Minutes

Minutes of the meeting of the Human Resources Committee held on 5 December 2002 at 10 Dean Farrar Street, SW1H 0NY.

Present

Members

• Rachel Whittaker (Chair)
• Anthony Arbour
• Cindy Butts (present for items 1 to 6)
• Kirsten Hearn (present for items 1 to 6, and 9)
• Nicholas Long
• Cecile Wright (Deputy Chair)

MPA Officers

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

MPS Officers

• Jenny Deere (Director, HR Selection)
• Bernard Hogan-Howe (Assistant Commissioner, HR)
• Shabir Hussain (Director of Training and Development)
• Denise Milani (Director, Development and Organisational Improvement Team)
• Mike Shurety (Director, HR Services)
• Martin Tiplady (Director, HR)
• Craig Watkins (Head of Business Support, Finance)

Part 1

163. Apologies

(Agenda item 1)

Apologies for absence were received from Abdal Ullah (Member).

164. Declarations of interests

(Agenda item 2)

No declarations of interest were received.

165. Minutes – 3 October 2002

(Agenda item 3)

The Committee considered the minutes of the meeting held on 3 October 2002. In relation to minute 152 (item 9) Members were assured that the People Strategy had been amended to include Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) issues. It was noted that there were no plans to amend the nomenclature LGBT. It was agreed that the second sentence of Minute 156 (item 13) be amended to read ‘The GLA best value review of equality, entitled ‘Equality for All, and including the social model of disability, had been endorsed by all the functional bodies’. With this change, the minutes were agreed.

Resolved - That subject to the agreed amendment the minutes of the meeting held on 3 October 2002 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

166. Minutes of the Remuneration Sub-committee – 17 October 2002

(Agenda item 4)

Members received the minutes of the meeting of the Remuneration Sub Committee held on 29 July. They were informed that objectives had been agreed for the Clerk and Treasurer (minute 11, item 12)

Resolved - That the minutes of the meeting of the Remuneration Committee held on 17 October be noted.

167. Minutes of the Police Pensions Sub-committee – 18 November 2002;

(Agenda item 5)

The Chair requested that the title of the sub committee be amended to Police Pensions Forfeiture Sub Committee. Members endorsed the decisions of the Police Pensions Sub Committee as outlined in the minutes.

Resolved - That

1. the minutes of the meeting of the Police Pensions Sub Committee held on 18 November be noted;
2. the name of the committee be amended to Police Pensions Forfeiture Sub Committee; and
3. the decisions of the Police Pensions Sub Committee as outlined in the minutes be endorsed

168. Chair’s, Members’ and Clerk’s update

(Agenda item 6)

Members were informed that recent selection boards had resulted in the selection of eight commanders (six were selected with two on the reserve list). The selection process for Assistant Commissioner was currently underway. Questions were asked about the part played by the Authority in posting these officers. Members were informed that the Chair of the Authority had formed a ‘sounding board’ group to influence the process, but deployment of officers was the responsibility of the Commissioner. The Chair requested a briefing note on the recent Extended Interview (EI) process. It was felt a meeting with the Director of EI would be helpful.

Questions were asked about the impact of congestion charging on officers and staff. The Assistant Commissioner Human Resources outlined negotiations so far. He admitted that communication with employees on this issuer had been limited, but this had been due to the sensitivity of the discussions. Members agreed that no decision should be made about the longer term, or reimbursement proposals, without reference to the Authority. The next report to the Committee on recruitment and retention will include the effectiveness of the National Recruitment Roadshows.

It was noted that a recent visit to a police station by a Member had illustrated the need to maintain the impetus of Operation Cleansweep.

Resolved – That the oral update be noted.

169. Recruitment and retention

(Agenda item 7)

Members received a report on police and civil staff recruitment and retention against budgeted workforce targets for 2002/2003. Members were reassured that changes in the Police Initial Recruitment Test (PIRT) were not leading to any dilution in the quality of recruits or increases in probationer wastage. Members were informed about measures being taken to ensure that transferees from other forces became operationally effective as soon as possible. The next report on recruitment and retention will include the PIRT, probationer wastage and transferees process.

