PPRC annual report

Report: 09
Date: 10 Jul 2003
By: Clerk

Summary

This report provides the annual report for the Planning, Performance and Review Committee (PPRC) for the year July 2002 to June 2003. It describes the main projects, topics considered and achievements of the committee for the year. This paper will also be provided to the Full Authority meeting of 24 July 2003 and will be a key input in the Authority’s overall Annual Report.

A. Recommendations

That the Committee agrees the annual report for PPRC for presentation to Full Authority and/ or suggest any additional areas or changes required.

B. Supporting information

Introduction

1. The Planning, Performance and Review Committee (PPRC) was formed in July 2002 following the restructuring of MPA committees. The PPRC took the performance monitoring responsibilities from the previous Professional Standards and Performance Management Committee, and the planning and best value responsibilities from the previous Finance, Planning and Best Value Committee.

2. The responsibilities of PPRC include: monitoring performance against targets; overseeing the development of annual and corporate plans, including the setting of targets; advising the Authority on targets to be set in annual and corporate plans; scrutinising areas of performance; discharging the Authority’s responsibilities as a best value authority (including the overseeing of best value or service improvement projects) and monitoring MPS performance in the context of the criminal justice system as a whole.

3. In carrying out these duties the PPRC has due regard to equal opportunities and equalities legislation and positively promotes the Authority’s commitment to equalities and diversity.

4. Detailed below are the main achievements and areas of work for the PPRC from July 2002 to June 2003. These are detailed in four main sections: planning, performance, review and criminal justice issues.

Planning

National plan

5. The Home Office published the first National Policing Plan in November 2002. PPRC has considered the National Policing Plan and has ensured that the 2 year strategy and 2003/04 Policing and Performance Plan have been consistent with and have had due regard to the National Plan.

2003-2005 Strategy Plan

6. Following the publication of a strategic framework for the MPS, Towards the Safest City, and the National Policing Plan, the PPRC, through its sub-group the Planning Panel, oversaw the production of the 2 year strategy – Towards the Safest City – The Strategy. This was published at the end of March 2003 and sets out five goals for the MPS over the next few years:

• Developing safer communities
• Securing the capital against terrorism
• Revitalising the criminal justice system
• Developing a professional workforce
• Reforming the delivery of policing services

7. The strategy also includes plans of how these goals will be achieved, key initiatives for each goal, annual objectives and targets for each goal and links to the National Policing Plan. PPRC has been responsible for ensuring that the strategy meets the needs and statutory responsibilities of the Authority, before final agreement to the strategy by the Full Authority.

2003/4 Policing and Performance Plan

8. The Planning Panel sub-group of PPRC also had oversight of the 2003/4 Policing and Performance Plan. PPRC was responsible for ensuring the development of priorities, objectives and targets for the plan, balancing the needs of members, results of community consultation, requirements in the National Policing Plan and professional judgement from the MPS senior management team.

9. Four priorities for Londoners were agreed:

• In partnership, to promote safer communities for Londoners
• Securing the capital against terrorism
• To improve the quality of service to vulnerable victim groups
• In partnership, to revitalise the criminal justice system

These have 16 associated objectives, with measures and targets.

10. Four priorities for MPS internal excellence were also agreed:

• To expand our approach to include all aspects of diversity
• To manage the demands on the MPS more effectively
• To make best use of our staff and resources
• To develop a strategic analytical capability in the MPS

These have 11 associated objectives, with measures and targets.

11. PPRC members had detailed input in the priorities, objectives and targets as they were developed, before agreement at the Full Authority. The final draft plan was presented to and agreed by the Full Authority in February 2003, and published in March 2003. The plan can be viewed on the MPA website. A summary of the plan is also available.

Audit of the 2002/3 Policing and Performance Plan

12. Each year the District Audit carries out an audit of the Annual Policing and Performance Plan. PPRC received the audit report for the 2002/3 plan. This contained no statutory recommendations but a number of non-statutory recommendations were made. In May 2003, PPRC received an implementation plan from the MPS detailing how these recommendations will be actioned and will continue to monitor progress.

Performance

Monitoring of policing plan targets

13. PPRC is responsible for monitoring performance against annual policing plan targets. It has received a performance report at every meeting during the year and has asked for more detail and in-depth reports into any areas where performance has caused concern or where more information was required by members.

14. A 2002/3 summary performance report was received in May 2003, with a more detailed report to be presented in July 2003. Of the 22 targets set in 2002/3 by the MPA for the MPS to achieve, 13 were achieved, 8 were not achieved and one was not applicable for monitoring during the year. This represents a considerable improvement on the 2001/2 performance.

