Minutes

Minutes of the inaugural meeting of the Police Pensions Sub-committee of the Metropolitan Police Authority held on 18 November 2002 at 10 Dean Farrar Street, London SW1H 0NY.

Present

Members

• Cindy Butts (Chair)
• Nicholas Long
• Rachel Whittaker

MPA Officers

• Catherine Crawford (Clerk)
• Alan Johnson (Head of Human Resources)

MPS Officers

• Glyn Dobson (Inspector – Directorate of Professional Services)

Part 1

1. Appointment of Chair

(Agenda item 1)

The terms of reference for the Sub-Committee’s membership are that the membership should comprise at least three members of the Authority, ideally the Human Resources Committee (the membership may therefore differ from meeting to meeting). It was agreed that Cindy Butts should be Chair all Police Pension Sub Committees for which she was available. In her absence, another Chair would be elected.

2. Apologies

(Agenda item 2)

No apologies were received.

3. Declarations of interests

(Agenda item 2)

No declarations of interest were received.

4. Process for dealing with police pension forfeitures

(Agenda item 4)

Members received a report proposing a process for dealing with police pension forfeitures, and including guidance by the Association of Police Authorities. Members proceeded consider subheading in turn

Criminal proceedings

It was agreed that it would be left to the defence counsel to enter a plea of mitigation concerning the potential forfeiture of the officer’s pension. A letter would be sent to the Lord Chancellor’s Department to ensure that guidance be given to judges that in their concluding remarks no reference is made to the issue of pension forfeiture.

Action after conviction

Members were informed that after internal disciplinary action, a file was drawn up, and a form completed by the investigating officer concerning the possible forfeiture of pension. The file was then sent to the MPS’s Human Resources department. It was agreed that the papers should be sent in a standard format direct form the Directorate of Professional Standards, but should include all the necessary paperwork, including the pension estimate. The forfeiture process should have a timetable.

Level of forfeiture

The Home Office was putting together background data on this subject. Members agreed that the MPA’s guidelines should be in the public domain and requested that a leaflet be produced, in consultation with the Police Federation and the Directorate of Professional Standards, covering the main issues around the question of police pension forfeitures.

Attendance by former officer at Sub-committee meetings

The Sub Committee would normally make its decision solely based on documents provided which would normally be provided to the former police officer and the MPS in accordance with the revised process. In exceptional circumstances the former officer and representatives of the MPS may be invited to attend.

Dependents pension

Capita will be informed when an application was made for certificate of forfeiture.

Training

It was agreed that appropriate judicial training be arranged for any MPA Members involved in pension forfeiture cases. It was felt a pool of 7-8 members would have to be trained.

Current caseload

The current caseload would be revisited on the basis of the revised process.

It was agreed these arrangements would be endorsed at the next Human Resources Committee meeting.

Resolved – That

The Human Resources Committee be asked to endorse the decisions of the Police Pensions Sub Committee.

Meeting closed at 3.00 p.m.

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