Minutes

Minutes of the meeting of the Human Resources Committee held at Romney House, Marsham Street, SW1 on 10 January 2002.

Present:

Members:

Rachel Whittaker (Chair)
Cecile Lothian (Deputy Chair)
Anthony Arbour
Cindy Butts
Nicholas Long
Abdal Ullah.

MPA staff:

Catherine Crawford (Clerk)
Ken Hunt (Deputy Treasurer)
Alan Johnson (Head of Human Resources)

MPS staff:

Jenny Deere (Director HR Selection)
Chris Haselden (Head of HR Strategic Management)
Sue Hockey (C3i) (for item 13)
Bernard Hogan-Howe (Assistant Commissioner HR)
Trish Lincoln (C3i) (for item 13)
Charles Phelps (Project Manager, Competency Framework)
Mike Shurety (Director, HR Services)
Martin Tiplady (Director, HR) 

Part 1

66. Apologies

(Agenda item 1)

Apologies were received from Graham Tope. 

67. Minutes: 1 November 2001

(Agenda item 2) 

The minutes of the meeting held on 1 November were agreed. 

At the last meeting (minute 50), the Clerk had undertaken to raise formally with the Commissioner the issue of the press being given information on civilian patrols in excess of that received by Members. The Clerk had written to the Commissioner and a copy of this letter had been circulated to Members. The Clerk had also (minute 51) raised with the Association of Police Authorities (APA) the need for the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) to define ‘qualified trainers’ for CRR training. Neither had responded, and this would be followed up. The Committee would now receive an update on the review of the grievance procedure in March. The Clerk was asked (minute 58) whether details of any significant or exceptional employment tribunals had been received, the Clerk stated weekly reports were being received from the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS). She would circulate information on expected employment tribunals, highlighting significant cases.

Resolved - That the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 1 November 2001 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

68. Chair’s and Members’ update

(Agenda item 3)

The Chair and Members gave a verbal update on recent key activities undertaken since the previous meeting of the Committee. The Chair reported that she had attended meetings of the Police Negotiating Board. A memo had been circulated to Members updating them on Police Reform issues. A report on the APA conference at Harrogate would be made available in the Members’ Room.

Nicholas Long, as Chair of the Estates Sub Committee, had visited police buildings in Barking and Dagenham. He had noted that working conditions for staff were poor, and illustrated under investment in the maintenance of the police estate. Cecile Lothian stated that she had attended the APA conference at Harrogate, and visited the new recruitment centre at Hendon, where she had suggested improvements to disabled parking and access.

Resolved - That the Chair and Members update be noted.

69. Civil staff pay and grading (oral update)

(Agenda item 4) 

Members received a oral update on negotiations on civil staff pay and grading. The unions had agreed to recommend acceptance of the offer, and union members would be balloted. A letter had been circulated to all staff from Assistant Commissioner HR. The assimilation of 11,000 staff on to a new pay system was a complicated matter, and a review process had now been developed. It was inevitable there would be tensions, as cited by some Members. The HR Pay Policy Unit now had a review section that would look at such cases. 

Resolved - that the verbal update be received.

70. Appraisal process for MPS civil staff

(Agenda item 5)

Members received a report outlining the new civil staff appraisal process, based on a competency framework, which would be introduced from April 2002. It was noted that staff would have individual forms outlining the competencies of their posts and that training would commence in summer and run until December. Members suggested the form might be developed to show greater commitment to self-development, and training other than required by the organisation. They were assured that the appraisal process was a contract between both employer and employee. Concern was also expressed about opportunity costs and Members were informed that these would be considerably less than those of the previous appraisal system. Confirmation was given that the scheme had been piloted, and that staff and unions had been consulted. 

Resolved - That the report be noted.

71. Recruitment and retention

(Agenda item 6)

Members considered a report was received informing them of progress and related issues concerning police and civil staff recruitment and retention against budgeted workforce targets for 2001/2002.

The Clerk made it clear that although the report mentioned auxiliaries, there was no assumption that a decision had been made on this issue. The MPS were, quite rightly, planning for such a decision should it be made. The issues surrounding auxiliaries would be discussed further at the next Coordination and Urgency Committee.

The revised format of the paper and the inclusion of recruitment costs were welcomed. The retention problems and the development of the retention strategy were noted. It was also noted that of those who enquired about the Special Constabulary, few joined. Reasons for this would be researched in the coming months. 

Members expressed a desire for a seamless system for dealing with enquiries about housing by staff. It was felt this should be a HR, not Property Services Department function.

Resolved - That the report be noted.