15. Those targets achieved included reductions in street crime, burglary and autocrime and an increase in judicial disposals for burglary. Judicial disposal rates were also achieved in all four targets set for vulnerable victims: racist crime, homophobic crime; domestic violence; and rape. Four of the five targets set aimed at tackling youth offending were also met.

16. However, it was not all good news. None of the targets measured though customer and public surveys were met, with fear of crime rising, satisfaction with patrol levels falling slightly and satisfaction of victims of racist crime falling. Judicial disposal rate targets for street crime and autocrime were not met, however, the street crime rate improved on the previous year.

In-depth reports performance reports

17. During the last year the PPRC has received a number of more in-depth reports on performance detailing areas such as differences in borough performance, reporting on success of initiatives, new initiatives planned and factors influencing performance. Subjects considered in performance reports included:

• Street crime
• Burglary
• Autocrime
• Human trafficking and immigration crime
• Rape – including implementation plans for a scrutiny carried out into rape investigation and victim care by the committee in 2001/2
• Drugs
• Customer satisfaction
• Child protection
• Domestic violence
• Gun crime

18. Considering performance in these areas helps members of PPRC understand the issues of performance in greater depth. It also helps concentrate MPS management focus on areas of concern and interest to the authority and helps the authority make judgements about future years’ targets. PPRC also identifies any areas of concerning performance through its overall view of policing plan targets and refers these on to other committees where appropriate.

19. Performance reports over the last year have prompted PPRC to carry out a scrutiny into Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships, discussed below, and have highlighted areas where members, on behalf of Londoners, have specifically requested targets to be set, for example human trafficking which members also ensured became a priority for the 2003/4 policing plan.

20. Additionally, PPRC has started to look in greater depth at specialist crime and specialist operations departments. It now receives a bi-monthly report on overall performance indicators and more in-depth reports on individual units.

21. A number of members of PPRC have become interested in areas covered by the in-depth reports and have carried out research and held meetings to understand the issues in greater depth. In particular, members have become Authority leads or have developed a key interest in areas such as child protection, customer satisfaction and access to services and criminal justice issues.

CDRP scrutiny

22. At its meeting in February 2002 the former PSPM committee decided that Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships (CDRPs) would be the topic of the next scrutiny. The scrutiny started in March 2002 and was completed in early 2003. A cross-committee panel of 8 members, co-chaired by Cindy Butts and Richard Sumray, lead the project, supported by the planning and performance unit. Members of the panel were required to put significant time and effort into the scrutiny.

23. The scrutiny focused on the MPS contribution to CDRPs, assessing its strengths and weaknesses and looking at examples of good practice. In addition, the Police Reform Act 2002 made police authorities in England and Wales statutory partner in CDRPs. Hence the scrutiny also looked at how best the MPA could usefully fulfil its new role, from April 2003 onward.

24. Oral and written evidence was collected from a wide range of people, MPS officers, CDRP partners, researchers, and other pan-London organisations involved in the field of CDRPs. Based on the evidence collected, 35 recommendations were made, which aimed to raise the standard of the MPS contribution to CDRPs and to set up the framework of the MPA engagement in CDRPs. These recommendations were agreed by the Full Authority in its January and February 2003 meetings.

25. PPRC is the lead committee to monitor the implementation of the recommendations made on planning and performance issues. As such, it requests MPS and MPA updates on the progress being made toward the implementation of these recommendations every six months.

26. An implementation plan detailing how the MPS is taking forward the recommendations made was presented to PPRC in May 2003. An update on the MPA current and future arrangements to implement its statutory role was also provided.

Review

27. In January 2003 PPRC approved the final report for the bringing offenders to justice best value review. This review proposed a number of significant changes to improve the handling and charging of prisoners, the quality of case files and the care given to victims and witnesses. The review also recommended setting up a central criminal justice command unit – this recommendation was implemented quickly and the unit is now responsible for implementing the review.

28. A best value review of managing demand was initiated and delivered between July 2002 and May 2003. The final report proposed improvements to the way the public interact with the police through front counters, the internet and by telephone, as well as exploring one stop shops and mobile stations in more depth. Changes to the management of response in terms of an effective crewing policy, improving standards of supervision, new call grading protocols and a review of shift patterns were also accepted by the committee.

29. PPRC has also monitored the progress of previous reviews, receiving regular implementation plans for the records and crime management reviews. Reviews of training and retention were overseen by Human Resources Committee during the relevant period.

