Planning and targets update

Report: 13
Date: 16 January 2007
By: Director of Strategy Modernisation and Performance Directorate for the Commissioner

Summary

The business plan submission to the Mayor and GLA was agreed by Management Board and the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) Full Authority in November 2006. The business plan is now in the process of being refocused to form the Annual Policing Plan, suitable for the public and other stakeholders.

This report outlines the progress on the development of the 2007/08 Annual Policing Plan, including an update on the development of the high level objectives, measures and targets that underpin the operational corporate priorities for 2007/2008.

A. Recommendation

That

1. members note the progress on the development of the Annual Policing Plan; and
2. provide feedback on the proposed high-level objectives and developing measures and targets contained within this report.

B. Supporting information

Integrated Business/Financial Planning Framework

1. The integrated business/financial planning framework reflects a developing process which aims to ensure that resource decisions are driven by strategic priorities and business need.

2. The 2007/08 business planning process required every business group to write a business plan that outlined their main activities and demonstrated how these supported the strategic priorities and outcomes. They were also expected to align their financial and human resources to their delivery plan.

3. One of the outputs of this planning process is the three-year corporate business plan, which outlines what the MPA/MPS plans to deliver in support of the priorities, together with the resources required. This includes a high-level 2007/08 delivery plan for which objectives, measures and targets for 2007/08 are being progressed.

The corporate business plan

4. The corporate business plan has three main purposes:

• To set out how the strategic priorities contained within the corporate strategy will be delivered over the next three years, and how business groups will contribute to their achievement
• To ensure the content of the plan meets the requirements of the business plan submission to the Mayor. This includes the financial projections (e.g. clearly identified increases in the base budget, including major initiatives and service improvements, expected changes to the funding base and efficiency savings)
• To present to the public and other stakeholders how the corporate strategy will improve service delivery to Londoners, meets their needs and demonstrates that taxpayers’ money is being appropriately spent.

5. The 2007/08 corporate business plan formed the budget submission to the Mayor in November, and was agreed by MPS Management Board on the 17 October. The high level delivery plan for 2007/08, aligned to the strategic priorities, was included within the business plan, seen by members at a joint PPRC/Finance Committee in November, as well as Full Authority in November and December 2006.

6. The corporate business plan was positively received by members at the Full Authority in December, who felt that the document was a step in the right direction. Members felt that future plans should demonstrate stronger links between finance and strategic priorities and objectives.

7. In order for the document to be suitable for an external audience, the business plan is now being refocused to form the Annual Policing Plan, to be published on the 31 March 2007. Members will be asked to provide feedback on the draft Annual Policing Plan at the PPRC 14 February and to agree the final product, following amendments, at MPA Full Authority on 22 February.

8. The business planning process continues to evolve and will be further developed in subsequent years to achieve its aims. In view of the need to commence planning for next year’s budget round it is essential that lessons learnt from the current round are identified quickly. A ‘lessons learnt’ paper was presented to Management Board on 9 January, the outcome of which will be shared with members.

Development of the strategic objectives, measures and targets

9. This is the second year of the 3-year Policing London Strategy, agreed by the MPA Full Authority in September 2005, which has set the direction, strategies and priorities for 2006-09. The priorities are:

• Citizen Focus
• Counter Terrorism, Security & Protection
• Safer Neighbourhoods
• Criminal Networks
• Capital City Policing
• Information Quality and Access
• Together

10. It has been agreed by both MPS Management Board and the MPA that these strategic priorities will remain the same for 2007/08.

11. As it has been agreed that the Policing London Strategy will remain the same, the objectives measures and targets were not expected to change significantly. The operational objectives, measures and targets are in the process of being reviewed and have been revised as appropriate to reflect the progress made in working towards our objectives and the need for improvements in performance and service delivery.

Critical performance areas (Super 13)

12. During 2006/07, the MPA and MPS identified 13 Critical Performance Areas (CPAs) for improving performance using the Policing Performance Assessment Framework (PPAF) scores and the Public Service Agreements. The areas agreed by Management Board on the 31 January 2006 as the critical focus for improved delivery are set out within Appendix 1. Additionally, Appendix 2 provides a short context and commentary on why they were included.

