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 13 December 2007 at 10 Dean Farrar Street, London, SW1H 0NY.

Present

Members

• Richard Sumray (Chair)
• Karim Murji (Deputy Chair)
• Tony Arbour (items 1-5, 7 & 9)
• Reshard Auladin
•  Faith Boardman

MPA officers

• Siobhan Coldwell (Interim Assistant Chief Executive)
• Elizabeth Orsborn (Management Accountant)
• Jane Owen (Head of Performance and Review) (item 7 and 9)
• Ruth Hastings Iqball (Committee Officer)

MPS officers

• Angela Emery, (Lead, Strategic Planning)
• Reg Hooke (Det Supt, Performance Directorate)
• Worth Houghton (Performance Directorate)
• Craig Mitchell (Supt, Performance Unit, TP)
• Adrian Rabôt, Supt, Safer Neighbourhoods Unit)
• Richard Riley (Director, Strategy and Modernisation)
• Betsy Stanko (Strategic Research Unit)
• Martin Stevens (Safer Neighbourhoods)
• Mark Thomson (Director, Business Support, SCD)
• David Way (Det Supt., Emerald-Criminal Justice, TP)
• John Yates (AC, Operational Services)

30. Apologies for absence

(Agenda item 1)

Apologies were received from Rose Fitzpatrick (DAC, Territorial Policing) and Mark Simmons (Commander, Criminal Justice).

31. Declarations of interests

(Agenda item 2)

No declarations of interest were received.

32. Minutes of the Planning, Performance and Review committee: 11 October 2007

(Agenda item 3)

RESOLVED - That the minutes of the meetings held on 11 October 2007 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

33. Corporate performance report: Financial year to date: April - October 2007

(Agenda item 4)

This item was considered after item 9. The Committee received a report providing an overview of MPS performance for the period April to October 2008. It included an overview of performance with respect to the critical 12 high level indicators and information on performance in respect of other indicators and targets. In introducing the report, the Det Superintendent, Performance Directorate, noted that gun enabled crime statistics at present included incidents involving pepper spray and CS gas, however the Home Office was considering changing this definition. The Chair stated that if this happened, it needed to be made transparent in future performance reports.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

34. Operational services management information

(Agenda item 5)

The AC, Operational Services, introduced a report outlining the measures employed to demonstrate performance across the new Operational Services business group. He asked if this was the type of report the committee would like to see in the future. Members agreed that it was, noting that greater detail on the Professional Standards Directorate was already provided to the Professional Standards and Complaints Committee. The Chair added that it would be helpful to concentrate on one aspect of performance in each report and that the report contain more diversity information. A member also suggested the addition of comparison with the performance of other police services.

Having received reports on the Central Communications Command (CCC) in the past, members asked if the issues in relation to staffing had been resolved. They also noted that there had been an increase in satisfaction in how 999 calls were handled, and asked if this was matched by similar satisfaction in the response to other calls. The AC said staffing issues were being resolved, noting that when the CCC was formed there had been 350 differing staff rosters to align. He added in 2008, 999 calls would no longer be transferred to New Scotland Yard at peak time, a change not without risk, but the situation would be monitored. The AC stated that his Directorate did not monitor the satisfaction rates in response to non 999 calls, but this question was included in public satisfaction surveys. He added that this was an area of performance that the Service was trying to improve, through cultural change within the MPS.

RESOLVED – That

1. the suitability of the format of the report for the presentation of performance across the Operational Services business group be considered; and

2. the report be noted.

35. Specialist crime directorate management information

(Agenda item 6)

This report provided a summary of the Specialist Crime Directorate’s performance against its key objectives from April 2007 to October 2007. The Chair asked how long traces of ‘SmartWater’ could be detected. He was told it was five months. He suggested that the MPS needed to maintain its capability to deal with online child abuse and not hand this type of investigation entirely over to the Child Exploitation Online Protection (CEOP) Centre.

It was requested that future reports contain more information on the value of actual assets of criminal networks seized as opposed to the assets identified by court order, the reversal of the sanction detection rate for Operations Trafalgar, homicide rates and drug performance. A briefing note was requested on why Trident offences has decreased in Southwark and increased in Waltham Forest.