30. In January PPRC chose to take advantage of the relaxation in the statutory requirement to carry out best value reviews of all services over a five year period by reassessing the review programme and process. As a result members decided that only two reviews a year would be carried out, and that subjects for review would be proposed by MPS Management Board on an annual basis. This process allows the MPA to respond to issues arising during the year and carry out focused reviews in areas where members wish to see improvement. In addition the review process has been redesigned to deliver shorter, less bureaucratic reviews led by MPS consultants to release police officers for other duties.

31. In order to signify the change ‘best value’ has been rebranded. The two subjects chosen for the new ‘service improvement review’ process in 2003/04 are operational support policing and staff deployment. The project initiation document for the first of these reviews is due to be presented to members in July 2003.

32. Building on changes to the process of best value review (see above) the committee has started a dialogue with the MPS plus external inspectors / auditors about the need to improve the overall regime of audit, inspection and review. There is some concern that, although the amount of activity concerned is substantial, independent decision-making leads to overlap and a risk that areas which ought to be looked at in detail are overlooked.

Criminal justice

33. The white paper on criminal justice – Justice for All was published in July 2002. PPRC members oversaw the MPA response to the white paper and co-ordinated with the MPS in providing their response. The white paper and subsequent bills have set out key changes required to the criminal justice system, many of which are being implemented in London and monitored by the committee.

34. During 2002 members of the committee oversaw a fundamental review of the way in which offenders were brought to justice by the MPS. This major exercise, undertaken on the MPA’s behalf by the MPS, led to twelve recommendations. These were approved in January 2003 and are now being implemented. They include:

• introducing dedicated teams to process prisoners quickly and effectively and help release police officers back to operational duty;
• introducing dedicated resources to improve the support and advice given to victims and witnesses of crime;
• introducing professional lawyers ‘at the point of charge’ to help ensure criminal cases are robust and less likely to fail on (e.g.) technicalities.

35. The committee believes these developments represent major steps forward and lead members are actively monitoring progress and delivery of benefits.

36. A national framework of ‘local criminal justice boards’ has been set up by the government to provide local opportunities for key organisations to coordinate work to improve performance (e.g. by delivering a 6% increase in the number of offenders brought to justice). Lead members of the committee have been actively engaged in this development and, via negotiation, ensured that recommendations from the MPA’s own review (see above) were reflected in the work of the London board.

Challenges for the coming year

37. The above report shows the work of the Planning, Performance and Review Committee over the past year. The committee faces many challenges for the coming year in each of these areas and in criminal justice.

38. The committee will need to oversee the development of the 2004/5 plan, ensuring it meets the strategy and addressing how it will be co-ordinated with local Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships. Early in 2004 the committee will also have to look towards the production of the next 3 year strategy.

39. Monitoring policing performance will be a challenging area over the next year. The Home Office is working on its Policing Performance Assessment Framework, some of which will be developed for 2004/5 and is due to publish a second set of Performance Monitors later this year. PPRC will need to monitor how the MPS performs compared with other large forces and also to see how these developments impact on the MPA’s policing plan and strategy.

40. The committee will also need to oversee the change to service improvement reviews and concentrate on the reviews of operations support policing and staff development to ensure the process meets the Authority’s requirements.

41. Finally, criminal justice issues will be a very challenging area for the committee to monitor and influence change. The new local criminal justice boards are in place and the committee will need to work with these to set targets and monitor MPS performance. Significant changes are also taking place in the MPS, as outlined.

C. Equality and diversity implications

The committee has ensured that all reports it has received during the year contain equalities and diversity implications. Some of these are significant, such as performance monitoring in areas of crimes against vulnerable victims, human trafficking, drugs and customer satisfaction. Criminal justice issues have also included a number of diversity implications, highlighting the need to provide equality of service for victims and offenders. Equality and diversity implications are detailed in individual reports.

The committee also ensured that it contributed to the accomplishment of the MPA duties under the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000. Any areas of concern identified with regard to race discrimination were reported to the Equal Opportunities and Diversity Board and followed up.

D. Financial implications

Similarly, each committee report gives details of the financial implications. In terms of planning and performance, the setting targets overseen by the committee will impact greatly on the budget submissions and spending by the MPS during the year to meet performance targets. Best value reviews all contain a number of recommendations aimed at improving efficiency and often providing savings. To improve the criminal justice system has required review and significant expenditure in areas such as joint relocation with the Crown Prosecution Service and the development of victim and witness focus desks.

E. Background papers

None

F. Contact details

Report author: Johanna Gillians

For more information contact:

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

Send an e-mail linking to this page

Feedback