Employment infrastructure

Report: 8
Date: 15 December 2005
By: Commissioner

Summary

This report provides a summary update on progress relating to the following:

• A Code of Ethics – a Professional standards framework governing the personal and professional behaviour of all MPS personnel.
• A review of the existing Early Departure provisions
• The development of HR practice across the MPS
• Flexible and Voluntary Benefits – including childcare strategy

A. Recommendation

That the update be considered.

B. Supporting information

Code of Ethics

1. A draft Code of Ethics was developed within the context of the MPS Professional Standards Strategic Committee on 8 February 2005 and was re-titled ‘Professional Standards Framework. The draft framework was presented to the MPA Professional Standards Committee on 10 February 2005. A copy of this draft is attached as Appendix 1.

2. The framework has been the subject of extensive discussion across the MPS, and emerged as a key recommendation within the Morris report. This was based on a proposal to the Morris Enquiry team, from DPS, that the MPS reflect a similar Code to that adopted by the Ulster Constabulary.

3. The proposal suggested the MPS framework provide a vehicle through which personnel could be made aware of their responsibility to act in a manner consistent with the standards and principles set out in the document, at all times. It should provide a clear messaging and reinforcement framework to prospective and existing officers and staff, to key partners and to our citizens, in relation to the standards of professional and personal behaviour expected of MPS personnel.

4. The Framework was not intended to provide comprehensive guidance on how personnel should behave in any particular circumstance; but it should compliment relevant operational, financial, HR and other policies and procedures already in place across the MPS.

5. Members should be aware that a statutory Code of Conduct is already in place for police officers and the police staff disciplinary procedure includes examples of behaviours which if substantiated would constitute misconduct /gross misconduct.

6. At a meeting of the Professional Standards Strategic Committee held in February 2005, it was agreed that application and promulgation of the framework should be considered within the context of the Taylor review, and a copy of the draft was forwarded to the Taylor working group at HMIC.

7. The Home Office is in the process of developing a national code of conduct, which will replace the existing MPS Code of Conduct. This document will absorb the principles set out in the draft Professional Standards Framework (PSF). A copy of the MPS PSF has already been forwarded to the Home Office. A revised national code of conduct is expected to be produced by no later than April 2006.

Early departure provisions

8. The existing early departure schemes are defined by the Civil Service Compensation Scheme (CSCS), which operates as an adjunct to the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme. The rules of the CSCS are set out in the 1972 Superannuation Act and would require primary legislative change in order to amend. As such, it is not an option to amend the existing contractual provisions, and clearly there would be trades union opposition to any attempt to do so.

9. Contractual early retirement and redundancy schemes are expensive. Sample calculations based on salary, age and length of service suggest a maximum cost equivalent to three to four years salary.

10. With effect from 1 December 2005, the HR Directorate reinforced the need for central review prior to any commitment to agree early retirement by local managers and the following approval criteria were introduced:

• Early Retirement will be approved by the Director of HR Services (acting on behalf of the Director of HR) only where there is a clear and fully costed business case for the departure (i.e.) where the person will not be replaced in their existing form and where the change represents a real cost saving through the reduction of 1 whole time equivalent post in the budgeted establishment of that business group.
• Business Groups will be required to ring fence the relevant cost saving, and these funds will be reimbursed to the Early Retirement fund until such time as the fund is fully reimbursed or for a maximum of 2 years whichever is the sooner.

Reviews and development of HR practice

Procedural review

11. Police Officer procedures are of course enshrined in Police Regulations. However, extensive work has been undertaken to develop user confidence in procedures designed to manage police officer performance, capability and attendance, and probationer reviews. Comprehensive user guidance has been developed and HR Services personnel have conducted a series of development workshops, and briefings. User feedback relating to these events has been very positive.

12. Key police staff procedures have also been reviewed. The Fairness at Work and staff disciplinary procedures have been the subject of detailed internal consultation and promulgation of both will include a comprehensive training and development programme. Further work on the review and development of police staff capability and attendance procedures will be undertaken by the employee relations’ team in the New Year.

Practice development

13. During the course of the last eight months, HR Services has undergone significant structural change in order to provide for a dedicated practice support team. The team comprises of four senior HR practitioners, providing core employee relations advice and support to front line HR managers. The new team will replace separate and discrete employee relations ‘help’ functions from the new year, and will operate within a learning context – thus we should move the HR managers from being the recipients of ‘task based direction’ to engendering some real understanding of the underlying employee relations processes and issues, thereby developing HR capability across the MPS.

Evaluation

14. Mechanisms for evaluating the impact of procedural and practice support changes are currently being considered by the Practice Support team.

Flexible and voluntary benefits

Retail discount scheme

15. Internet access to a variety of discount vouchers for specific stores, products and services has been in place since April 2005 and is operated for the MPS by Oakwood.

