Policing and performance plan 2003/04

Report: 9
Date: 19 September 2002
By: Commissioner

Summary

This report sets out a range of factors influencing the MPA priorities for 2003/04 including the contents of local crime and disorder strategies, the goals contained in ‘Towards the Safest City’, the results of the public consultation process and current performance. The report also provides a summary of the key steps and decisions leading to the publication of the 2003/04 Policing and Performance Plan.

A. Recommendations

1. Members are asked to note the factors influencing the setting of MPA priorities for 2003/04 and the present position in relation to each; and
2. Members are also asked to note the key steps and decisions leading up to the full Authority meeting in October and a summary of the scheduled actions ahead of the publication of the Policing and Performance Plan in March 2003

Supporting information

1. At the Co-ordination and Policing Committee meeting in July, members requested the first draft of the 2003/04 Policing and Performance Plan based on an aggregation of the targets contained in the 32 borough crime and disorder strategies. This report will outline progress against that request and put this into context with the range of other factors that might influence the eventual priorities for next year. The report briefly describes the process for how those priorities will be decided and when appropriate objectives, targets and measures might be established.

Analysis of crime and disorder strategies

2. A preliminary analysis of the strategies has been carried out and is attached as a table at Appendix 1. The analysis illustrates the broad range of crime offences to be tackled and initiatives to be progressed by local crime and disorder partnerships dependent upon the concerns of local people.

3. There has been no attempt to aggregate the borough targets to form provisional corporate targets at this stage. In view of the varied formats of the strategies this will be a complex exercise and will need to contain a number of planning assumptions and caveats. These include;

• The non-specific nature of some of the targets
• Targets that relate to certain ‘hotspots’ or wards rather than being pan- borough
• Targets that are to be achieved over a three year period, and
• The inclusion of 3 year national targets that bear no relation to current bespoke targets

4. In order to gain any value from this exercise it will be necessary to consult further with each of the boroughs to ensure that the correct interpretations of the targets contained in the relevant strategy are being applied and that the spirit of that strategy is retained.

In-year performance

5. At Appendix 2 is a summary of corporate performance for the period April-July 2002 and three-year trend data for street crime, burglary and autocrime offences to provide additional context. The darker shading on the graphs represents the respective number of offences for the corresponding four- month period in preceding years.

6. The current performance data is structured around the existing policing priorities and objectives, with an assessment of performance achieved over the first four months and a commentary on any marked current trend.

Results of public consultation

7. In addition to the consultation undertaken with Community Police Consultative Groups and other local consultation carried out by borough commanders, a more extensive e-consultation process has been conducted during July and August 2002.

8. An on-line questionnaire was developed as at Appendix 3 and published on the MPS website. A combination of electronic and hard copy responses was received. An internal survey of MPS staff was also undertaken using the same questionnaire on the intranet system. A high level summary of the responses is attached at Appendix 4.

Towards the Safest City

9. The five key goals within the strategic framework document due to be launched on 16th September will underpin the priorities selected for the annual plan. The major activities supporting those goals will be discussed at the Commissioner’s Conference on 17th September as part of the priority setting process. A number of MPA Members and Officers will be participants at the conference and this will therefore provide an early opportunity for engagement. The Deputy Commissioner will be in a position to give a verbal update on the outcomes of the conference at the PPRC.

The National Policing Plan

10. Under the terms of the Police Reform Act the National Policing Plan must be laid before parliament before 30th November. The scope of the plan is currently under consultation and was due to be considered by the National Policing Forum at its meeting on 5th September. As above, the Deputy Commissioner should be able to give an update to Members on the outcomes of the forum at the PPRC.

Overview of next steps

11. Attached at Appendix 5 is a timeline that incorporates the key events and products from now until the publication of the plan before 1 April 2003. Included within this timeline are the budgetary submission date to the GLA in November and the subsequent approval of the budget by the GLA in February.

12. Following the PPRC the Chair will provide an update on progress towards the setting of priorities to all Members at the Full Authority meeting on 26 September. The MPS will subsequently propose a revised set of priorities, if this should be required, to the Planning Sub-committee on 10 October. The priorities recommended by that committee will be taken to the full Authority meeting on 31 October for formal approval.

13. Included in the timeline is a proposal that appropriate objectives identified from the priorities will be taken to the full Authority meeting in November and, further down the track, that the associated targets will be considered in February.

14. The timeline also incorporates major processes such as the development of business plan guidance and the negotiation of appropriate bespoke targets so that sufficient consideration can be given to these issues within the timeframe for the production of the plan.

C. Equalities and race relations implications

There are no implications.

D. Financial implications

There are no direct financial implications within the paper but Members will note the requirements of the budgetary cycle.

E. Background papers

None

F. Contact details

Report author: John Zlotnicki

For more information contact:

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

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