Minutes

Minutes of the meeting of the Human Resources Committee held on 20 October 2005 at 10 Dean Farrar Street, SW1H 0NY.

Present

Members

• Rachel Whittaker (Chair)
• Anthony Arbour
• Kirsten Hearn (items 6 to 15)
• Damian Hockney
• Aneeta Prem
• John Roberts

MPA officers

• Annabel Adams (Deputy Treasurer)
• Catherine Crawford (Chief Executive and Clerk)
• Alan Johnson (Head of Human Resources)
• Doug Lewins (Policy Development Officer, Race and Diversity)
• Ruth Hastings Iqball (Committee Section)

MPS officers

• Geoff Brydon (Ch Superintendent, Leadership Development Team)
• Patrick Lenihan (T/Head, Diversity Directorate Central Team)
• Mike Harwood-Grayson (Head of Training Policy)
• Paul Madge (Acting Director, People Development)
• Steve Roberts (DAC/Deputy Director, HR)
• Martin Tiplady (Director of HR)

1. Apologies for absence

(Agenda item 1)

Apologies for absence were received from Jennette Arnold (Deputy Chair) and Denise Milani (Director, Diversity Directorate).

2. Declarations of interests

(Agenda item 2)

No declarations of interest were received.

3. Minutes of the Human Resources Committee - for approval: 19 May 2005

(Agenda item 3)

Resolved - That the minutes of the meeting held on 19 May 2005 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

4. Minutes of the Police Pension Forfeiture Sub Committee (Part 1) - to note: 19 May 2005, 26 May and 22 September 2005

(Agenda item 4)

Resolved - That the minutes of the Police Pension Forfeiture Sub Committees (Parts 1) held on 19 May, 26 May and 22 September 2005 be noted.

5. Minutes of the Remuneration Sub-Committee (Part 1) to note: 21 April 2005 and 15 September 2005

(Agenda item 5)

Resolved - That the minutes of the Remuneration Sub-Committee (Part 1) held on 21 April 2005 and 15 September 2005 be noted.

6. Chair’s, Members’, Clerk’s and MPS update (oral report)

(Agenda item 6)

The last meeting of the Human Resources (HR) Committee had been cancelled due to terrorist activity in London. The Chair ran through the reports that would have been discussed. The report on recruitment and retention had been circulated as an updated briefing paper. The agenda had included reports on the high potential development scheme for police officers for the members and on occupational health and health and safety services. The report on the HR Committee annual report would be considered at this meeting. The agenda had also included a report on the Human Resources Committee work plan for 2005/6. The Chair hoped members would remain after the committee meeting to discuss this further.

The previous agenda had contained a report inviting members to agree, pending the review of the committee structure, the current membership of the Remuneration Sub Committee, Pensions Forfeiture Sub Committee and Business Appeal Panel. When the meeting was cancelled, the Chief Executive and Clerk agreed the membership remained unchanged by delegated action, so that the sub committees might continue their work. Reports on Chief Superintendent Post Related Allowances and Special Priority Payments required decisions that, following the cancellation of the meeting, had been delegated to the Chief Executive and Clerk. All committee members had been informed of these delegated actions.

Since the last meeting, members had received written briefings on a number of HR related topics. The Chair reminded members that they could ask for these briefings to be considered by the HR Committee if they wished.

The Chief Executive and Clerk stated that since the last meeting the MPA had appointed seven new staff, although some still awaited security clearance. Rose Fitzpatrick had been appointed Deputy Assistant Commissioner for Diversity and Citizen Focus. Commander and Borough Commander postings had been agreed following discussion by the Sounding Board.

The Director of HR reported that attrition was at its lowest figure ever – 3.5% for police officers and 6.9% for police staff. The figures were the same for all staff. He also spoke of similar attrition rates at Hendon for recruits. Staff sickness rates had also fallen to 7.1 days for police officers, 9.3 days for police staff and remained 11 days for PCSOs. The MPS now had one of the lowest rates of staff sickness amongst police forces in the UK.

The Director of HR invited members to the HR conference on 13 December 2005. Speakers would be himself, the Chair of the Human Resources Committee, the Deputy Commissioner and the HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary. Delegates would be discussing the future of HR in the MPS.

The MPS HR Directorate would be testing on-line applications for police recruitment from 14 October, and a new careers office would be opening at Empress State Building. A recruitment bus was also visiting appropriate venues.

The MPS’s health campaign had been a greet success with over half the staff taking up the offer of personal appointments for a complete health check.

The Temporary Head, Diversity Directorate Central Team stated that the Directorate was undergoing reorganisation. The DAC would advise members of the changes. Members were disappointed that despite making representation, the Diversity Board had continued to meet at the same time as this committee, thus preventing members and the Chief Executive and Clerk from attending.

Resolved - That the update be received.

7. The Human Resources strategic assessment

(Agenda item 7)

Members received and welcomed a report summarising the key issues identified in the HR Strategic Assessment and outlining the contribution of HR to the Corporate Strategic Assessment. The Director of HR noted that this was the fourth such report, and the most detailed. Members thanked the Director of HR for such a detailed and helpful summary of the current issues.

Members asked how the HR Directorate was responding to future legislation around age. They were informed this had not been included in the assessment as it was a future issue, however the Directorate was preparing for forthcoming legislation.