72. Deployment of Police Officers

(Agenda item 7)

In response to a request from the Chair, a report was received outlining the deployment of police officers against the budgeted workforce target and providing information on the MPS policy for secondments. The report also described the Home Office task force taking forward the ‘Diary of a Police Officer’.

Resolved - That the report be noted.

73. Human resources priorities 2002/03

(Agenda item 8)

A report was received outlining the development of the HR priorities for the MPS to support the operational priorities for 2002/03 and for inclusion in the corporate MPS Policing and Performance Plan. The finalised priorities would form the foundation for the HR Directorate business and performance plan for that year.

Members felt that the retention strategy should have higher priority. Retention and recruitment were the most important strategies and it needed to be stated how these would contribute to making ‘London a safer place’. The MPS noted Members’ concerns over diversity training and the management of cultural change. Questions were asked about the current delivery of Community Race Relations (CRR) training. Members were informed that the Consultation, Diversity and Outreach Committee, which was planning an evaluation of CRR/diversity training, were addressing these questions. It was felt that the best value performance indicator for medical retirements of officers should be lower. 

It was agreed that Cecile Lothian should be involved in the setting of best value performance indicators. A meeting would be arranged between MPA Members and the MPS to discuss the setting of targets /performance indicators. This would need to be fitted into the planning cycle.

Resolved - That 

1. Members note the emerging priorities and objectives in continuing work on preparation of the HR Directorate business and performance plan;
2. Members note the presentation of the full draft Policing and Performance Plan to the Metropolitan Police Authority meeting on 24 January; and
3. Cecile Lothian and other Members be involved in the setting of best value performance targets.

74. Health and safety

(Agenda item 9)

A report was received providing an update on health and safety matters within the MPS and the response to the Improvement Notices issued by the Health and Safety Executive. It outlined the impact of Operation Calm on health and safety and provided an update on issues raised by the Committee in May 2001 relating to officer fitness. The latter would be the subject of a future report to the Committee.

Resolved - That 

1. Members note the content of the report; and 
2. a report on fitness testing be received in spring.

75. Police reform programme (oral update)

(Agenda item 10)

The Committee received a verbal update on the Police Reform Programme from the Clerk. Further information on this issue had been circulated to Members, updating them on the programme and the MPA and MPS response. 

Resolved - That the verbal update be received.

76. Risk management member group

(Agenda item 11)

The Finance, Planning and Best Value Committee (FPBV), at its meeting on 6 December, resolved to establish a Member Group to review the Willis Report into risk management and the MPS response. It was agreed that the membership of this group should include representatives from the Professional Standards and Performance Monitoring (PSPM) and the HR Committees. The Committee was asked to nominate two representatives. The Chair was one, which meant three members of the Committee would be Members and that was regarded as sufficient. 

Resolved - That the HR Committee membership of the Risk Management Member Group be Rachel Whittaker (HR), Nicholas Long (nominated by FPBV) and Anthony Arbour (nominated by PSPM).

77. Remuneration Sub-committee

(Agenda item 12)

It was agreed that Cecile Lothian would replace Angela Slaven on the Remuneration Sub Committee. 

Resolved - That Cecile Lothian join the Remuneration Sub Committee.

78. Presentation on C3I

(Agenda item 13)

A presentation was received on the human resource implications of the C3i project. Members were informed of the aims of the project, how staff would be allocated to the three proposed call centres and the improved career structure for CAD operators. Members emphasised the need to consider the new working environments, job sharing and retraining of the current telephone operators.

Resolved - That the presentation be received.

79. Exclusion of press and public

(Agenda item 14)

Resolved - That the press and public be asked to leave the meeting during discussion of the remaining items of business because exempt information as defined in paragraph 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 was likely to be made known.

80. MPA / MPS personnel developments

(Agenda item 15)

Members raised some issues around the posting of senior officers, and the MPS undertook to look at these further. The need to apply the MPS’s policy of advertising posts was also emphasised by Members. The Clerk informed Members that MPA staff had received diversity training, and would begin performance management training in the following week. 

Resolved - That the verbal update be received.

81. Police regulations

(Agenda item 16)

Members received a report asking them to consider whether to submit an application to the Home Secretary for a certificate of forfeiture of pension in the case of an ex-officer. This was agreed.

Resolved - That an application for a certificate of forfeiture of pension be made.

82. Police regulations

(Agenda item 17)

Members received a report asking them to action the third stage in the procedure for the potential forfeiture of pension in the case of ex-officer. It was agreed that a permanent forfeiture of pension to 75% be requested from the Home Office. 

Resolved - That a permanent forfeiture of pension to 75% be requested from the Home Office.

Meeting closed at 1.00

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