Records Management Best Value Review (RMBVR) implementation plan update

Report: 16
Date: 13 March 2003
By: Commissioner

Summary

This report provides a summary of progress in implementing the recommendations arising from the Records Management Best Value Review (RMBVR). It includes an assessment of costs and realised benefits against those predicted in the initial Improvement Plan (May 2002). It provides commentary of the reasons for delayed progress and seeks approval for required changes to the initial Improvement Plan.

A. Recommendations

That

1. the costs and realised benefits arising from the implementation of the recommendations be noted;
2. the changes to the Implementation Plan detailed in this report be approved; and
3. the Committee continues to receive updates on the progress of implementation, including costs and realised benefits, at six monthly intervals.

B. Supporting information

1. The Records Management Best Value Review presented a final report to the then Finance, Planning and Best Value Committee on 29 May 2002. The recommendations contained in that Improvement Plan were accepted and approved for implementation.

2. The implementation of these improvements has been managed under the Freedom of Information Act Compliance (FOIAC) Project, directed by DAC House. This reflects the fact that records management improvement is critical to ensuring compliance with the Freedom of Information Act from January 2005. The FOIAC Project Board has met monthly and a Board member has been allocated specific responsibility for benefits realisation. The RMBVR Improvement Plan has been pursued under distinct Project Strands within the FOIAC Project Plan. Continuity has been maintained between staff conducting the RMBVR and those charged with the implementation of its recommendations.

Implementation costs

3. The implementation of recommendations arising from the RMBVR is being delivered within existing resources. Many of the improvements required are concerned with changes to business processes that deliver substantial savings from focused management activity.

4. Implementation costs for 2002/03 are estimated at £50,000. This represents the time allocated to implementation activity by existing staff. Implementation costs for 2003/04 will remain at this level.

Benefits summary

5. Appendix 1 provides a summary of realised and projected benefits arising from the implementation of recommendations contained in the RMBVR. The benefits predicted in the Improvement Plan are included for reference.

Progress summary

Recommendation 1

Status: Significant Slippage

Development of an Information Management Branch from the existing RMB.

Development of an Information Manager role from the current Systems Administrator deployed on OCUs and Branches

6. Elements of the Directorate of Information have been restructured to form an information management function. This was created in November 2002 comprising Information Futures, Information Compliance and Information Services. It provides the MPS with a central structure to drive and lead required improvements in information management. Work to refine and consolidate this function is continuing and will complete by April 2003.

7. The development of an Information Manager role is dependent upon capacity being created in the existing role of System Administrator following the roll-out of the AWARE system. This process has not, as yet, delivered consistent reductions in the workload of existing staff in the Systems Administration role. Current work is seeking to define and enforce the reduced local administration function.

8. System Administrators and their line managers have been consulted on the proposed Information Manager role and work is progressing to define role competences and pay banding. A number of pilot locations are being developed and training provision is being assessed.

9. It is intended that the existing local System Administrator function in Borough sites is defined and published by April 2003. The evolution of the role to that of Information Manager is intended to complete by October 2003.

Recommendation 2

Status: Some slippage

That retention criteria are applied to the archiving of specified records

10. Standard criteria for the content of archived crime files have been developed and piloted at Newham Borough. The process has resulted in a 50% reduction in the physical size of crime files archived in the pilot site. This will be realised as a cashable saving of approximately £2,500 in 2003/04 under the PFI arrangements for charged storage. The process is currently being implemented in all Criminal Justice Units.

11. Work to refine the current Disposal Schedule is continuing. This will further reduce the amount of unnecessary material retained in storage centrally and locally.

Recommendation 3

Status: Some slippage

That existing record retention periods are reduced to align more closely with business need

12. Resources have been focused upon reductions in record retention that impact the volume of stored paper records in the central MPS repository. An audit of registered and non-registered has been conducted together with analysis of the usage of registered record categories.

13. This activity has led to reductions in holdings of paper records equivalent to 7% of the current archive at Hayes. This will translate to cashable savings in 2003/04 of approximately £10,000 under the PFI arrangements for paper record storage. The reduction in holdings at the Hayes repository will remain the focus of activity until July 2003.

14. Concurrent activity to review and publish a comprehensive MPS Disposal Schedule will, from April 2003, lead to approved reductions in retention that deliver space savings for BOCUs.

