers after 30 years service

(Agenda item 8)

On 18 April, the full Authority considered a report on the scope to attract officers to continue working after they had completed 30 years' service. It was agreed that a dialogue should continue with the Home Office on how to achieve greater flexibility in the Police Pensions Regulations to encourage this. The Home Office and Association of Police Authorities (APA) were now seeking views on whether anything should be done to encourage more officers to continue to serve once they have completed 30 years' service. Members were informed that since the paper had been circulated the proposed reply to the APA contained at appendix 1 had been revised. The revised response was tabled at the meeting, and Members agreed that it was more appropriate.

Resolved:

1. the revised draft response be sent to the APA to inform the dialogue with Home Office; and
2. the MPA support a vigorous and robust pilot scheme for the MPS.

113. Recruitment of staff to the MPA

(Agenda item 9)

Members received a report providing background information on the recruitment process used by the MPA. It included details of advertising media, response rates, panel membership and costs. At the meeting, a revised report was circulated, which contained further appendices requested by the Chair. Members were informed that they would receive a further and more complete report when the current round of recruiting had been completed.

Resolved:
the report be noted.

114. Health and safety developments

(Agenda item 10)

In 1999, an officer died as a result of an accident whilst on duty. As a result, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) carried out a 'work related death/industrial accident investigation'. The MPS now awaited a decision as to whether prosecution would result from that investigation. Six Improvement Notices would probably be served, the contents of which were already known to the MPS. In view of the serious concerns raised by the HSE, the MPS carried out a major review of health and safety, which resulted in 17 recommendations. In addition, in January 2001, MPS Internal Audit contracted Pricewaterhouse Coopers to carry out an audit focusing on health and safety management within the MPS.

Their final report was due this month, but an early draft indicated significant areas for improvement that largely mirrored those identified in the draft HSE Improvement Notices.

Members were concerned about the physical fitness of officers once they had completed their training, and the Chair asked for a further report on Health and Safety in six months time, accompanied by a report on current thinking within the MPS on the maintenance of officer fitness.

Resolved:

1. the contents of the report be noted; and
2. the HR receive reports at the HR meeting in November on Health and Safety and current thinking within the MPS on the maintenance of officer fitness.

115. Personnel management information

(Agenda item 11)

A report was received providing an overview of MPS performance, and providing a full listing of Policing Plan and Best Value Performance Indicators. Following an update on police and civilian strengths, a question was asked about the 100 extra civil staff needed to staff the Criminal Records Bureau Service Unit required in response to Part V of the Police Act 1997 (discussed at the FPBV Committee on 15 May 2001). There were some questions over funding for the start up of this unit. The Deputy Treasurer was asked to follow this up.

Members requested the provision of workforce figures for police and civil staff by borough. Officers from the MPS and MPA would work together to find the best way of providing these.

Resolved:

1. the content of the report and management information provided be noted;
2. the Deputy Treasurer follow up the issues on the funding of the start up and staffing costs for the Criminal Records Bureau Service Unit; and
3. MPS and MPA officers find the best way of providing workforce figures for police and civil staff by borough.

116. Dates of workshops

(Agenda item 12)

Members received a report proposing dates for future workshops on human resources issues.

Resolved:
the dates proposed be agreed.

117. Exclusion of press and public

(Agenda item 13)

A resolution was put to exclude the press and public from the meeting during agenda items 14, 'MPS/MPA Personnel Developments (verbal update)', 15, 'Forfeiture of pension: ex officer' and 16, 'Minutes of the Remuneration Sub Committee – 2nd May 2001', as they 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 14, 15 and 16.

Part 2

118. MPA/MPS personnel developments - verbal update

(Agenda item 14)

Members were informed of senior appointments within the MPA and MPS.

Resolved:
the verbal update be received.

119. Forfeiture of pension - ex officers

(Agenda item 15)

Members received a report asking them to consider the submission of applications to the Home Secretary seeking certificates in connection with forfeiture of pensions in the case of some ex-police officers.

Resolved:
the applications be submitted.

120. Minutes of the remuneration sub-committee - 2 May 2001 (Part 2)

(Agenda item 16)

Members received the exempt minutes of the Remuneration Committee held on 2 May 2001.

Resolved:
the content of the minutes be noted.

The meeting ended at 4.35pm.

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