Best Value Review of Managing Demand: final report and improvement plan

Report: 04
Date: 8 May 2003
By: Commissioner

Summary

This report sets out the improvement plan as recommended by the Project Board from the final report of the ‘Managing Demand’ Best Value Review (MDBVR) March 2003. It outlines financial implications and key actions to implement the recommendations to achieve the realisation of intended benefits. Members are invited to endorse the final report and improvement plan and approve the arrangements for implementation.

A. Recommendations

That:

1. members endorse the final report;
2. members approve the recommendations and improvements plan as set out in Appendix 1; and
3. members receive an update of progress towards the improvement plan every six months.

B. Supporting information

Background to report

1. The MDBVR formally commenced following approval of the Project Initiation Document by the MPA Planning, Performance and Review Committee on 16 September 2002. The accompanying report and improvement plan is the culmination of the work review.

2. This MDBVR has examined the MPS response to demand from the customer’s perspective. Daily, front line staff meet the public face-to-face. Sometimes they are frustrated about not being able to deliver the standards of service that people need and that they want to provide. This Review is designed to raise the status of front line staff and help them deliver a better quality of service to our customers.

3. The recommendations seek to transform the way the MPS delivers its services to the public by adopting a policing philosophy that is about ‘getting it right first time’. Resolving calls for assistance by ‘getting it right first time’ will improve public satisfaction with the MPS. It will also enhance efficiency thereby making more police resources available to respond to demand.

Principal benefits

4. The recommendations resulting from this review are intended to ensure continuous improvement in the management of demand by the MPS having regard to economy, efficiency and effectiveness. The key benefits anticipated are:

• Improving public reassurance by increasing the ease with which the public can access police services.
• Providing greater opportunities for the public to access police services.
• Reducing inappropriate demand for police services through better public understanding of the core role of the police.
• Increasing availability of patrol officers to tackle priority crimes and undertake reassurance patrols through the implementation of a corporate demand strategy.
• Improving quality of service by ensuring the appropriate deployment of officers, match of officer skills, robust supervision and clear operating procedures so that incidents are dealt with right first time.

Arrangements for implementation

5. The implementation of the identified improvements will be the responsibility of Territorial Policing (TP). Because of the close relationship between the MDBVR and the development of a new structure for managing operational activity on BOCUs the two projects will be joined and implementation will be the responsibility of Commander Broadhurst who has responsibility for patrol and C3i as senior user.

6. Two members of the Managing Demand Review team will join this Borough Operations Project thus providing a clear line of continuity and ownership for implementing the recommendations. A full implementation plan will be produced after the Review’s recommendations have been considered by the MPA.

7. Attached at Appendix 1 is the management summary from the final report and improvement plan that identifies anticipated benefits, costs and savings. It also outlines targets for each recommendation in improved performance measures, together with proposed timescales.

8. The full report (copies have been circulated to members of the committee – further copies available on the MPA website and on request).

C. Financial implications

The financial implications of the review’s recommendations are summarised and presented in more detail as part of the Improvement Plan included in Appendix 1.

D. Equality and diversity implications

1. Ensuring equality for all was of fundamental importance to this review. The areas subject to the review are at the heart of the way the police interact with all Londoners. The implications for ensuring equality were considered throughout the analysis of each of the four themes.

2. This was achieved through inclusive consultation to identify the views and the needs of the communities served by the MPS. Specifically, the review drew on recently conducted consultation with groups and organisations representing visible ethnic communities, the elderly, the disabled and the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities. In addition the review team also considered gender issues and the needs of young people.

3. The Independent Challenge Panel played a crucial role in critically appraising the review team’s consideration of equality. In addition the review team worked closely with the MPS Diversity Directorate, who were represented on the Project Board, as a source of advice and scrutiny.

4. As findings and recommendations emerged, the impact of these was assessed as to how they affected equality for all. In doing so the review team ensured that the statutory requirements of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 were fully met. The Review’s findings and recommendations were further examined by the Commission for Racial Equality, the Independent Advisory Group (IAG), the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender IAG and staff support associations.

E. Background papers

• All BVR papers held by Chief Superintendent David Morgan

F. Contact details

Report author: Chief Superintendent David Morgan

For more information contact:

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

Send an e-mail linking to this page

Feedback