Minutes

Minutes of the meeting of the Human Resources Committee held on 3 March 2005 at 10 Dean Farrar Street, SW1H 0NY.

Present

Members

• Rachel Whittaker (Chair)
• Jennette Arnold (Deputy Chair)
• Anthony Arbour
• Damian Hockney
• Aneeta Prem (items 1- 8)

MPA officers

• Catherine Crawford (Chief Executive and Clerk)
• Alan Johnson (Head of Human Resources)
• Elizabeth Turner (Management Accountant)
• Ruth Hastings Iqball (Committee Section)

MPS officers

• Claire Appleby (Director, HR Services)
• Paul Daly (Director of Exchequer Services)
• Shabir Hussain (Commander, Training and Development)
• Paul Madge (Acting Director, People Development)
• Denise Milani (Director, Development and Organisational Improvement Team)
• Martin Tiplady (Director of HR)

62. Apologies for absence

(Agenda item 1)

Apologies for absence were received from Kirsten Hearn and John Roberts (members), Ken Hunt (Treasurer) and Simon Marshall (Director of Recruitment). It was noted that Abdul Ullah had resigned from the Human Resources Committee. The Chair thanked him for his contribution over the past five years, particularly in the recruitment field.

63. Declarations of interests

(Agenda item 2)

No declarations of interest were received.

64. Minutes of the Human Resources Committee – 20 January 2005

(Agenda item 3)

The Committee considered the minutes of the meeting held on 20 January 2005.

At previous meetings members had expressed concerns about continuing disproportionality in the National Recruitment Standards selection process. At agenda item 8, members had been informed that the MPS had written to Home Office on the matter. No response had yet been received and the Director of HR requested that the Chief Executive and Clerk write asking for an explanation. Jennette Arnold stated that she had met and would continue to meet members of the MPS HR Directorate in relation to the recruitment and retention of black and ethnic minority officers and staff.

In relation to item 9 ‘MetHR overview’, it was agreed that the Committee would receive a report on data quality at its next meeting.

Resolved - That

1. the minutes of the meeting held on 20 January 2005 be confirmed and signed as a correct record; and
2. the Committee would receive a report on MetHR data quality at its next meeting.

65. Minutes of the Police Pensions ForfeitureSub-committee – 20 January

(Agenda item 4)

The Committee noted the minutes of the meeting held on 20 January 2005.

Resolved - That the minutes of the meeting held on 20 January 2005 be noted.

66. Chair’s, Members’, Clerk’s and Director of HR’s update

(Agenda item 5)

Members were informed that the post of Clerk had been re-designated ‘Chief Executive and Clerk’ by the Remuneration Sub Committee. The Chief Executive and Clerk informed members that Paul Stephenson had been appointed Deputy Commissioner and Andy Hayman, Alan Brown and Stephen House had been appointed Assistant Commissioners. The Sounding Board would meet to consider consequential moves at commander level early next week. Members expressed concern about the disproportionality by gender and ethnicity of ACPO ranks, and a statistical breakdown of the new and old structure was requested. The Chief Executive and Clerk informed members that change was limited by the pool of eligible officers. She informed members that Commander Brian Moore had been appointed Deputy Chief Constable of Surrey. Commander Shabir Hussain would shortly be leaving his current post as Commander, Training and Development. He was thanked and praised for his work, especially in relation to Centrex and the modernisation of recruit training. Deputy Assistant Commissioner Steve Roberts had been appointed Deputy Director of HR. The MPA had appointed a new Deputy Treasurer, Annabel Adams, who was awaiting security clearance. At an Employment Tribunal,

1. the claims of unlawful race discrimination, racial harassment and victimisation against the Director of Internal Audit were dismissed;
2. the claims of unlawful race discrimination against the MPA were dismissed; and
3. with the exception of the claim that the MPA victimised the applicant in the manner in which the second grievance was handled, the claims of victimisation against the MPA were dismissed.

Jennette Arnold stated that she, together with Damien Hockney, had been a member of an internal panel that had considered the second grievance that had been considered by the Employment Tribunal. She asked for a meeting with the Chief Executive and Clerk to discuss taking forward issues that the panel had raised. It was agreed this meeting would take place as soon as possible.

Members were informed that DAC William Griffiths would on retirement within the next few months continue as Head of the MPS Leadership Academy, which includes lead responsibility for the Together Programme. Members questioned how this appointment had been made and whether it had been properly advertised and open to other applicants. In response to their concerns it was agreed members would receive at the next meeting a report outlining the protocol for appointing senior officers and police staff.

The Director of HR informed members that the HR Strategy had been finalised and work was now being carried out to measure the outcomes. The HR Directorate was continuing to support Operational Bracknell (the MPS response to the Tsunami in Asia). Aneeta Prem agreed that those involved in the Operation valued this work. A corporate induction programme had been launched for all new police staff. It included an induction day and use of multimedia. Members were invited to join an induction day. Finally, the Director stated that almost all of those members of HR Directorate who were not based at Hendon had now moved to Empress State Building.

