Minutes

Minutes of the Planning, Performance & Review Committee of the Metropolitan Police Authority held on 4 November 2004 at 10 Dean Farrar Street, London, SW1H 0NY.

Present

Members

• Richard Sumray (Chair)
• Richard Barnes
• Reshard Auladin
• Rachel Whittaker
• Lynne Featherstone
• Karim Murji

MPA officers

• David Riddle (Deputy Clerk)
• Jane Owen (Head of Planning and Performance)
• Gemma Walters (Planning and Performance)
• Elizabeth Turner (Treasury)
• Nick Baker (Head of Committee Officer)

MPS officers

• DAC Richard Bryan (Planning and Performance)
• DAC Brian Paddick (DAC Susanna Becks (Specialist Crime)
• Commander Alfred Hitchcock (TP)
• John Zlotnicki (MPS Corporate Planning)
• Mark Benson DCS Op Emerald JC
• Lawrence Morris (Corporate Performance Analysis Unit)

Part 1

16. Apologies for absence

(Agenda item 1)

Apologies for absence were received from Cindy Butts (Deputy Chair), Siobhan Coldwell (Head of Scrutiny & Review) and DAC Steve House (Territorial Policing).

17. Declarations of interest

(Agenda item 2)

No interests were declared.

18. Minutes: 8 September 2004

(Agenda item 3)

The Committee considered the minutes of the meeting held on 8 September 2004.

Resolved – That the minutes of the Planning, Performance and Review Committee held on 8 September 2004 be agreed and signed as a correct record.

19. 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 report outlined the work being undertaken in the criminal justice field including: a series of five-day courses for case progression units’ supervisors; an update on victim and witness care, including the establishment of a witness care unit at the centralised traffic justice unit and confirmation that CPS lawyers at the point of charge were now based in all boroughs. Regarding CPS lawyers at the point of charge, it was noted that migration to the statutory scheme on the provisional date of 31 October 2004, for police priority areas had taken place.

Confirmation was given that discussions on co-location of probation staff and witness care units were on-going with the Probation Service.

It was reported that regarding the National Strategy for Police Information Systems (NSPIS), a pilot scheme in Newham had been undertaken and that the case and custody are both operating as a live NSPIS site. As part of the review process, a initial work on training needs analysis was being undertaken and the internal consultancy group were conducting an independent review of the pilot. Three issues that need to be resolved before the MPS can rollout case and custody: automatic generation of arrest/summons number; important failures arising from the use of ‘quick address’; and electronic transfer of files to the CPS. It was noted that technical solutions were likely to be available to these issues by early 2005, with short-term fixes in the meantime. However, members were informed that the issue of the CPS acceptance of electronic files had not been resolved. Discussions on this issue were ongoing.

In response to members, the MPS confirmed that the roll out of NSPIS could be supported financially by PITO and the Home Office up to March 2008.

With regard to members concern about the OBTJ figures not being able to be compared to previous performance because of the incorporation of penalty notices particularly for theft and criminal damage and cannabis warnings, the MPS undertook to monitor the level of OBTJs removing PNDs and cannabis warnings against a comparable period last year and will report this information in future reports.

Members acknowledged that the figures presented in the report relating to street bail and ethnicity, indicated that there was no disproportionality at this time.

The Chair requested that future reports should present offences brought to justice in more consistent way, he also requested that in future reports more thought be given to the race and diversity impact section of the report.

Resolved – That the report be noted; and

20. Performance report – April to August 2004

(Agenda item 5)

A report was received that provided an overview of performance for the financial year i.e. April to August 2004 and that made comparisons between the same period in 2003.

In response to members disappointment in the rise in the number of recorded violent crimes and an explanation on how figures were being calculated was given. It was noted that the new process of recording a crime and the increase in positive action being taken by police officer, particularly against offences in town centres had contributed to the increase in violent crime.

Following a request from members, future reports would be more specific in relation to crimes involving the use of knives, this would also include information of work being undertaken by the MPS in association with other agencies.

The Chair requested that future performance reports include an outturn for 2003-04 and that data be presented in a ‘like for like format’, with all targets being transparent.

Resolved – That the report be noted

21. CDRP borough performance report

(Agenda item 6)

Members received a report that outlined the impact of Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships (CDRPs) on borough performance. The report also outlined how the MPS manages that performance and highlighted best practice.

Members welcomed the format of the report and confirmation was given that the MPS, whilst being acknowledged as being unique due to its size etc., compared with other police authorities, for performance purposes comparisons with similar police forces were made.

It was noted that the figures did not include figures for September. The MPS undertook to ensure that future performance reports were up to date to avoid them from being misleading.

Resolved – that

1. the report be noted and the progress made to date be endorsed; and
2. the separate, but overlapping responsibilities of the MPS, Government Office for London (GOL) and the Home Office in relation to performance monitoring within CDRPs members be noted

22. Special operations – management information

(Agenda item 7)

Members received a report that gave a summary of Specialist Operations Command performance against its objectives from August to September 2004.

