Implementation plan for crime management best value review

Report: 13
Date: 19 September 2002
By: Commissioner

Summary

The Crime Management Best Value Review (CMBVR) was approved by the former Finance Planning and Best Value Committee (FPBVC) on 18 April 2002. An Implementation Project Board has been established, chaired by Commander Robert Quick (Commander (Crime) Territorial Policing) on which the Authority is represented by Sir John Quinton. This report has attached (Appendix 1) an implementation plan, for which approval is sought, to deliver the recommendations of the CMBVR and which will also allow members to monitor progress as well as track the costs and benefits of implementation.

A. Recommendations

1. Members are requested to approve the attached implementation plan; and
2. The Committee receive a formal update twice a year on the progress of implementation, the costs incurred and benefits delivered (given bi-monthly meetings of the project board).

B. Supporting information

1. As a result of the submission of the Best Value Crime Management Review to the Authority, on 18 April 2002 the former FPBV Committee approved in principle:

• A Central Telephone Investigation Bureau (CTIB) with dedicated civilian operators.
• A victim focus desk in the CTIB plus, on a short term basis, a victim focus desk on each Borough Operational Command Unit (BOCU).
• That civilian investigators be employed within the Crime Management System (CMS).

2. The FPBV Committee also approved the other recommendations of the CMBVR (those listed as recommendations 3 and 4 and 6 to 16 in Appendix 1). However, approval of implementation will have to be subject to agreement of the budget growth bid. At present funding is not guaranteed.

3. Appendix 1 is a high-level implementation plan that shows the key milestones for the delivery of the recommendations. This will continue to be developed as more detailed planning work is completed. In the future it will be supplemented by a highlight report that will allow members to monitor progress against the plan. This report will also include a summary of the costs incurred to date in implementing the recommendations and the benefits (in terms of savings, performance improvement etc) that have been delivered. The project team is also developing improved reporting mechanisms to allow the project board to formally sign off recommendations that have been achieved and ensure that the necessary monitoring and evaluation can take place.

4. A number of recommendations are practically complete:

• Recommendation 9 – Improvements to management and auditing practices;
• Recommendation 11 – Improvements to Crimestoppers; and
• Recommendation 14 - Proactive and Tasking Proformas (PATPs) to be redesigned to ensure minimum standards of completion and to include costings and results.

5. These require formal signing off by the Project Board following a report outlining what has been delivered, the costs and benefits as outlined in paragraph 3 above.

6. The outstanding recommendations have been allocated lead officers for the MPS, who are identified on the Implementation Plan. Progress reports on all of these developments will be reported to the PPR Committee twice yearly, to allow members to:

• Monitor delivery of the recommendations.
• Monitor the costs of implementation.
• Track the benefits of implementation.

7. In due course specific performance indicators and targets will be established for approval by the Project Board.

8. By November 2002 a communications strategy will be developed, to publicise both internally and externally implementation of the review. The project board in accordance with the implementation plan will also approve this.

C. Equalities and race relations implications

1. The adoption of a language line facility within ‘Crimestoppers’, a recommendation already achieved, has allowed those who do not have English as their first language to contact police and provide information on criminal activity.

2. During the consultation stage of the CMBVR, it was identified that there was an under recording of crime throughout London, but in particularly from the minority ethnic communities and other vulnerable groups. The development of third party reporting (recommendation 1) improved communication and the utilisation of a language line facility with in the crime reporting process (recommendation 3), will directly support the MPS diversity strategy by supporting the principles of providing a positive and responsive police service, treating individuals and groups according to their needs.

3. Equalities and race relations implications for each CMBVR recommendation will be addressed directly at the ‘sign off’ stage by the Project Board.

Financial implications

1. Previous reports, specifically that considered at the FPBVC of 18 April 2002, set out options to finance the implementation of the CMBVR. Full implementation based on the preferred civil staff model is estimated to cost £10.3m per annum, with one off set up costs of £0.6m together with the opportunity costs of the implementation team over two years totalling £2m. Efficiency savings (non-cash releasing) of £22.5m per annum should be realised consisting of £21m police opportunity costs (equivalent to an extra 611 officers for operational deployment) and £1.5m civil staff opportunity costs, which will improve the speed and quality of front counter services.

2. The implementation of the CMBVR recommendations commenced in April 2002. Costs so far, based on two chief inspectors, are approximately £33,100.

3. The cost of implementation is registered as a requirement in the MPS medium term financial projection as reported in the Finance, Planning and best Value Committee report on Medium Term Financial Plan.

E. Background papers

• Outcome of the Best Value Review of Crime Management, Agenda Item 8, Finance Planning & Best Value, 18 April 2002

F. Contact details

Report author: Robert Quick, Commander (Crime) TP HQ

For more information contact:

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

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