A note was circulated to members informing them that John Roberts, who was unable to be present, had attended Lawrence Steering Group meetings on 26 January 2005 and 23 February. The note outlined the purpose of the group and the topics it had discussed.

Resolved – That

1. the oral reports be received; and
2. that members would receive at the next Committee meeting a report outlining the protocol for appointing senior officers.

67. Human Resources business plan 2004/05 – objective 2

(Agenda item 6)

A report was received providing a progress update on the supporting activities for objective 2 of the Human Resources Business and Performance Plan 2004/05 - ‘Develop a professional and objective workforce with the required numbers and skills to support the delivery of operational priorities’.

The Director HR informed members of the Directorate’s success with recent initiatives to recruit graduates and in improving the completion rate of performance development reviews.

Members praised the graduate marketing plan referred to in the report and felt the point about the police officers being the highest paid recruits outside advertising and accountancy should be better publicised. They however were not impressed with progress on civilianisation. In response, members were informed that since receiving the recommendations of an Accenture report 403 posts had been civilianised, however there remained a need to retain places for police officers who were unable to continue in an operational role by virtue of a disability and for those on recuperative and restricted duties. A report was requested for the next committee on civilianisation and the Bexley project.

Questions were asked about the posting of PCSOs, posted to specific boroughs, who on becoming police officers may not have returned to the same borough. The Director of HR undertook to write to members on this issue.

Resolved – that

1. the report be noted; and
2. members receive a report at the next HR Committee on civilianisation and the Bexley project.

68. HR business and performance plan 2005/06

(Agenda item 7)

Members were asked to approve the Human Resources Business and Performance Plan. Members felt the plan should include a proportionate target for the ratio of black and minority ethnic police officers and women police officers resigning to all resignations. It was noted that the proposed target for the return of performance development reviews was challenging. There was no target for graduate recruits, because of the pool of selected officers waiting to join the MPS.

Resolved – That, subject to the above amendments, the HR Business and Performance Plan for 2005/06 be approved.

69. Diversity Directorate strategic assessments

(Agenda item 8)

A report was received outlining the recommendations of the Strategic Assessment process that would inform the Diversity Strategy and Policing Plan 2005/06.

Members felt that the recommendations should be grouped by internal and external focus. They also felt there was a need to prioritise the recommendations in the light of the limited resources the Diversity Directorate had available. The Director of the Development and Organisational Improvement Team explained that the appendix referred to the findings of the assessment and undertook to bring a costed strategy and action plan to the Committee.

Resolved - That the Committee receive a further report containing a costed strategy and action plan.

70. Recruitment and retention

(Agenda item 9)

Member received a report providing an analysis on the progress being made within the MPS at the end of December 2004. The Director of HR gave members the figures for the current strength of the MPS, including the number of females and black and minority ethnic police staff and officers, which had not been available when the report was written.

It was noted that PCSO recruitment was being delayed by security vetting. Members were informed that every possible step had been taken to reduce the delays, but further improvement could only be bought about by changing the degree of vetting given to starters. However, any such change would be reported to the Committee before taking place. It was suggested that the numbers of those awaiting vetting be included in future reports.

John Roberts was unable to be present at the meeting, but had wished to ask questions about substance abuse testing. A paper was tabled for members and the public with the answers to his questions provided by the MPS. He had also wished to ask about the continued use of the term VEM in this report. Members were informed that the Equal Opportunities and Diversity Board would receive a further report on this issue.

Resolved - That the report be noted.

71. Morris Inquiry - implications for the Human Resources Committee

(Agenda item 10)

The MPA set up the Morris Inquiry to investigate the handling of internal investigations, complaints and grievances involving staff following a number of high-profile cases within the Metropolitan Police Service. The Inquiry’s report was published in December 2004 and the Authority considered the report and its recommendations on 24 February 2005. Members were asked to note the decisions taken by the Authority in respect of the recommendations and consider the action to be taken by the HR Committee.

Resolved - That the Chair, Deputy Chair, Chief Executive and Clerk and the Head of Human Resources agree the process for taking forward the recommendations for this Committee.

72. Exclusion of the press and public

(Agenda item 11)

A resolution was put to exclude the press and public from the meeting during items 15 to 19 as they were likely to disclose exempt information as described in Schedule 12(a) (1) of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

Resolved – That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during discussion of agenda items 12.

Summary of exempt items

73. Exempt minutes of the Human Resources Committee – 20 January 2005 (Agenda item 12)

The Committee considered the exempt minutes of the meeting held on 20 January 2005.

Resolved - That the exempt minutes of the meeting held on 20 January 2005 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

The meeting ended at 4.45 p.m.

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