Front Counter Services Update

Report: 6
Date: 11 October 2007
By: Assistant Commissioner Territorial Policing on behalf of the Commissioner

Summary

This report provides an update to the progress of the MPS Front Counter project.

A. Recommendation

That:
1. members note the report; and

2. indicate their support for the progress to date and the future direction of the development of the project.

B. Supporting information

Background

1. MPS front counters represent the ‘shop window’ of our organisation and are key to our citizen-focus programme. It is here that a significant proportion of victims of crime and members of the community make contact with the MPS and frequently we are judged solely on the quality of the service they receive during this contact. It is the intention of the project to increase the provision of such services and move many of them into community-based settings.

2. The MPS has established its front counter services as one of six key priorities in its Citizen Focus Programme and in developing those services the MPS has adopted an approach that puts the citizen at the centre of the design, development and delivery of its new service provision.

The Vision

3. “MPS front counters will be located in a way that supports its Safer Neighbourhoods policing style and will make full use of the range of partnership opportunities. Staff working at the front counter will be valued and appropriately trained and supported. Working practices and systems employed will be customer focused, putting the requirements of individuals and communities first. Standards of core service will be published against which the performance of front counters will be measured and against which communities may hold the MPS to account.”

4. In developing its model of service delivery at front counters, the MPS recognises that these can be improved through:

• Better management of demand.
• Employing a variety of effective methods for communicating with customers.
• Appropriate use of shared resources with partners.
• Training and supervision of staff.
• Imaginative front counter design.

The new structure at police station front counters

5. The strategic intention is to modernise the current process of delivering front counter services to reflect a ‘citizen focused’ approach, by segregating the elements of enforcement, reception and victim focus to allow for a more appropriate approach to the needs of the public. Conflicts arise through the need to undertake reception, enforcement and victim focus functions within one station office. This segregation will allow for an enhanced service to all.

6. In the long term, it is the intention to have separate custody suites where access is governed by custody staff rather than have them in the same building as reception services. However, in the medium term, front counter customers will be segregated according to their reason for attending, i.e., enforcement or victim care/reception. Segregation will be by means of physical partitioning or by direct access to custody suites, governed by custody staff, for those reception areas that do not deal with enforcement functions.

7. The project aims to deliver an improved and highly visible service to local communities. The MPS estate modernisation programme will extend the number of front counter opportunities in keeping with the Safer Neighbourhoods programme. The creation of patrol bases, administrative and charge centres under the Estate Modernisation Programme will allow for the segregation of the many functions currently performed at front counters. The model for most boroughs would be to have a number of ‘Blue Lamp’ satellite sites to provide an enhanced service for victims, enquirers and witnesses, while services specifically related to the police enforcement role, e.g. persons surrendering to bail, are provided primarily by a central 24-hour ‘Blue Lamp’ principal site on each borough.

8. This model will include an infrastructure where the provision of police services can be accessed within the community through the use of IT and at community focus points such as community centres, mosques etc. These locally determined and advertised ‘Police Box’ contact points will supplement the corporate service provision and optimise the use of MPS Volunteers.

9. The model will be developed by piloting at boroughs before considering if, and to what extent, funding for further implementation may be sought. The feasibility of suitable sites is being considered currently. The project team have drawn up a design of the preferred model for front counters that takes into account the features of the concepts articulated in this report.

Front Counter staffing structure

10. Historically the delivery of quality policing services at front counters has been hampered by a reduction in the number of trained professional staff. The Station Reception Officers (SRO) have provided an excellent service but have not been adequately resourced. This position has changed in the last year with the introduction of the new Station Police Community Support Officer (SPCSO).

11. Front counter services will be delivered by extending the role of the Police Community Support Officers (PCSO) to the role of SRO thereby creating the new post of SPCSO. This will:

• release approximately 300 police officers from front counter duty for redeployment to front line policing duties;
• complement the principles of the role of the PCSO i.e. visibility and community reassurance;
• support the aims of the SN initiative; and
• improve and sustain the professionalisation of the role delivering front counter services.

12. Moving towards this will provide excellent developmental opportunities for those who are an SRO or PCSO now. It will also provide a level of flexibility within our workforce to ensure that we release police officers from the need to cover front counter services and complement the structure of SN Teams.

