Territorial Policing planning 2004/05 - process and miscellaneous issues

Report: 4b
Date: 12 February 2004
By: Commissioner

Summary

This report is in response to a number of enquiries raised by members regarding TP planning. It outlines the TP business group approach to planning for 2004/05, links to Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships, the position of visibility within the TP / Corporate plan and a summary of the nature of local objectives set by boroughs.

A. Recommendations

That the report be noted and any matters arising highlighted.

B. Supporting information

The TP planning process 2004/05

1. Development of the planning process within TP has been ongoing for sometime and has included the following:

• The establishment of a community of TP Planners
• The ongoing development of ‘competency’ in planning
• Facilitating the communication of ‘good practice’ across TP and,
• Developing a TP programme of work

2. In 2004/05 TP Strategic Development Unit sought to address the following issues within an amended TP planning process:

• General understanding of the theory of planning
• Integration of the National Intelligence Model
• Integration of the planning products with PDR processes
• Costing policing plans based on the Activity Based Costing model
• Introduction of the concept of risk management within plans
• A move to Public Service Agreement definitions of crime
• Preparations for Police Performance Assessment Framework
• A fully variable target setting process

3. The variable target setting process has had the following characteristics:

• Locally proposed targets aggregated to establish corporate targets
• Across all TP objectives and targets
• Grounded in local NIM strategic assessments
• Linkage to local objectives (CDRP’s) through ‘Neighbourhood Safety’
• Quality Assured through a reporting process and TP Star Chamber
• Making London Safer – victimisation rates and PSA target links (where the public are more at risk the targets are higher)
• Enhanced ownership, motivation to perform and integration of corporate / business group and local objectives

4. TP have developed an ‘Excel based’ planning tool that spreads the good practice identified from previous planning rounds e.g. planning activities against the MPS Policing Model, facilitates links to PDR and begins the development of costing policing plans.

5. Additionally, boroughs and pan London units have been provided with a standard format for the subsequent productions of their local policing plan.

6. A significant quantity of guidance material has been developed by TP that has outlined the process of planning at a business group and borough / pan London unit level.

7. All of the activity referred to above is ongoing and developmental in nature. TP hopes both to benefit from better quality plans this year as well as to learn from the process they are going through and establish a planning programme of work to build upon what has already been achieved.

Visibility

8. TP has included a visibility objective within its plan for 2004/05. Discussions are ongoing regarding target setting.

Links to Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships (CDRPs)

9. Links to local Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership priorities and objectives have been established through the planning process suggested by TP. Boroughs and pan London units have planned this year not only in terms of the corporate objectives and key business group objectives but also with regard to ‘Neighbourhood Safety’ which is underpinned by local planning and is ‘bottom up’ in nature.

10. In planning against this priority boroughs have been asked to consider Crime and Disorder Partnership objectives, the National Reassurance project and the content of their National Intelligence Model local strategic assessment. Guidance to TP units has indicated that where the local strategic assessment highlights an issue not accounted for by the corporate objectives and pertinent to the CDRP strategy then it would be expected that this would be reflected in the unit plan either as a local objective or an activity that underpins ‘Neighbourhood Safety’.

11. A TP special interest group site on the MPS Intranet has augmented this paper-based guidance, allowing updates re planning assumptions etc. to be fed to borough planners.

12. Consequently, the local issues raised via CDRP Strategies should figure more prominently in unit plans because of the ‘Neighbourhood Safety’ planning approach and the reinforcement effect of the adoption of the National Intelligence Model.

Borough local objectives

13. All boroughs have submitted their proposed local objectives to TPHQ and a quality assurance process is being put in place to address issues of consistency, objective framing and target setting. Link Commanders are being provided with a summary briefing of issues raised as a result of an initial analysis of the proposed targets, along with copies of their boroughs submissions.

14. Separately, TPHQ is examining the issue of ‘gun enabled crime’ and ensuring that all boroughs that they would expect to, have set an objective and target, that this is consistent with the approach of the Specialist Crime Directorate and consistent with the Gun Crime Strategy.

15. At present an analysis of the proposed local objectives would show that all boroughs have set objectives around anti social behaviour. The nature of these objectives differ due to local circumstances, examples of which include objectives framed to address:

• Youth Disorder
• Violent Disorder
• Drugs supply / Crack Houses
• Graffiti
• Abandoned Vehicles
• Youth Offending
• Increasing ASBO’s
• Increasing ABC’s
• Rough Sleepers
• Beggars
• Increased Mediation Referrals

16. A full copy of the proposed local objectives (pre quality assurance) has been lodged in the member’s room.

C. Equality and diversity implications

There are numerous equality and diversity implications associated with the subject matter and scope of this report. The TP contribution and approach to diversity is reflected in Objective 9 of the corporate priorities.

D. Financial implications

There are no specific financial implications relating to this report, although the development of the objectives and targets will determine in broad terms how the MPS proposes to use its resources in the coming year.

E. Background papers

Copies of the following documents will be deposited in the members room and provide further details of the issues referred to within this report.

1. TPHQ Guide to Planning Process 2004/05 (Part One) – This is an introductory document that gives an overview to planning, the links to the National Intelligence Model (NIM), introduces the variable target setting process and outlines the business group and borough / plan London unit processes for planning in 2004/05.
2. TPHQ Variable Target Setting Process – This document outlines more fully the process for variable target setting for 2004/05 and explains harmonisation with Public Service Agreements.
3. TPHQ Guide to Planning Process for 2004/05 (Part 2) – This document builds upon the earlier guidance document by clarifying the relationship between NIM and planning, introduces the TP Planning Tool and costing. It also makes reference to risk management and the planning of enabling programmes.
4. Borough Local Objectives (Proposed)

F. Contact details

Report author: Chief Inspector Steve Deehan, Territorial Planning Unit, MPS.

For more information contact:

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

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