Questions were asked about the possibility of the MPS running its own high potential scheme for officers. The Deputy Director of HR stated that three tiers of graduate entry were being considered: the recruitment of the very best graduates from leading universities by head hunting, the recruitment of graduates from London universities, where could be found a large number of black and minority ethnic candidates, and finally from universities anywhere in the country. The Directorate was considering a high potential scheme for officers not on the Home Office high potential scheme that did not undermine that scheme.

Members queried the provision of additional tuition in English. The Director of HR reported that this tuition, which included support for dyslexics, would be offered to very few potential recruits and that good spoken and written English was still required from all recruits in order to meet the National Recruitment Standards.

In answer to questions about the number of officers with very short service, members were informed this was inevitable due to the large numbers of officers recruited in the last few years. However, the MPS was also attracting significantly more trained officers from provincial forces.

Concern was expressed that the lack of career pathways for PCSOs purportedly led to higher sickness and attrition levels. Members were informed that some PCSOs had chosen becoming a police officer as a career path. Territorial Policing was also considering ways of using PCSOs life skills to enhance their job satisfaction. Most sickness and discipline problems were from Traffic PCSOs, who were often ex-traffic wardens, and historically had high levels of sickness and discipline problems. Active intervention by Occupational Health staff was being taken to address this. Questions were asked about the possibility of security and community PCSOs swapping the roles, but it was noted that this was often difficult for geographical reasons. Members were pleased to note that the Police Federation was softening its attitude towards PCSOs, and that Safer Neighbourhood Teams were providing a rewarding ‘policing’ role.

Questions were also asked about job satisfaction for Safer Neighbourhood Teams. Members were informed that these officers enjoyed their work, as they felt they made a difference to the communities they served.

Questions were asked about the proposals concerning the police estate at Hendon; members were informed that a report would come to the Finance Committee in due course.

Members asked questions about the proposals to act on Home Office advice to reduce injury awards to ex-officers once they reached 65 years of age, thus generating a saving of £1 million. Members felt no action should be taken in this direction without the HR Committee being given chance to consider the matter.

A member reported that the Association of Senior Women Officers has stated that many women left after about 13 years of service because of work life balance issues. The Director of HR undertook to return to the member with relevant data on wastage rates and length of service.

Resolved - That the report be noted.

8. Work of the Training and Development Directorate

(Agenda item 8)

This report provided an overview of the work of the Training and Development Directorate and addressed issues relating to training delivered from within the Directorate resources and from other deliverers, both internal and external.

In answer to a question, members were informed that although specific equality and diversity training was provided to recruits, other training had equality and diversity embedded in it.

On asking if economies could be made by training officers and staff from other police services, members were told that dog, crime academy and driving courses were sold. However, it needed to be remembered that training the MPS own officers and staff was the Training School’s main priority. In addition, until it was known how many officers were likely to be recruited next year it was difficult to assess its capacity to sell courses. On being asked if this risk could be given to external providers, members were told that although some training was provided externally, officers and staff preferred courses to be delivered in London.

Resolved - That the report be noted.

9. Training strategy

(Agenda item 9)

This report provided members with an overview of the key considerations likely to impact upon the training and development requirements for police officers, police staff and the extended police family. The report also provided an overview of the proposed actions being considered by MPS Human Resources to determine the most appropriate way forward.

Resolved - That the report be noted.

10. HMIC best value inspection of training

(Agenda item 10)

Members received a report providing an overview of the HMIC Best Value Review (Training) inspection, summarising its findings and detailing the MPS response. It was noted that the report was very favourable for such a large police service.

Members asked what measures had been put in place to ensure consistency. They were informed that each business group had a Training Board, which had to produce plans for Training Management Board on a quarterly basis. Members expressed concern about the challenge of balancing corporate and local training needs, and asked about the control of mandatory training not delivered by the Human Resources Directorate. On being asked how annual performance development reviews fitted into training, the Deputy Director of HR acknowledged that the time lapses and lack of computerised data made it difficult to predict training needs.

Resolved - That the report be noted.

11. Human Resources Committee annual report 2004/5

(Agenda item 11)

The report provides a brief resume of the work of the Human Resources Committee during 2004/5.

Resolved – That the annual report 2004/5 was endorsed;

12. Lead member roles

(Agenda item 12)

Consideration of this report was deferred pending decisions about the future committee structure

Resolved – That consideration of the report be deferred.

13. Exclusion of press and public

(Agenda item 13)

A resolution was put to exclude the press and public from the meeting during items 14 -15 as they were likely to disclose exempt information as defined in Part 1 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 14 -15.

14. Exempt Minutes of the Police Pension Forfeiture Sub Committee (Part 2) - to note: 19 May, 26 May and 22 September 2005

(Agenda item 14)

Resolved - That the exempt minutes of the Police Pension Forfeiture Sub Committees (Parts 2) held on May, 26 May and 22 September 2005 were noted.

15. Exempt minutes of the Remuneration Sub-Committee (Part 1) to note, 21 April and 15 September 2005

(Agenda item 15)

Resolved - That the exempt minutes of the Remuneration Sub Committee (Part 2) held on 21 April and 15 September 2005 were noted.

The meeting ended at 12.00 p.m.

Send an e-mail linking to this page

Feedback