Planning, Performance and Review Committee annual report 2004/05

Report: 14
Date: 14 July 2005
By: Clerk and Chief Executive

Summary

This is the annual report for the Planning, Performance and Review Committee (PPRC) for the year July 2004 to March 2005. It describes the main projects, topics considered and achievements of the committee for the year. This report will be a key input in the Authority’s overall Annual Report. Attached at Appendix 1 is 2004-05 performance data.

A. Recommendations

That the Committee agrees the draft 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) responsibilities 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.

2. These duties are carried out in accordance with equal opportunities and equalities legislation. The PPRC positively promotes the Authority’s commitment to equalities and diversity.

3. Detailed below are the main achievements and areas of work for the PPRC from July 2003 to March 2004. These are detailed in four main sections: planning, performance, review and criminal justice issues.

Review and scrutiny

4. During 2004/05, the committee continued its role in respect of service improvement reviews (best value).

5. The committee approved the final report and implementation plan from the service improvement review of custody capacity. This review recommended the development of a long-term strategy aimed at transforming custody in the MPS and meet long-term demand for custody facilities by providing some 600 additional and replacement cells in units benefiting from modern design standards. The recommendations also included:

• The establishment of a custody command within Territorial Policing (TP) HQ to provide corporate management of MPS custody capacity, including development of strategic partnerships with other agencies.
• A variety of service improvement proposals for this command to take forward in the short and medium-term. These recognise the need to make best use of existing facilities during the lead times required to develop new facilities.

6. During 2004/05, the committee approved the scope of a review of security clearance processes. The subsequent final report and its implementation plan were also approved. The review was promoted by concerns that the time taken to vet potential employees was affecting the effectiveness of the organisation. The review found a number of problems with the service being delivered including:

• a lack of customer focus in the service delivered
• poor communication
• duplication of activities
• lengthy checks on people who have backgrounds outside the UK.

7. An implementation plan has been drawn up to address the problems identified in the report. It is envisaged that implementation of this plan will enable the MPS to:

• adopt a more flexible approach to vetting where practical and more rigorous where prudent
• gain benefits from a more streamlined vetting structure
• ensure that equality for all is mainstreamed into the vetting process. ?

8. The committee also approved the scope of a further service improvement reviews: providing security guarding of MPS premises.

9. The committee continued to monitor the implementation of service improvement and best value reviews of Operational Support Policing and Managing Demand. It also received confirmation that the implementation of the recommendations of the Crime Management and Records Management best value reviews is complete.

10. The committee received reports on the findings of two Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) best value inspections, Managing Demand and Bringing Offenders to Justice. The inspectors judged that both services were fair. However, they felt that both services had uncertain prospects for improvement as the implementation plans had failed to provide a driver for substantial change. Since the inspections were completed, the MPA and MPS have put systems in place aimed at addressing the concerns raised by HMIC.

11. PPRC has continued to monitor the implementation of the recommendations made to the MPA and the MPS by its CDRP scrutiny. Progress has been good, for instance:

• training given to police officers on partnership working has improved
• a central team has been established in TPHQ to provide support and guidance to BOCUs on CDRPs
• corporate monitoring functions have been developed as has corporate oversight of partnership allocated funding, through this central team

12. The committee has also received reports at each meeting summarising the findings of HMIC ‘Going Local’ inspections of the BOCUs in the MPS. The inspection findings have been generally positive particularly about the BOCUs’ ability to work in partnership with other agencies. However, there have been concerns about performance management and demand management in most of the reports. During 2005/06, the committee has stated that it wishes to look at the overall benefits that have been delivered by the ‘Going Local’ programme.

13. Due to the announcement of the Service Review instigated by the new Commissioner in February 2005, the committee has deferred the approval of a programme of reviews for 2005/06.

Performance

14. The MPS met 15 of the 22 targets for 2004/2005. Significant improvements were achieved against detection targets, specifically detection rates for TNOs, Rape, Robbery and Domestic Violence. Gun crime also showed a significant reduction in crime of 8% against a reduction target of 4%.

