Minutes

Minutes of the meeting of the Human Resources Committee held on 11 November 2004 at 10 Dean Farrar Street, SW1H 0NY.

Present

Members

• Rachel Whittaker (Chair)
• Jennette Arnold (Deputy Chair) (item 6 -10)
• Anthony Arbour (items 1- 9)
• Kirsten Hearn
• Damian Hockney
• Aneeta Prem (items 1- 9)
• John Roberts

MPA officers

• Catherine Crawford (Clerk)
• Ken Hunt (Deputy Treasurer)
• Alan Johnson (Head of Human Resources and Professional Standards)
• Ruth Hastings Iqball (Committee Section)

MPS officers

• Neil Bayne (Interim Director, Pay and Benefits)
• Ian Carter (Commander DCC2(2) Reform and Growth)
• Paul Daly (Director of Exchequer Services)
• Gordon Davison (Director, HR People Development)
• Chris Haselden (Head of Strategic Management)
• Shabir Hussain (Commander, Training and Development)
• Simon Marshall (Director, HR Recruitment)
• Denise Milani (Director, Development and Organisational Improvement Team)
• Eleanor Ryan (Acting Assistant Director, HR Services)
• Martin Tiplady (Director of HR)

Also present: Karim Murji (member) (item 6), Sandra Burrows (Directorate of Legal Services), Gordon Carey Yard (Directorate of Legal Services) and Esme Crowther (Employment Tribunal Unit) (item 12)

Part 1

32. Apologies for absence

(Agenda item 1)

Apologies for absence were received from Peter Herbert and Abdal Ullah (members).

33. Declarations of interests

(Agenda item 2)

No declarations of interest were received.

34. Minutes of the Human Resources Committee – 16 September 2004

(Agenda item 3)

The Committee considered the minutes of the meeting held on 16 September 2004, and ratified those recommendations made whilst the meeting was inquorate.

Resolved - That the minutes of the meeting held on 16 September 2004 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

35. Chair’s, Members’, Clerk’s and MPS update

(Agenda item 4)

The Chair reported that she had attended the inaugural conference for Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) analysts. It was attended by 400 analysts and showed what could be done in establishing new career pathways within the MPS. She also reported that the APA would be holing a plenary session on the Home Office White Paper ‘Building Communities, Beating Crime’ which MPA members or officers may wish to attend.

The Clerk noted that Martin Tiplady was now a member of the Commissioner’s Management Board. She reported that within the MPA, Ken Hunt had been appointed Treasurer designate and several other posts had been filled. The MPA, with the Home Office, had selected a new Commissioner, and eight commanders (seven internal candidates, one external) had been appointed by the Authority. Amongst other activities, the MPA had held a conference on disability. A report on its conclusions would be made to the full Authority.

The Director of HR stated that HR headquarters staff, with the exception of those at Hendon, would be moving to the Empress State Building in January. Pay negotiations with police staff had been concluded, and trade unions had voted and accepted an offer of 3% cost of living increase on base rates of pay, plus 3.2% on location allowances. The Director of HR was pleased to report that sickness absence figures for police officers had fallen to an average of 7.8 days per annum and police staff to 9.9 days. Police officer and police staff wastage was continuing to fall. Finally, he informed members that the MPS, amongst other forces, was trialling the new national curriculum as part of the Home Office probationer training programme. A non-residential course for 18 probationers would run at a Hampstead Police Station.

The Director of the Development and Organisational Improvement Team (DOIT) stated that the strategic impact assessment referred to at the last meeting (agenda item 5) had been suspended pending the recommendations of the Morris Inquiry. DOIT had nevertheless carried out internal consultation exercises on gender, age and faith and belief. Consultation on disability, sexual orientation and race would follow.

Resolved - That the oral reports be received.

36. Human Resources Business and Performance Plan 2004/5 – Objective 4: Supporting the management of major change programmes

(Agenda item 5)

Members received a report on objective 4 of the HR Business and Performance Plan that referred to the role of the HR Directorate in enhancing organisational flexibility through supporting the management of major change programmes.

Members asked about the consideration of equalities issues in relation to procurement (appendix 1, Outsourced Services Programme). They were informed that the Finance Committee, which had asked for a further report on the subject, had considered this. The Clerk indicated that the Authority was keen to see more small local contracts. It was agreed that Ken Hunt and Rachel Whittaker would seek further reassurance about the HR aspects of the procurement process.

