Minutes

Minutes of the Planning, Performance & Review Committee of the Metropolitan Police Authority held on 9 September 2004 at 10 Dean Farrar Street, London, SW1H 0NY.

Present

Members

• Richard Sumray (Chair)
• Cindy Butts (Deputy Chair)
• Reshard Auladin
• Rachel Whittaker
• Lynne Featherstone
• Karim Murji

MPA officers

• David Riddle (Deputy Clerk)
• Jane Owen (Head of Planning and Performance)
• Siobhan Coldwell (Head of Scrutiny and Review)
• Elizabeth Turner (Treasury)
• John May (Community Engagement)
• Yvonne Peart (Committee Officer)

MPS officers

• DAC Richard Bryan (Planning and Performance)
• DAC Steve House (Territorial Policing)
• T/Cmdr Simon Bray (Specialist Crime)
• Mark Benbow, (Operation Emerald CJ)
• John Zlotnicki (MPS Corporate Planning)
• Helen Dean (Head of Performance Information Bureau Development Unit)
• Lawrence Morris (Corporate Performance Analysis Unit)

Part 1

1. Apologies for absence

(Agenda item 1)

None received

2. Declarations of interest

(Agenda item 2)

No interests were declared.

3. Minutes of the Planning, Performance and Review Committee– 12 July 2004

(Agenda item 3)

The Committee considered the minutes of the meeting held on 12 July 2004.

Resolved – That the minutes of the Planning, Performance and Review Committee held on 12 July 2004 be agreed and signed as a correct record.

4. Criminal justice update

(Agenda item 4)

The Committee considered a report that provided an update on the work being carried out by the Department of Criminal Justice with the ultimate aim of bringing more offences to justice.

The MPS reported that Case Progression Units are now in place and that statutory charging on boroughs is expected to go live on 4 October 2004 provided that the minimum requirements are met.

NSPIS will be implemented in April 2006 and will enable files to be transported electronically and will also be compatible with the courts IT systems. The MPS expressed concern that CPS would still require two hard copy files in addition to the electronic files and this would add to their workload.

The targets for ‘Offences Brought to Justice’ were achieved last financial year and are expected to be achieved next year.

The Chair was disappointed with the figures for ineffective trials; however, he acknowledged that the figures were largely impacted by the failure of witnesses to attend court and the issues around data collection. The MPS reported that the role-out of pre-trial reviews over the next 18 months is expected to positively impact on the figures

In response to members’ questions, the MPS reported that they could not be confident that the monitoring undertaken on street bail includes ethnicity issues. The Chair requested that the equality and diversity implications of street bail are addressed in future reports to this Committee.

The Chair reported that the Authority has received an invitation to sit on the London Criminal Justice Board and the Authority would approve formal membership. He would propose that Reshard Auladin and he be nominated to this post.

Members asked the MPS to enquire why car rental companies can obtain particulars of a person’s driving licence quicker than the courts can acquire them.

Resolved – That

1. the report be noted; and
2. a briefing note on CPUs is provided to all members that would also enable the new members of this Committee to establish background information.

5. Borough performance report

(Agenda item 5)

The Committee considered a report that provided an overview of key volume crime indicators in each borough for the financial year to date i.e. April to July 2004 compared to April to July 2003.

This report was circulated with less than five working days notice, under the provisions of Section 100B 4b) of the Local Government Act 1972. The Chair acknowledged that the report had not been circulated within statutory timescales but agreed to accept the report as urgent as relevant information within it was only recently received and he considered it necessary for members to consider this information as part of the report.

Members noted that so far this financial year there has been a reduction in MPS performance figures for total notifiable offences; robbery; residential burglary and motor vehicle crime. The report provided an explanation for those boroughs that did not achieve a reduction in these areas.

The MPS reported that street crime is no longer used as a measure of performance and that robbery is now used as a measure in its place.

Members suggested that an MPS analysis of the impact of Crime Disorder and Reduction Partnerships (CDRPs) that looks at synergies and best practice should be included in the borough performance reports to this Committee.