15. Other targets achieved include

• Drug trafficking organisations disrupted 12 per annum, 25 achieved
• Organised criminal networks disrupted: 2 per month target - 3.4 per month achieved
• Arrests of subjects identified by Child Protection teams: target 3.3 per month, 3.4 per month achieved
• Terrorist scenes managed to a good/very good standard - 97% performance achieved against 90% target.
• Assets recovered from criminal networks: £21.5 million, against £8 million target (£14m seizure in July 2004)
• Detection rate for Gun enabled crime: 24% against 20% target
• Homophobic crime detection rate: 32.3% against 26% target
• Detection rate for racist crime 26% target exceeded at 34.5%

16. Targets not achieved include

• Satisfaction with neighbourhood policing: 48.7% against 55% target
• Police Visibility: 3.1% increase against 5% target
• Racist crime victims satisfied with police performance: 58.7% against 70% target
• Arrest warrants outstanding: 13,745 against 13,124 target
• Robbery reduction: 4% reduction against 11% target
• Response to terror scenes: 78% against 100% target
• Detections in child murder cases: 67% against 85% target

17. At the end of March 2005, the MPS recorded a number of reductions in crime. These included

• Total notifiable offences are down overall by 4.3%
• TNO (excluding police reported offences) have fallen by 5.3%
• Residential burglary is falling, down 7.2%
• Robbery has declined overall by 4.0%
• Motor vehicle crime is falling; down 15.8%
• Gun enabled crime has decreased by 7.9%
• Homicides are down by 7.6%
• Fatalities on the road have dropped; down by 16.6%

18. However:

• Violent Crime is rising; up by 6.2%

19 The MPA policing plan targets for 2005-06 will continue to challenge the MPS performance throughout the coming financial year, with particular emphasis on detection and sanction detection rates.

Improvements to Performance Reporting

20. Following consultation between the MPS and MPA, the performance report now includes all statutory indicators as well as those indicators deemed important by TP, SO and SCD. The report uses a traffic light system to highlight good and poor performance against the previous period. The readability of the report has significantly improved leading to better understanding of the information at hand.

Planning Cycle

21. The improvement to the planning cycle has continued through work undertaken to ensure a better fit with the financial cycle and stronger links with the MPA through PPRC and the Planning Panel.

22. The MPA worked closely with the MPS to ensure that the priorities and targets set at a local Borough and Business Group level met the needs of the MPA corporate priorities and targets. The lead officer ensured that the PPRC views were continuously promoted throughout the planning process through the MPS Planning Process Board, Planning Groups. The lead officer also attended the TP Star Chamber, providing guidance and advice in the demanding process of agreeing and setting the borough level policing plan targets for 2005-06. This was the first year of involvement at this level with all parties agreeing that process would continue for the next cycle.

23. The PPRC provided further guidance though the Planning Panel, allowing members to meet with MPS officers and staff outside of the two-monthly PPRC meetings.

24. The Policing Plan document was reviewed to make it easier to read and to remove duplication. The earlier and continuous engagement between the MPA and the MPS enabled the Policing Plan to be completed ahead of schedule.

Reporting and Monitoring

25. PPRC continued to closely monitor child protection issues throughout the year, including those raised by the Child Protection Act 2004. Additional reports were received on a wide range of issues including:

• Child Trafficking
• Drug testing on charge
• Alcohol related violent crime
• Knife enabled crime
• Detections

Safer School Partnership

26. The MPA recommended an evaluation of the Safer School Partnership programme, which was completed by KPMG on 29 November 2004. The KPMG report recognised the work that needed to be achieved to progress the Safer School Partnerships to a stage where performance can be measured. The MPS are in the process of formulating a performance framework, in partnership with KPMG/Crime Concern, which will address the effectiveness of SSP.

Criminal Justice

27. The committee continued to receive reports on criminal justice at each of its meetings. This included information from the London Criminal Justice Board, tasked by the National Criminal Justice Board to improve performance of the whole system in London. The MPA through the PPRC Chair became a member of the London Criminal Justice Board during the year.

Among other things, the committee monitored the rollout of statutory charging and witness care units. It assessed performance especially in respect of offenders brought to justice and ineffective trials. It addressed other issues including the work of Operation Emerald and the Effective Trial Management Programme.

C. Race and equality impact

This is intended as a factual report on the work of the Planning, Performance and Review Committee.

D. Financial implications

None

E. Background papers

• Management Summary of the Service Improvement Review of Operational Support Policing – previously circulated.
• HMIC Best Value Review Inspection Report dated December 2004.

F. Contact details

Report authors: Siobhan Coldwell and Jane Owen

For more information contact:

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

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