In presenting the report, DAC Susanna Becks requested that the MPS thanks to Richard Barnes be noted for his support and contribution in recent discussions with SO19 colleagues.

In welcoming the report, members requested that future data should include the impact of Section 44 stops in the work special operations. Members were also informed that due to forthcoming ceremonial and state events, there would be an increase in future figures. The MPS noted members requested that future information on special operations, include a fuller definition of each branch (i.e. SO16 Diplomatic Protection Group)

Members also noted and welcomed the success of the SO13 ‘hotline’ in reporting potential incidents.

Richard Sumray requested that an explanation where targets had been amended was necessary and should be included in future reports, i.e. the 12-minute response rate for SO16 Embassy Warning System is now set at 6 minutes.

Resolved – That report be noted.

23. Child protection

(Agenda item 8)

A report was received that gave details on the six monthly review of the control strategy with particular focus on child trafficking.

In presenting the report, the MPS highlighted concern at the increase in the number of children migrating to London and in particular the resource implications this and other associated human trafficking issues the MPS were having to deal with.

Members acknowledge the increase in trafficking issues and subsequent resource implications. It was agreed that there was an urgent need for more joined up working between all agencies especially Immigration in respect of asylum applications at Lunar House (i.e. MPS/MPA, Home Office, Immigration Service, local authorities etc), particularly aiming at prevention issues.

Resolved – That

1. the current focus of actively be endorsed; and
2. further work be undertaken with other agencies into the prevention of and safeguarding children migrating to London and be reported to a future meeting

24. Targets for improving neighbourhood safety and improving the efficiency of the Criminal Justice System

(Agenda item 9)

The Committee received a report that recommended targets for the MPA objectives for improving neighbourhood safety and improving the MPS contribution to the effectiveness of the criminal justice system.

An explanation was given by the MPS on the decision not to set percentage targets for this year and confirmation that the questions used in the survey were those used in the British Crime Survey.

Members agreed the recommended objectives 7 and 9, as outlined in the report, and agreed that the approach to setting targets and the development of targets for 2005/06 be reviewed by the Committee.

Resolved – That

1. the approach to setting a target that measures achievement of year on year improvement as measured by MPS corporate surveys in the following be endorsed for this year
   1. public assessment of police ‘doing a goods job’ in the local area;
   2. proportion of the public that feels that crime and anti-social behaviour has decreased in their area; and
   3. victims’ satisfaction with their experience of contact with police; and
2. the performance targets for 2004/05 Policing Plan for Objective 7 ‘improving neighbourhood safety’ (as given at paragraph 7 of the report), and objective 9 (as given at paragraph 12 of the report) ‘improving MPS contribution to the effectiveness of the criminal justice system be agreed for this year

25. HMIC going local inspection programme 2002-03

(Agenda item 10)

Following a five-year nationwide inspection programme undertaken by Her majesty’s inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) of all Borough Command Units in England and Wales, members received a report that identified common themes and key issues arising from these inspections. The report also outlined an update on the status of the action plans and identified any barriers to the implementation of recommendations.

Members were informed that the Committee were required to consider the outcomes of inspections on regular basis and should have been receiving regular updates. As this had not been happening, a backlog had now occurred and the Committee would need to resolve this in its next series of meetings.

Arising from the discussion members raised concerns at the number of inspections and that many inspections report often excluded positive findings. Members suggested that these issues needed to be raised with HMIC

Resolved – That the report be noted.

26. Records Management Best Value Review (RMBVR) implementation update

(Agenda item 11)

The Committee received a report that summarised the progress towards achieving the improvements in records and information management as detailed in the records management Best Value Review (RMBVR). The report also gave details of progress since the commencement of the Implementation Plan in September 2002 and also summarised the benefits and costs against those predicted in the Improvement Plan. Proposals to change two areas of actively forming part of the original RMBVR recommendations were also suggested.

In relation to this matter the Chair requested that a further report be commissioned that took account of the impact of freedom of information.

Resolved - That

1. the costs and realised benefits arising from the implementation of the recommendations be noted;
2. members approve the revisions to recommendations 5 and 7 of the RMBVR as detailed in this report; and
3. receive reports on the remaining benefits arising from the RMBVR Improvement Plan at six monthly intervals.

27. Developing of control strategies for inclusion in the 2005/2006 policing and performance plan

(Agenda item 12)

Members considered a report that outlined proposals for the development of control strategies for inclusion in the 2005/06 Policing and Performance Plan.

Arising from the discussion members highlighted several areas for further development and these were:

• consideration of separating robbery from other subject areas;
• ‘citizen focus’ to read ‘customer focus’;
• child abuse to be a high priority;
• consideration of stop and search implications as a such area
• ‘citizen focus’ and ‘demand management’ be combined
• ‘violence/alcohol’ to read ‘violence’ and for alcohol to be a sub-section

Resolved – That subject to members’ comments, the Committee note the activity arising from the Corporate Strategic Assessment and the results of consultation.

The meeting closed at 12:30 p.m.

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