Meetings with MPS staff representatives

Report: 12
Date: 6 September 2001
By: Clerk

Summary

Members of the Human Resources Committee (HRC) have held a series of short meetings with trade unions, staff associations and other representative groups over the last year. All Authority members have been invited to these meetings and all those who have attended have found them useful. This report suggests a way forward for future meetings.

A. Recommendations

That:

1. the HRC hold meetings of up to two hours with the staff representative and support organisations outlined at paragraph 3, ahead of any future workshops;
2. the HRC hold one-hour meetings with other support organisations ahead of HRC meetings;
3. all staff representative and support organisations are informed of the likely workshop topics in sufficient time to provide written comments or observations on the issue in order to inform the discussions;
4. other staff representative groups be invited to raise any issues or concerns in correspondence with the MPA. These matters could then be addressed by the MPA either directly or in consultation with the MPS; and
5. the format of the meetings remain unchanged.

B. Supporting information

1. The HRC have always welcomed the views of staff representative organisations and have sought to provide a forum for regular informal discussions. As a result, a series of meetings have been held immediately before formal meetings of the HRC at Romney House.

2. These meetings have generally been arranged without a formal agenda or minutes and without representatives of the MPS present. A number of very useful issues have been raised and informed members thinking on a several current personnel issues in the MPS, e.g. work-life policies, HIV policy, selection procedures.

3. So far, members of the HRC, and other Authority members, have held meetings with:

• Association of Senior Women Officers
• Black Police Association
• Lesbian and Gay Police Association
• Police Federation
• Superintendents’ Association
• Trade Union Sides (Industrial and Non Industrial)

4. Two particular issues have been identified which need to be addressed. There are other groups the HRC could meet and the meetings that have been held are generally felt to be too short to enable real discussion and debate to take place.

5. Because of the competing demands on Members’ time, it is suggested that the HRC and other Members of the Authority should hold two-hour meetings with the staff representative and support organisations listed at paragraph 3. These meetings would be arranged before the workshops that are to be held in alternate months between formal meetings of the HRC. The format of the meetings, i.e. informal meetings without MPS representation, would remain unchanged.

6. It is suggested that all staff support groups, such as the Greek Police Association, Sikh Association, Association of Muslim Police, etc are invited to one-hour meetings with the HRC ahead of the Committee meetings.

7. In addition, it is suggested that staff representative and support organisations be informed of the likely workshop topics in sufficient time to provide written comments or observations on the issue in order to inform the discussions.

8. Other staff representative and support organisations might be invited to raise any issues or concerns in correspondence with the MPA. The HRC would then be free to convene ad hoc meetings as appropriate.

C. Financial implications

There are no financial implications, other than Members will be entitled to claim expenses for these meetings.

D. Background papers

None.

E. Contact details

The author of this report is Alan Johnson.

For information contact:

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

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