13. The MPS has set aside a Budgeted Workforce Target (BWT) of 500 SPCSOs. There are currently 230 SROs and 20 new SPCSOs. Recruitment to the role of SPCSO has recently moved externally with 130 successful candidates. It is anticipated that front counters will be up to the BWT by 2008.

14. In order to support the new role the project team have created a new Front Counter manual, utilised to develop a new training package to support the staff.

15. The role of SPCSO will still include an element of periodic patrol. During these periods, it is anticipated that they will attend contact points and volunteers who provide services through community settings. They would also provide visible presence in communities and be able to assist with wider SNT problem solving activities.

16. In the front counter environment, it is proposed to introduce the concept of a triage post. This person will be responsible for meeting the early needs of people when they arrive. It is felt that this post will be able maintain the reassurance that many citizens would expect from a police station whilst at the same time deal with many of the less onerous requests for assistance or, to simply schedule appointments for elsewhere on the borough.

17. The post of ‘triage’ will be included in the model for the two trial sites. This will enable the concept to be piloted and evaluate its effectiveness. Discussion is currently being conducted about the rank of the post and whether there is a role for the existing Station Reception Officers to apply.

18. Overlaid on this structure there would be a front counters manager who would have responsibility for all the front counters and staff. In turn, this manager would feed into an SMT member responsible for the quality and performance of the delivery of policing services on the borough.

Challenges resulting from the transition from Station Reception Officer (SRO) role to SPCSO role

19. Negotiations have been conducted since last year to agree the terms and conditions of existing SROs through the transition period. A final offer was made to the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) in the summer and this went to a ballot that rejected the offer. A further meeting is scheduled between the PCS and the negotiation team to resolve the impasse.

Developments proposed for front counter areas

20. The programme will build on other changes in accessibility and reassurance. CCC, TIB and e-systems are making services easier to access without the physical attendance at police buildings. Safer Neighbourhoods provide another level of access through local officers, surgeries, engagement activities, Ward Panels, street briefings and encounters. The new front counter will, within this framework, build upon opportunities provided.

21. A number of initiatives are seeking to modernise the provision of police services, utilising technology and reduce dependency on police services being delivered at front counters. Crime reporting is the most common and most time consuming function performed at front counters and greater use can be made of internet and ‘phone reporting, but only in appropriate cases. Work is underway to seek an alternative to the current methodology for investigating crime by station office staff whilst still retaining the quality of investigation and victim care.

22. The project team are in the process of researching the use of ‘kiosks’ that are currently in use in other forces. Kiosks are standpoint devices that provide information and signposting to other methods of service delivery. Ideally the team wish to develop a system where an inter active service would be provided to people that would link into existing IT systems. This part of the project is ongoing with colleagues in DOI. The new front counter design will include telephone and internet access.

Monitoring the impact of developments at front counters (measuring performance around improved service delivery), including ‘success’ indicators and planned evaluation methods

23. To measure any change in performance resulting from the front counter services project, performance indicators are being developed to benchmark current and future service delivery. To assist immediate improvement, the framework provides BOCUs with a menu of options and a self-assessment process. The framework also includes a mechanism for both Territorial Policing (TP) and Diversity and Citizen Focus (DCF) directorates to review and support performance of individual borough front counters. This framework was launched in spring of this year.

24. The MPS has built on the national performance framework - The Police Performance Assessment Framework (PPAF). PPAF contains the Statutory Performance Indicators (SPIs) relating to the customer satisfaction of victims of crime (including some victims of road traffic collisions). These surveys are conducted by ‘phone by an independent company every quarter. Performance Information Bureau (PIB) can distil results for those crimes reported at front counters.

25. Current statistics for overall satisfaction at MPS front counters for the first quarter 2007/08 was 85% and for 2006/7 86%.

26. To supplement the above data the framework draws upon data from DPS, Operation Asgard to assess the quality of investigations conducted at front counters and quality assurance visits by central teams.

27. To encourage performance improvement and monitor the impact of developments the MPS Front Counter performance framework was introduced. The present process is for the ACPO lead, Cdr Jarman, to hold scheduled meetings every quarter with selected BOCU performance leads. Each BOCU must nominate a member of their senior management team to fulfil this role. Where the review identifies deficiencies, the BOCU SMT lead is required to complete an action plan with time scales to address areas for improvement.