16. The scheme has cost the MPS £35,000 to date with annual payments of £35,000 over the 5 year life of the contract. However, as more members use the scheme and Commission revenue generated rises, the MPS is at liberty to negotiate scheme costs, with a view to achieving a price reduction. Such negotiations may be instigated on membership levels of 10,000.

17. Performance data shows that, whilst over 4,000 officers and staff have visited the site and registered, those taking advantage of the service amount to only around 200 over the past 12 months.

Childcare

18. A comprehensive childcare strategy is in place and can be made available to members. Key components of the Childcare Strategy are as follows:

Education and information

19. A comprehensive web based information tool; maternity information packs and a full seminar and workshop programme are all in place.

Financial support

Childcare vouchers

20. Vouchers for the purchase of private childcare provision, based on salary sacrifice were introduced in June 2005. The Scheme enables the parent /carer and the MPS to realise savings in national insurance and tax contributions to a maximum of £217 per month.

21. Unfortunately, at the present time the scheme is only available to police staff. The scheme has yet to be verified at PNB for police officers. It is anticipated that this will be forthcoming by the end of the year.

22. Based on a forecast of 2000 users, the scheme is expected to realise income of around £500,000 per year in national insurance savings.

Nursery discounts

23. The Childcare Coordinator has negotiated non-subsidised discounts of up to 20% for a number of named nurseries and play schemes across the capital.

Partnership working

24. A professional network operates as a basis for sharing good practice, across police, public and private sector employers.

Nursery provision

25. Current thinking supports the purchase of nursery provision across the capital through a salary sacrifice scheme similar to the voucher scheme. Arrangements for such a scheme have still to be fully costed, but like the voucher scheme is likely to realise income. A costed business plan will be available from January 2006.

Home computer initiative

26. The Scheme enables home computers to be leased at competitive prices over a fixed period. The scheme is based on salary sacrifice and as such realises national insurance and tax benefits to the individual, and national insurance savings to the member of staff.

27. It was anticipated that the benefit would come on stream from this year. Unfortunately, we encountered insurmountable contractual issues and the negotiations were aborted. A renewed tendering exercise has already commenced and we are confident that the benefit will be in place by the end of the financial year. A note to all MPS personnel has been circulated.

28. The scheme would be at worst cost neutral and at best a source of income generation. Employer national insurance savings based on the supply of computers to 15% of our personnel would be £440,000 from which infrastructure costs would be offset - approximately £60, 000.

C. Race and equality impact

All HR policies and infrastructure changes are fully assessed in terms of equalities and diversity impact. There are no race and equality implications associated with the developments set out in this report, although all key management interventions are routinely monitored on this basis.

D. Financial implications

The financial implications of developments set out in this report are included as part of the narrative in Part B.

E. Background papers

None

F. Contact details

Report author: Claire Appleby, Director of HR Services.

For more information contact:

MPA general: 020 7202 0202
Media enquiries: 020 7202 0217/18

Appendix 1

Professional standards framework

Joint foreword by the Commissioner and Chair of MPA

Public confidence in the integrity and reputation of the Metropolitan Police Service is paramount. Integrity is non negotiable

There is a need to ensure that all police personnel have a clear understanding of the responsibilities that membership of the Metropolitan Police Service brings, and in turn the MPS has a responsibility to encourage, enable and promote appropriate standards of behaviour in every aspect of its work.

This Professional Standards Framework will form the basis for promoting public confidence in our service and for ensuring fair and equitable treatment of all who work within it. It is imperative that professional and personal standards governing the behaviour of police personnel are clear and transparent.

The standards set out in this Code are intended to govern all internal and external relationships and interactions involving MPS personnel working together with our citizens, our partners and our colleagues.

The Code applies to all police officers and police staff including the extended police family and those working voluntarily or under contract to the Metropolitan Police Authority.

In support of the principles set out in the Code the Metropolitan Police Service and the Metropolitan Police Authority commits to ensure that personnel:

• Are selected based on demonstrable respect for the needs and value of diversity, the skills and abilities relevant to their role, their potential to learn, their commitment to fulfil the professional duties of their role, and their commitment to work together as part of a coordinated and focused team.
  · Receive appropriate and relevant training in order to undertake the professional duties of their role fully and to the required standard.
  · Are enabled to fulfil the duties of their role to the best of their ability and in accordance with the training provided.
  · Are supervised, managed and led so that they are aware of their professional responsibilities and that they feel supported and guided in the discharge of those professional duties.
  · Reporting an incident liable to undermine the integrity of the service is fully supported and protected and that any such reports are acted upon.
  · Ensure that all policies, procedures and regulations are relevant and up to date and are readily available to personnel either directly or through its senior officers and managers.