Resolved – That the report be noted.

170. Police Reform – progress on pay and conditions

(Agenda item 8)

A report was received setting out the current position in relation to the implementation of the provisions of the Police Negotiating Board (PNB) agreement on police pay and conditions, specifically in respect of threshold payments, special priority payments and bonus payments. It was noted that in paragraph 13 of the report, ‘SO’ should read ‘SC and SO’ (Specialist Crime and Specialist Operations).

Members expressed a wish to alert the Finance Committee that the Threshold Payments were likely to exceed the 75% figure, possibly up to 90% and could possibly incur additional non grant aided expenditure of approximately £1.5 million.

Resolved – That

1. the contents of this report be noted and Members endorse the approach set out in respect of threshold, special priority and bonus payments;
2. in view of the tight timescales involved, the full scheme in relation to threshold payments, based on the framework set out in the report, be considered by the Chair of the Human Resources Committee and the Clerk to the MPA under the Metropolitan Police Authority’s Standing Order 11; and
3. the Finance Committee be alerted that the Threshold Payments were likely to exceed the 75% figure, possibly up to 90% and could possibly incur additional non grant aided expenditure of approximately £1.5 million.

171. Employment Tribunal and Grievances Data

(Agenda item 9)

(This item was heard after item 6). A report was received providing management information on MPS employment tribunal cases including financial data. Management information on cases lodged under the MPS Grievance Procedure was also provided. The assistance of the MPA performance analysis unit was requested in analysing employment tribunal and grievance data. Members were informed that Fairness at Work Co-ordinator had been appointed, and Fairness at Work would be formally launched soon. Training for line managers in February and March. It was noted that costs were pursued by the MPS wherever appropriate, and that this fact was advertised to staff. Members would be provided with a note on the implications of the Liversidge case.

Resolved – That the report be noted.

172. Gender agenda

(Agenda item 10)

A report was received updating Members on the progression of the ‘Gender Agenda’ within the MPS. The MPS was asked to ensure that life work balance was included in the work being undertaken by Accenture and that timescales be given for the short, medium and long term strategies.

Resolved – That the contents of the report be noted and referred to the Equal Opportunities and Diversity Board on 9 January 2003.

173. APA framework for human resource plan 2003/04

(Agenda item 11)

Members received a report describing the development of the Human Resource plan for 2003/04 in line with the new requirements set out in the Police Reform Act 2002 and Home Office Circular 18/2002, and taking account of the framework for police authority oversight of police HR plans published by the Association of Police Authorities (APA).

Resolved – That

1. the approach for developing the Human Resource plan for 2003/04 be endorsed;
2. the detailed content of the plan, especially the priorities and objectives, be developed alongside and congruent with the policing priorities and objectives to be included in the 2003/04 Policing and Performance Plan for the MPS;
3. the format of the Human Resource (HR) plan, taking full account of the framework published by the APA will be structured to best meet and support the particular needs of the MPS;
4. the timetable and next steps for developing the HR plan be noted;
5. HR planning sub-group be formed, comprising MPA and MPS officers, to consider the draft plan.

174. Lead member roles

(Agenda item 12)

A report was received inviting the committee to consider whether it wished to make any appointments to lead member roles for subject areas within its terms of reference. It was noted that Kirsten Hearn had identified a number of areas on which she was prepared to lead and the list would be updated to reflect this.

Resolved – That the Committee note the basis of then lead member role agreed by the Co-ordination & Policing Committee

175. Exclusion of press and public

(Agenda item 13)

Resolved - that the press and public be asked to leave the meeting during discussion of the remaining item of business because the contain exempt information as defined in paragraph 14 of schedule 12a to the local government act 1972 was likely to be made known.

176. Security vetting

(Agenda item 14)

A report was received informing Members of the work of the Personal Security Group (PSG) and the progress to date of the MPS vetting procedures. It was noted that PSG had had no extra staff to deal with the extra volume of recruitment. A further report would be received on this subject at the next Human Resources Committee.

Resolved – That a further report be received on this subject in February.

Meeting closed at 5.50 p.m.

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