Minutes - draft

Please note these minutes are currently draft and are subject to committee approval.

Minutes of the Planning, Performance & Review Committee of the Metropolitan Police Authority held on 12 May 2005 at 10 Dean Farrar Street, London, SW1H 0NY.

Present

Members

• Richard Sumray (Chair)
• Cindy Butts (Deputy Chair)
• Rachel Whittaker
• Reshard Auladin
• 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)
• Yvonne Peart (Committee Officer)

MPS officers

• DAC Richard Bryan (Planning and Performance)
• Cmdr Hitchcock (TPHQ)
• DAC Brian Paddick (TP)
• Cmdr Sue Akers (DPS)
• Lawrence Morris (Corporate Performance Analysis Unit)
• Cmdr Jim Smith (TPHQ)
• Cmdr Dave Johnston (SCD)
• David Chinchen (Head of Business Change)
• Ian McEwen (Head of RMB)

56. Apologies for absence

(Agenda item 1)

Apologies for absence were received from Lynne Featherstone and Richard Barnes.

56. Declarations of interests

(Agenda item 2)

No interests were declared.

57. Minutes: 17 March 2005

(Agenda item 3)

The Committee considered the minutes of the meeting held on 17 March 2005.

Resolved – That the minutes of the Planning, Performance and Review Committee held on 17 March be agreed and signed as a correct record.

58. Records Management BVR update

(Agenda item 4)

The Committee considered a report that confirmed the completion of improvement activity recommended following the Records Management Best Value Review (RMBVR). The report provided an update on progress. The MPS reported that a business case is being developed for the recommended implementation strategy for electronic document and record management. This will be presented to the appropriate MPA committee in December 2005. The Chair thanked the MPS for the work that they have done on this successful review.

Resolved – That

1. the wider range of information management improvement activity now led the Information Management Group in the Directorate of Information and governed within the Information Management Business Change Programme be noted.
2. the progress and direction of activity towards a corporate capability for the electronic management of records be noted; and
3. that benefit reports covering ongoing improvement activities are delivered to the existing Information Management Business Change Programme.

59. Best value review of managing demand

(Agenda item 5)

A report was received that provided an update on the Demand Management Best Value Review (DMBVR) implementation plan and the progress being made in delivering each of the recommendations and sought an overview of key volume crime indicators in each borough for the financial year to date i.e. April to 2004 January 2005.

Members enquired about the possibility of analysing data collected on the abandonment of calls to determine the waiting time before the caller hanged up. It was suggested that if analysis of this data showed that calls were abandoned after waiting for a reasonable amount of time, then a voicemail facility could be installed to inform of the expected waiting time.

The Chair thanked the MPS for this report and said that some of the highly important recommendations are starting to surface. PPRC will continue to have regular reviews of the recommendations to ensure that they continue to be developed to the needs of the public. The results of work being carried out on Patrol Supervision and single and double-crewed patrols are awaited.

Resolved – That

1. the proposed amendments to the original DMBVR recommendations be approved; and
2. five recommendations be agreed as completed.

60. Service Improvement Review of security clearance processes

(Agenda item 6)

Members received a report that set out the recommendations and improvement plans from the final report of the Service Improvement Review (SIR) of Security Clearance Processes (also known as vetting). The report outlined the key actions and financial implications of the SIR’s recommendations.

Members welcomed the amalgamation of the five units in the MPS involved with carrying out vetting. They felt that the review highlighted the need for reorganisation, the lack of clarity that exists and enables them to understand what is happening. Members are looking forward to the implementation of the review and the achievement of clarity. This will enable the vetting process to be controlled. Members asked that the new the process be communicated both internally and externally to secure confidence.

Resolved – That

1. the recommendation and improvement plan as set out in Appendix 1 be approved; and
2. the proposed arrangements for implementation in paragraphs 10 and 11 and Appendix 2 of this document be approved.

61. Crime and Disorder Partnerships

(Agenda item 7)

Members received a report that outlined the impact on Borough Operational Command Units (BOCUs) of Crime and Disorder Partnerships. The report included an update on progress made in the implementation of the recommendations contained within the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) Scrutiny, dealing specifically with those recommendations that pertain to the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS).

The MPS reported that the progress of partnership activity is being considered as part of the MPS Service Review. The Chair commented that there is a need to understand how the recent Government reshuffle would impact on CDRPs, in terms of the dynamics, role and community engagement. Members welcomed the introduction of a central unit, as this focus would enable good practice to be identified. Local Area Agreements need to be monitored more carefully and policies developed on how CDRPs relate to the community.

Resolved – That

1. the progress to date of the implementation of its recommendation as contained in the Scrutiny Report be noted;
2. the systems in place to ensure the ongoing implementation of the report's recommendations be noted; and
3. that a report be presented to a future committee which considers the implications of future crime and disorder funding being given through Local Strategic Partnerships and local authorities rather than direct to CDRPs and BOCUs as current.

61. Criminal Justice update

(Agenda item 8)

A report was received 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 the onus appears to be on the police service to find and produce CCTV evidence in court. It is often difficult to provide a format that the court can view because of its dated technology and this results in delays. CCTV evidence is currently used for the more serious cases. However, the growth of CCTV means that more work has to be done in this area and also a need to produce evidence locally. Members highlighted the need for police officers to be trained on disclosure requirements.

Resolved – That

1. the report be noted; and
2. an update report be presented to a future committee that includes the area of police presence in courts, what it is now and how it could improve; also to include statutory charging and the proportion of cases brought to justice using the lawyers at point of charge rather than police stations.