13. Again, the CPAs are not expected to change significantly for 2007/08, as the strategy has remained the same and there is no definite information from the Home Office regarding changes from PPAF to Assessments of Policing And Community Safety (APACS) for 2007/08. A meeting with key stakeholders regarding concerns with APACS is scheduled with the Home Office early in 2007.

14. Management Board has discussed a preliminary draft of the CPAs, and as a result, Performance Directorate is continuing the process of examining them. Management Board considered the resulting product on 9 January, and a subsequent proposal will be put to members for feedback at PPRC in February.

15. Appendix 3 contains the draft objectives, measures and targets (where available) in relation to all of the operational corporate priorities. As with 2006/07, it is proposed that the remaining Police Performance Assessment Framework (PPAF)/Public Service Agreement (PSA) measures continue to be closely monitored during 2007/08. This approach will again mean that there are fewer targets in the Annual Policing Plan than in previous years (i.e. those in Appendix 1), thus enabling the MPS to focus activity on the key critical focus areas.

16. All CPAs will have a member of Management Board accountable for delivery, and the performance of the MPS in these areas will be reported to the MPA PPRC meeting for scrutiny by members. These will need to be reviewed in light of the recent changes to the membership of Management Board. A proposal for Management Board leads was taken to Management Board on 9 January and will be submitted to the MPA in February.

17. Citizen Focus, Information Quality and Access and Together have work that is included within the Met Modernisation Programme (MMP), and are included within the 2007/08 delivery plan within the Annual Policing Plan. These are included at Appendix 4.

Territorial Policing: variable target setting process 2007/08

18. Following the success of last year's variable target setting (VTS) process Territorial Policing will use a broadly similar approach to facilitate local BOCU target setting in relation to the basket of ten PSA 1 comparator crimes. The ten crimes include personal robbery, theft from person, theft from a motor vehicle, theft of a motor vehicle, interfering and tampering with a motor vehicle, criminal damage, wounding, common assault, theft of pedal cycle and residential burglary. The MPS has a four-year target to achieve a 19.4% reduction by the end of March 2008 and a current, one-year target of a 6.3% reduction.

19. TP will focus its performance management framework around the CPAs ('Super 13') agreed by Management Board and the MPA in May 2006. TP lead on ten of these measures, and co-lead on one other (gun crime) with SCD.

Focus of improvement

20. In 2007/08, subject to review TP will focus on personal robbery, more serious violence and theft from motor vehicle. Theft from motor vehicle is the only crime type within the basket to be showing an increase in 2006/07. This will be taken into account when setting the next control strategy.

21. TP will continue to build on the success of Safer Neighbourhood Teams (SNTs) with a view to further reducing anti-social behaviour and disorder. SNTs have already played a significant role in building trust and confidence and in increasing local satisfaction.

Next steps

22. An update paper on the Annual Policing Plan and the objectives, measures and targets will be presented to MPA Full Authority on 25 January.

23. The draft Annual Policing Plan will be presented to members at PPRC on 14 February for comment.

24. An updated draft Annual Policing Plan and revised measures and targets as appropriate, will then be submitted to the MPA Full Authority on 22 February 2007.

25. The 2007/08 budget process continues. The MPS has submitted an initial budget submission to the GLA, which has a budget deficit of £16m. This figures could still be changed as individual growth or savings items needing to be revised due to more up-to-date information becoming available or from the additional financial pressures identified above (or others not currently known about) when the details become clearer. The funding shortfall will be managed corporately as part of the continuing work by the MPS to manage the overall budget gap and will be reflected in the business plan at a later date.

26. The budget savings proposed have been scrutinised for their effect on operational performance.

C. Race and equality impact

There are no issues directly impacting on race and equality in this paper, although there are equality considerations within the business plan, particularly in relation to service delivery and diversity of the workforce.

D. Financial implications

There are no specific financial implications arising from this report, although the way in which MPS finances are aligned to delivering the strategic priorities forms the basis for the integrated strategic/financial-planning framework as described in paragraph 1.

E. Background papers

None

F. Contact details

Report author: Angela Emery, Met Modernisation Programme, MPS

For more information contact:

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

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