Recommendation 4

Status: On target

That the MPS explore options for the storage of low-use record categories by an external contractor

15. This recommendation has been progressed as part of the Hayes PFI Project to determine the future storage arrangements for paper records held at the MPS Repository at Hayes in Middlesex. The Review recommended that external storage be considered for low-use record categories. This was accepted and a combined PFI and in-house storage solution was developed. This was presented to the Finance Committee on 24 October 2002 where the recommendation was accepted.

16. A separate implementation project has now commenced to ensure that existing paper record categories are separated between the Hayes and Hendon storage sites. This division of record categories is based on usage and will minimise the costs associated with external storage. The implementation of Recommendations 2 and 3 are both acting to reduce the costs associated with current and future storage requirements.

Recommendation 5

Status: Some slippage

That business cases are developed for the following technology solutions:

Phase 2 roll-out of the Records Management System (RMS) and the development of additional functionality to allow the creation of indexed entries at OCUs and Branches and the barcoding of files to track movement

The development of a ‘proof of concept’ pilot for an Electronic Document and Records Management (EDRM) System.

17. The RMBVR assessed that the roll-out of the RMS to OCUs would increase access to information and result in quantifiable efficiency savings in the search and order process for registered files. The additional functionality is intended to allow the local creation and registration of paper files on a searchable, corporate system.

18. The greatest efficiency savings arise from the roll-out of the RMS search and order function. In view of difficulties in developing the additional functionality and the delay this will impose of roll-out, it was determined in January 2003 that roll-out should proceed for search and order alone. A plan for roll-out is currently being developed with OCUs and Branches. This will commence in March 2003 and complete by October 2003.

19. Activity to introduce EDRM solutions for records management have commenced and sites have been identified for pilot exercises. Formal pilot exercises will commence in April 2003. Evaluation of the findings will be used to develop and present a business case for the further development of this technology in the Service.

Recommendation 6

Status: Some slippage

That processes for the standardised registration of paper records are extended and developed to capture all local record archives

20. The extension of registration processes to capture additional paper records stored in the MPA estate is intended to improve access to records and increase available accommodation for OCUs and Branches.

21. A pilot exercise has been conducted in the Borough of Newham to improve the registration process and increase central registration and storage of files. This exercise has delivered opportunity costs savings in staff time, and volume reductions in the quantity of paper records being retained and stored centrally. The improved registration process is currently being implemented in all Criminal Justice Units.

22. The increased registration of paper records has not been progressed in accordance with the original Improvement Plan. This results from delay and continued uncertainty on the availability of storage in the central repositories. Project resources have therefore been focused upon reductions in the size of central archive where cashable savings are anticipated under the PFI contract.

23. An Information Audit has been delayed as a result of the requirement for supporting technology. Pilot activity to develop the audit process will commence in May 2003. The full audit will commence in October 2003 and complete by January 2004.

Recommendation 7

Status: On target

A performance management framework for information management is implemented

24. Following the creation of an information management function in the Directorate of Information, the current records inspection function operated by Records Management Branch will cease in April 2003. The function has been included in the remit of information management inspection conducted by Information Compliance. These changes will deliver cashable savings in staff costs of approximately £20,000 from October 2003.

25. Baseline data on the costs of information retrieval have now been obtained following activity analysis conducted at three sites during October 2002. This data is being developed as a primary indicator of improvements in retrieval and consequent savings in staff time.

26. A number of performance indicators for paper record management have been designed and are being tested. These are being developed as indicators of compliance with Disposal Schedules and Registration Policy.

27. Progress on a costing model for the allocation of record storage costs to OCUs and Branches has been delayed pending the availability of detailed charging schedules under the PFI record storage project.

Changes to the improvement plan

28. Activity to date and the issues described above have required adjustment to the original Improvement Plan. The high level changes are summarised in the table below.

C. Equality and diversity implications

There are no identified equality or diversity issues arising from the contents of this report. The equality issues that arise from the Hayes PFI have been separately addressed under that Project and formed part of the submission to Members on 24 October 2002.

D. Financial implications

The implementation of recommendations arising from the RMBVR is being progressed by staff allocated from within existing resources. Funding for the further development of Electronic Document and Records Management (EDRM) systems following evaluation of pilot exercises will be the subject of further papers.

E. Background papers

RMBVR Final Report and Improvement Plan (not circulated)

F. Contact details

Report author: Superintendent David Chinchen, MPS.

For more information contact:

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

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