63. Performance report: financial year; April 2004 to March 2005

(Agenda item 9)

A report was received that provided an overview of performance for the financial year, i.e. April 2004 to March 2005. Where comparisons were made, these were against the corresponding period, last year, i.e. April 2003 to March 2004.

The MPS reported that gun crime across the MPS has decreased. However gun enabled crime has increased i.e. the use of guns to make threats. The Chair commented that this was a good performance year and the beginning of an increase in community confidence is evident as targets are being met.

Members were concerned with the apparent trend of the use of guns at a younger age in specific communities and areas. Members were also concerned with the gradual decline in performance figures for street crime and robbery. They asked the MPS to think the issues through strategically to determine what needs to done to prevent a continuous decline in street crime and robbery performance.

Resolved – That

1. the report be noted; and
2. a report be presented to a future committee that provides an update on the Rape Scrutiny; how Havens have operated in the last year; the issue of skills shortages around detectives; issues with rape detections raised in the report to May PPRC and the impact on rape Havens; and is there any development with the relationship to domestic violence.

64. Specialist Crime Directorate report

(Agenda item 10)

Members received a report that gave a summary of Specialists Crime Directorate’s performance against their key objectives from 1 April 2004 to 31 March 2005. The MPS reported that overall gun crime has decreased. The quality of investigations has had a positive impact on community reassurance. Robbery offences have seen a 5% increase but has shown a decrease in target boroughs.

Resolved – That

1. the report be noted; and
2. a report on asset recovery from the proceed of crime be presented to full Authority; to include how assets recovered will be distributed within the MPS.

65. A review of the National Crime Recording Standard

(Agenda item 11)

The Committee received a report that described activity that falls under the umbrella of the National Crime Recording Standard (NCRS) Action plan and updated members on the progress against the targets within the plan. Also considered in this report are the critical issues which impact directly on crime recording and MPS performance and the audit proposals for 2005/6.

The MPS reported that objective test 1 of the NCRS action plan is a check on how compliance is achieved. This performance management regime applies intense auditing coupled with training and supervision. The Chair commented that the driver for compliance with NCRS is to improve systems to ensure that we can improve our intelligence. A move to a crime recording structure would make the MPS more efficient.

Resolved – That

1. the report be noted; and
2. a report be presented to a future committee that provides information on the development of central crime recording, the large amount of checks and a strategic overview.

66. Response times

(Agenda item 12)

The Committee received a report that provided an update on the progress of the C3i implementation in respect to its capacity to deal with demand. It outlined the impact on response times and identified issues around demand management including access to the service provided by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS). 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 Lewisham and Southwark call centres are at different stages of implementation and this accounts for the difference in performance. Lewisham has seen a slight dip in performance, which is expected to rectify itself when the new working practices are fully understood. The improvements seen in Southwark due the use of Standard Operating Procedures should filter through to other boroughs as they come on line. The Chair said that he welcomed the focus being applied by the MPS to ensure that IT systems support the prompt response to the public's demand.

Resolved – That the report be noted.

67. Child Abuse Investigation Command - The Children Act 2004

(Agenda item 13)

Members considered a report that provided an update on implementing the Children Act 2004 and the current impact assessment for the MPS. The Chair said that it was important that the role of police and partnerships in safeguarding children be disseminated to boroughs and discussion in this area needs to be progressed.

Resolved – That the report be noted.

68. Faith – related Child Abuse and Child Trafficking

(Agenda item 14)

Members considered a report that provided an overview on the steps being taken to identify and reduce faith-related child abuse. It provided and update on activity to combat child trafficking as outlined in the report presented to this committee in November 2004, and provided an overview of current arrangements for dealing with forced marriage. The MPS reported that child trafficking is an economic crime as well as for the sex trade. To ensure that work with communities is progressed sensitively the MPS have engaged with IAGs to get advice on the use of language and dealing with stigmas.

The Chair said that it is clear that to safeguard children there is a need to engage communities. All places dealing with children should be registered and better use should be made of links in other countries.

Resolved – That the report be noted

69. Drug testing on charge for the MPS

(Agenda item 15)

This report informed members that the Drugs Intervention Programme (DIP) is a three year initiative introduced by the Home Office as part of the national drug strategy for reducing drug related crime. It targets drug-misusing offenders and divert them towards treatment at every stage of the criminal justice system. The MPS have DIP running in 21 of 32 Borough Command Units.

The MPS reported that it has improved from being one of the worst performing forces in Britain for drug testing compliance to now the joint best performing force. There has also been an improvement in the availability of treatment facilities. The MPS have secured government funding for the DIP programme until March 2007; securing funding past this date is a current issue for the MPS.

Resolved – That the report be noted

70. Planning product timetable

(Agenda item 16)

This report sets out the proposed timeline for the delivery of high level planning products for the planning process 2005/06. 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 the planning timetable pulls key dates together at an earlier stage to ensure that stakeholders are fully engaged in the planning process. The Chair agreed that the Annual Policing Plan should emerge from the Corporate Strategy and then adapted to the National Policing Plan.

Resolved – That

1. the proposed timeline for the delivery of the high level planning products during 2005/06 as shown in Appendix 1 be agreed;
2. the proposed planning products to be delivered at the PPRC meetings for 2005/06 contained within Appendix 2 be agreed; and
3. the proposed planning panel meeting dates contained within Appendix 3 be agreed.

The meeting closed at 4.45 p.m.

Send an e-mail linking to this page

Feedback