Resolved – That

1. the report be noted; and
2. a report be presented to a future Committee that provides more detailed information on the changes that have taken place in boroughs and the impact that this has on performance and the management action taken on both good and poor performance.

6. July 2004 performance report

(Agenda item 6)

Members considered a report that gave a summary of MPS performance against policing plan objectives for 2004-5.

The MPS reported that there has been a reduction in total notifiable offences; residential burglary; motor vehicle crime; and robbery. Gun enabled crime had remained within expected limits. There has been a slight increase in the performance figures for violent crime that was explained as being the result of more accurate recording of crime enabling more crime to be picked up, although on the streets the level of violent crime has remained constant.

The Chair expressed concern that information has not yet been received on the public satisfaction survey and that the targets under citizens focus have not been set for the areas identified.

The Chair requested that members of this Committee are provided with a note that explains both the changes to baseline and the Home Office definitions.

Resolved – That the report be noted.

7. The frontline policing measure

(Agenda item 7)

A report was considered that briefed members on the Home Office policing measure developed to support the achievement of Public Sector Agreement (PSA) 2. Police authorities must set targets for this measure by 30 September 2004.

The MPS reported that they were assessed at 66.6% in the provisional baseline assessment that was carried out by the Home Office on 30 forces. The national average is 63%.

The MPS reported that a decision had not been taken on whether a provisional target will be set for the Home Office policing measure through to 2007/8. Consideration would be given to using the GT planning and the Operational Policing Measure (OPM) as a proxy for the policing measure that is required. The OPM and the Home Office policing measure are not consistent and the Home Office measure is not a good measure of visibility.

The MPS reported that they propose to do an activity analysis in the form a two- week snapshot to identify the barriers to increased visibility.

Resolved – That

1. the report be noted; and
2. an up to date assessment of both the OPM and the Home Office policing measure is presented to the full Authority to enable members to make a decision on how the issues surrounding the policing measures should be progressed.

8. National Crime Recording Standard update (NCRS)

(Agenda item 8)

The Committee considered a report that provided an update on the current position with implementing the National Crime Recording Standard with the MPS.

The MPS reported that a large amount of training would be required in order to address the NCRS issues, which result from the complexities of the Home Office system; counting rules and from 20,000 people inputting data.

The Chair acknowledged the training issues related to NCRS and suggested that the MPS seriously consider centralisation as an option for change. He also said that the requirements to address this issue should be indicated on the action plan.

Resolved – That the report be noted.

9. Specialist Crime Directorate Management information

(Agenda item 9)

Members received a report that provided a summary of Specialist Crime Directorates (SCD) performance against their key objectives from April to June 2004.

The MPS reported that a meeting to discuss best practice with all Borough Commanders took place on 9 September 2004.

It was reported that gun crime accounts for 25% of the crime rate for SCD. Detection rates for SCD are at 40% and Trident and Trafalgar account for 33% and 40% respectively. There were 28 homicides in July 2003 and 14 in July 2004.

Members were also informed that 14% of the £20 m criminal assets retained by the MPS has been allocated by the courts to the businesses affected by crime.

Resolved – That

1. the report be noted; and
2. a further report be presented to a future Committee that provides information on the timeliness of forensics.

10. Detection rates

(Agenda item 10)

The Committee received a report that compared MPS performance on detections (clearups) between July 2003 and July 2004 and set it in the longer historic perspective since April 2000, described recording practices and outlined how good practice on improving detections is being shared.

This report was circulated with less than five working days notice, under the provisions of Section 100B 4b) of the Local Government Act 1972. The Chair acknowledged that the report had not been circulated within statutory timescales but agreed to accept the report as urgent as relevant information within it was only recently received and he considered it necessary for members to consider this information as part of the report.

The MPS reported that Operation Asgard is a feature of good practice.

The Chair warned that the MPS should be cautious about presenting figures as a percentage of a percentage. He noted that the report begins to address what is happening with detection rates and suggested that more comparisons and contrasting are applied to achieve a greater understanding of how the MPS compares with other forces.

The Chair confirmed his awareness of the sensitivities surrounding detection rates and undertook to handle this whilst seeking to establish a course that would support transparency of this issue.