The Code is not intended to provide comprehensive guidance to personnel on how they should behave in any specific circumstance. Rather it provides a framework through which personnel should be aware of their responsibility to act at all times in a manner consistent with the standards and principles set out.

Directions, guidance and advice on the discharge of specific responsibilities relating to the many and varied roles within the organisation are contained within relevant operational, financial, HR and other policies and procedures already in place. The framework assumes at all times that all Personnel are aware and have an understanding of what constitutes ‘reasonable and acceptable behaviour’.

This Framework is intended to reinforce the importance attached to the professional and personal standards of integrity and behaviour which the MPS must expect from its officers and staff as a basis for the full and proper discharge of duties and responsibilities to the communities of London which it serves.

Any suspected or alleged behaviours considered inconsistent with the Framework will be acted upon with due regard to all relevant circumstances and in accordance with the relevant procedure – including where necessary the Code of Conduct governing Police Officers and / or relevant disciplinary procedures.

Professional duty

We need to maintain public confidence and trust; to ensure that the public are satisfied with the service they have received, that we have done what we told them we were going to do.

Each member of the MPS will:

• Undertake the duties associated with a designated role fully and well; be aware of any statutory responsibilities associated with that role and to take all reasonable steps to understand how these are applied in the course of undertaking their duties.
• Act with fairness, tolerance and impartiality in the conduct of professional duties. To be humane; under no circumstances shall any person be subject to cruel, humiliating, bullying or degrading treatment.
• Support and assist our citizens by giving sympathetic guidance and comfort to all in distress and to provide staunch leadership when our community or sections of our community are faced with disaster or uncertainty
• Work together with our partners and our colleagues in undertaking training relevant to their role and in complying with relevant performance standards.
• Work together in partnership with our clients as appropriate.
• Ensure scrupulous compliance with all regulations, procedures and policies relevant to professional duty
• Show both resolution and restraint if and when faced with threatening or violent resistance, and to use with consummate skill only such force as is necessary to accomplish a legitimate purpose.
• Uphold the good reputation of the Metropolitan Police Service on and off duty; to promote and ensure adherence to the standards set out in this Framework. To encourage others to do so by good example and leadership.

Equality, diversity and human dignity

Each member of the MPS has a professional duty to:

• Show compassion and respect for the dignity of each individual and to treat every person with fairness, equality, courtesy and understanding irrespective of race, religion, colour, language, nationality, social origin, gender, disability, sexual orientation, political or other opinion or age.
• Show respect to all individuals and groups in accordance with their traditions, beliefs and lifestyles, provided that these are compatible with the law.

Information, privacy and confidentiality

We need to ensure that MPS Personnel utilise information and intelligence through relevant and lawful mechanisms only where necessary for the full and proper conduct of their professional duties.

Each member of the MPS has a professional duty to:

• Ensure that they are fully aware of the security and confidentiality safeguards relevant to their role.
• Report any suspected breaches of these standards to the appropriate officer.

Integrity

We understand that public confidence in the Metropolitan Police Service is contingent on the integrity of its personnel. All MPS Personnel must observe the highest standards of personal integrity at all times.

Each member of the MPS has a duty to:

• Respect and obey the law at all times. All personnel must report to the appropriate officer any criminal proceedings initiated against them.
• Act honestly and fairly in the conduct of their duties
• Ensure that they at no time act, or engage in any activities which might undermine public or organisational confidence in their ability or commitment to undertake their role with fairness, impartiality and integrity.
• Report and oppose any acts or activities perpetrated by colleagues or agents working for, or on behalf of the Metropolitan Police Service which might undermine public or organisational confidence in the ability or commitment of that person or persons to undertake their role(s) with fairness, impartiality and integrity.
• Report and oppose any known or suspected unprofessional, unethical and unlawful behaviours perpetrated by colleagues or agents working for or on behalf of the Metropolitan Police Service or any other organisation with which the MPS has a professional relationship.
• Report any change of personal circumstances which may impact on the integrity of their role, or vetting status.

Health and safety

We are committed to the provision of a healthy and safe working environment and to ensuring that our staff employ best and safest practice in the conduct of their duties.

Each member of the MPS has a professional duty to:

• Ensure that they are aware of their responsibilities relating to Health and Safety and act to ensure the health and safety of ourselves, our colleagues, our partners and our citizens.
• Ensure that they are fit to undertake the duties of their role as defined or provided for; to seek medical assessment of advice where there is uncertainty relating to their personal fitness to undertake the duties of their role.
• Refrain from the use of any substances, drugs, or alcohol which could impair their ability to undertake their professional duties fully and well and which might compromise their personal health and safety or that of their colleagues or any other person(s).
• Report any concerns relating to health and safety or health and safety practice where appropriate.

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