With reference to appendix 3, C3i Programme, concern was expressed about the high staff turnover rates, particularly when compared with turnover rates in the rest of the organisation. Members were informed that an incentive payment scheme was being developed to assist retention during the migration of control room staff to the three centralised Metcall buildings.

In relation to appendix 6, Probationer Modernisation Programme, questions were asked about the suggestion that the tower blocks at Hendon might be demolished. Members were informed that no feasibility study had been completed, and this would not happen in the near future. However the MPS was moving away from residential training, and bed spaces would only be required for probationers needing remedial training or who were not from London and could not find accommodation.

Resolved - That the progress with the delivery of HR support be noted and that an update be bought to the Committee in 6 months time.

37. Thematic Review of Race and Diversity - update

(Agenda item 6)

Members received a report on progress in implementing the HR actions from the review. Questions were asked about the collection of information on second languages of police and police staff (recommendation 10). Members were concerned by the ‘drop out’ rate by black and minority ethnic candidates during the recruitment process and the continuing disproportionality in the National Recruitment Standards (NRS) selection process (recommendations 12 and 13). The MPS had responded very quickly in relation to the initial results from the NRS but had been informed by the Home Office that the sample was too small. Her Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary (HMIC) and the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) had subsequently drawn attention to the same issue. The MPS were now in the process of writing to the Home Office again and it was agreed that the draft would be copied to the Authority before despatch. Members were assured that the Positive Action Central Team gave applicants assistance through the selection process. The team was also assisting with the central recruitment of police staff, including PCSOs (recommendation 16).

In relation to recommendation 20 concerning the provision of training aligned to NVQ standards, it was confirmed that METHR, the MPS’s personnel computer system, did not currently capture the training records for all staff nor did it capture the applications for training. Diversity training data would be migrated to METHR in 2005/6.

The Training Independent Advisory Group (IAG) (Recommendation 25) would have its first meeting on 3 December 2004 and all members of the Human Resources Committee were invited. It would be concerned with all training and meeting the needs of all equality groups.

Resolved - That the report be noted.

38. Recruitment & Retention, 1 April 2004 - 30 September 2004

(Agenda item 7)

A report was received summarising recruitment and retention within the MPS. Members welcomed the many successes within the MPS, particularly in meeting all its targets. However, members felt less data and greater commentary and analysis would now be more helpful for Committee members.

Members also wished to know if monitoring data could be provided on disability and sexual orientation and, if so, if it could be broken down by Borough and Directorate. This information could, if available, be provided to the Head of Planning and Performance in the Authority rather than formally as part of a report to this Committee. It was also suggested that the future ‘shape’ of the report to the Committee should be discussed with the Head of Planning and Performance and the Director, Development and Organisational Improvement Team. The Chair and Deputy Chair also wished to be consulted once a draft format had been agreed.

Concern was expressed about the disparity between Volunteer Cadet Corp numbers in different boroughs. The Clerk informed members that a report on volunteers within the MPS, from Territorial Policing, would be presented to the full Authority in November. The Director of HR would ensure the points raised by members were covered in the report.

Resolved - That the report be noted.

39. Implications of the provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act covering Police Officers

(Agenda item 8)

A report was received describing work done by the HR Directorate to prepare for the extension of the provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 to cover police officers. There had also been some notable successes in terms of police officers that had identified themselves as having a disability being successful on recent promotion exercises.

Resolved - That the report be noted.

40. Police Pension Forfeiture Sub-committee - membership and dates

(Agenda item 9)

A report was received requesting that further dates on which the Committee would meet. Members were informed that there were 11 cases where decisions about the level of pension forfeiture were needed.

Resolved – that

1. further dates on which the Police Pensions Forfeiture Sub Committee would meet be agreed; and
2. the membership of the Sub-Committee be that of Human Resources Committee.

41. Exclusion of the press and public

(Agenda item 10)

A resolution was put to exclude the press and public from the meeting during item 11 as it was likely to disclose exempt information as described in Schedule 12(a) (1) and (12) of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

Resolved – That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during discussion of agenda items 11.

Part 2

42. Employment Tribunal case

(Agenda item 11)

A report was received proposing terms for the settlement of an Employment Tribunal claim by a police officer.

The meeting ended at 16:00 p.m.

Send an e-mail linking to this page

Feedback