Resolved – That the report be noted.

11. HMIC best value review inspections

(Agenda item 11)

The Committee received a report that summarised the findings of HMIC’s inspections of the best value reviews of Bringing Offenders to Justice and Managing Demand and presents a response to the recommendations for change.

Members discussed the findings of HMIC’s inspections of the best value reviews and accepted the criticisms of PPRC’s oversight of the implementation of the recommendations. Members considered that in order to ensure the MPS deliver improvements they require clear objectives for the reviews and more insight into the process leading to the recommendations.

Resolved – That the actions suggested in response to HMIC’s recommendations be approved.

12. Service improvement review of security clearance

(Agenda item 12)

The Committee considered a report that outlined the Project Initiation Document (PID) for the Service Improvement Review of Security Clearance Processes.

The MPS reported that the project board had agreed the PID and that it had also been agreed to manage reviews within shorter timescales. In response to members’ questions on the financial implications and cost benefits of the review it was advised that it would take 150 days of consultants time and that the consultants would identify options for dealing with the issues highlighted from the review.

The Chair commenting on the PID and referring to section ‘2.1 Objectives’, said that it should state ‘the improvements to be made within existing budgets’, as members would expect the MPS to look at achieving the improvements within existing budget before consideration is given to an increase in resources.

The Chair reported that following the recommendations of the Bichard Report, information sharing between the MPS and other forces should be more linked and the cost of the delay of passing on intelligence should be reduced.

Resolved – That members approve the Project Initiation Document (PID) for the Service Improvement Review of Security Clearance Processes.

13. Outcomes of MPA & MPS consultation for the 2005/06 policing plan and priorities

(Agenda item 13)

The Committee considered a report that draws on a review of several major studies of citizen and business thoughts and concerns relating to police operational priorities and service delivery. It presented some of the recent finding arising from the public consultations on policing priorities.

The MPA reported that more work is required to refine the findings arising from the public consultations on policing priorities to get more clarity on what the public desire. The public considered the policing priorities from four aspects: local; London; what they do and how they do it.

Members were informed that the findings would be used as background to the Commissioners Conference and will inform the debate.

Members reported that the Planning Panel had done some detailed work on the setting up of a citizen panel and were concerned that the work of this panel may not be taken forward to the policing plan. Members also stressed that it was important to communicate how the comments of the citizen panel are taken forward.

The Chair highlighted the importance of feedback and said that it was important that further consideration is given to how we refine and develop the feedback and how it is built into the policing plan.

Resolved – That

1. the report be forwarded to the Commissioner’s Conference to inform the preparation of the policing plan 2005/06;
2. that the MPS, in consultation with officers of the MPA, report to the next meeting of the Community Engagement Committee on the action taken to embed a citizen focused approach to policing and the role of the Citizen Focus Champion; and
3. that the MPS undertake further analysis of both the quantitative and qualitative data from the consultation processes that relate to specific operational areas and report back to the Community Engagement Committee and PPRC on the processes and results of tracking the consequent required actions.

14. Policing and Performance Plan 2005/06

(Agenda item 14)

The Committee considered a report that sets out the proposed planning process for the production of 2005/6 policing and performance plan.

The MPS reported that they are reviewing the 10 control strategies in the existing policing plan to ensure they align with Business Group planning, corporate planning and the National Intelligence Model (NIM).

Impact assessments would be carried out to identify the race and diversity implications.

Resolved – That the policing plan timeline given at appendix 1 of the report is agreed for production of the 2005/6 policing and performance plan.

15. Lead member roles

(Agenda item 15)

The Committee considered a report that asked committees to appoint their lead member positions. These will be subject to confirmation by the full Authority at its 28 October meeting.

Members agreed the following appointments subject to the formal agreement of the Authority.

• Quality of response: Lynne Featherstone
• Child Protection: Richard Sumray

In addition, it was agreed that Reshard Auladin would withdraw from the performance group of PPAF and that Best Value is deleted as a lead member role.

Resolved – That the report be noted.

Meeting closed at 16:45 pm

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