28. The first performance meeting was held between Harrow, Hackney and Waltham Forest and was chaired by Cdr Jarman. Scheduled for the end of September 2007, the next round of Crime Control Strategic Meetings (CCSM) will be conducted by Territorial Policing as a joint performance meeting with DCF to hold BOCU commanders to account in respect of front counter performance.

29. To support the narrow perspective of the PPAF data the MPS will enhance the survey data to include more customers than is presently being given by the national data. Funding has been set aside for this purpose in order to conduct further surveys to:

• Gauge the opinion of front counter callers other than victims of crime
• Gauge caller opinion of other aspects of service that are not covered by the SPIs and,
• Measure the footfall and the reason for visit thus helping us shape service delivery.
• In addition three BOCUs have been supplied with standpoint ‘touch screens’ (Lambeth, Camden and Barnet) to provide feedback data on the quality of service which can be automatically downloaded.

30. Application has been made for funding and activity by the MPS Inspectorate. The options range from subjective assessment, to document examination, to ‘mystery shopper’ experience of front counter services. Exact methodology is being discussed but ideally it would be capable of covering all BOCUs, twice yearly, the results to be published every other quarter by PIB with the quarterly front counter PIs.

Key Timescales

31. The project started in the summer 2006. The roll out of SPCSOs should reach the BWT by the end of 2008. The intention is to trial processes and the building design at two sites. There is a feasibility study on the two proposed trial sites being carried out by an external contractor that will report back in November 2007. The buildings work has yet to be scheduled, though it is estimated that this will be in the course of the next financial year.

32. The programme will continue to develop performance measures and achievement through the year but the longer term piece of work on building redesign, see below, needs careful planning and consideration.

Co-dependencies

33. The project is being programme managed with representation from HR, PS and DCF. The project team in turn are part of the Property for Policing Programme Board. The major connections with Safer Neighbourhoods, C3i, property modernisation and the PCSO role are considerable issues for the programme and ones that are being actively developed.

Citizen Focus programme of work

34. The Front Counter Programme is strategically linked to the wider MPS Citizen Focus Programme at board level including MPA representation on both programme boards.

C. RACE AND EQUALITY IMPACT

1. The implementation of the recommendations made in this report to make the role of the SRO a specialist role for PCSOs will enhance the career opportunities for police staff, SROs and PCSOs. As the role of SRO is particularly attractive to flexible workers, women and BME individuals, this should have a positive impact on PCSO recruitment.

2. The design of any new buildings will take account of the Disability Discrimination Act and use existing systems to provide the best possible levels of access and communication to all.

3. It is intended through greater use of volunteers and widening the ways in which services are delivered to improve accessibility. With this in mind, wide consultation is talking place with Independent Advisory Groups and Staff Associations to assess how best to improve service provision. This is being fed into an ongoing Equalities Impact Assessment that is seen as a key project within the programme.

D. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

1. The budget for the project is presently limited to financing a study into the feasibility of operating the model at development sites. Further funding will have to be re-applied for on conclusion of the feasibility study.

Buildings

2. As can be seen from the body of this report the front counter concept is being piloted at two sites. This brings about a difficulty in giving a detailed breakdown of costs for the MPS. Property Services (PS) is conducting feasibility studies in order to be in a position to provide detailed estimates. A rough order of magnitude of about £750k for the development sites has been provided by PS, however this is only indicative. Multiplying this up for a full roll out cost would increase the unreliability of this figure and would miss out on what is already set aside under the Estate Strategy. However, these figures provide a scope within which to work for low change buildings (such as Camden) and high change buildings (such as Colindale). This provides us with a figure of between £4m and £11m for an MPS wide roll out.

3. However, some buildings would not undergo conversion, as they would be replaced in accordance with the Estates Buildings Strategy.

IT Installations

4. DoI estimate approximately £80K per BOCU, however not all of this is new money as much of it will be redirection of current resources and therefore this figure can not be used for an assessment of MPS wide costs.

Appendix 1 - Generic front counter

E. Background papers

Generic plan of new MPS Front Counter model - appendix 1

F. Contact details

Report author:  Nick Jupp, Front Office Services Project, TPHQ, MPS.

For more information contact:

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

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