RESOLVED – That

1. The report be noted;

2. future reports contain more information on the areas outlined above; and

3. a briefing note be received on why Trident offences has decreased in Southwark and increased in Waltham Forest.

36. Safer neighbourhoods update

(Agenda item 7)

This report was received after agenda item 3. It built upon the report presented to the Committee in March 2007 and provided an update on some key aspects of the MPS Safer Neighbourhoods programme, including improvements made to the Safer Neighbourhood Performance Framework; details of Safer Neighbourhood performance to date; details of good practice and areas for improvement, and how these were disseminated; the impact and effectiveness of Safer Neighbourhoods; and an explanation of how Safer Neighbourhood Panels operate.

It was suggested that members be given a seminar on the research programme adopted by the MPS Strategic Research Unit (SRU), based upon in-depth analysis of MPS corporate surveys, the Public Attitude Survey and the Safer Neighbourhoods Survey, as well as bespoke qualitative research. The Chair agreed, suggesting it might be given to all members, possibly at the next Committee meeting. He also suggested the seminar might consider the impact of Safer Neighbourhood policing on different communities in London and its impact on engagement in counter terrorism.

Members asked about the ‘Scotland Yard effect’ and the differing public perception of safety during the day and at night-time safety. It was suggested the latter had not been changed because Safer Neighbourhood teams did not work in the evening. Members were informed that over 30% PCSOs worked during the late evening. The Chair requested that this issue be covered in greater detail in the next report on Safer Neighbourhood policing.

Members asked about the ‘Problem Resolution In Multi-agency Environments’ (PRIME) computer application, used in Hampshire Constabulary, that the MPS was considering using. They were informed that the MPS was trying to reduce the use of paper in problem solving. Problems and solutions could be tracked on the application and shared across Safer Neighbourhood teams and with partners. The application would piloted in two boroughs.

RESOLVED – That

1. The report be noted; and

2. a seminar be arranged on the research programme adopted by the MPS Strategic Research Unit (SRU),

37. Every child matters implementation update

(Agenda item 8)

Members received a report providing them with details of the work undertaken by the MPS Every Child Matters (ECM) Programme Board, the MPS position in delivering the ECM change agenda against the MPA benchmark and the development of work on public protection desks, safe recruiting processes, ICT systems and engagement with Local Safeguarding Children Boards.

The Chair stated that an impressive amount had been achieved; however he was concerned to ensure there was good coordination between SCD5 and the boroughs when investigating child abuse cases.. It was noted that the MPS was ahead of other police services in its approach to ECM implementation.

RESOLVED – That the report be considered against the MPA ECM benchmark and that the work being undertaken by the Every Child Matters Programme Board be supported.

38. Business and planning update

(Agenda item 9)

This report was considered after agenda item 7. It provided an overview of the 2008-09 performance framework for the MPS, including draft targets and indicators, the impact on the MPS planning cycle and current MPS activity. The report provided members with an update on the Government’s new performance framework and how it related to MPS strategy and performance processes, notably Critical Performance Areas (CPAs) and MPS-wide objectives. The report also provides members with an overview of the financial and legal implications for the MPA/MPS arising from LAA processes, and discussed other tactical and operational implications. The report had been circulated to members with less than five clear working days’ notice, however Chair agreed to receive it as an urgent item under the provisions of section 100B (4b) of the Local Government Act 1972 as it provided important information. He added that the Planning Panel would need to meet in early January to consider the report further.

The Director, Strategy and Modernisation, stated that the twelve headline critical performance areas (CPAs) proposed but not yet been signed off by the MPS’s Management Board. He added that the Deputy Commissioner had suggested to the Home Office that a seminar be held on Local Area Agreements (LAAs) as it had not properly considered the implications of the changes proposed. Questions were asked as to how members could contribute to the LAA process. The Chair proposed that members be part of Local Strategic Partnerships (LSPs). It was noted that there was insufficient time to consult locally, and this should be remedied next year.

Members asked about Territorial Policing's (TP) variable targets and how these would fit into consultation at borough level. They were informed that TP was looking at how the processes would fit. Members also asked about targets in relation to drugs, as Londoner’s felt drugs were a particular problem even if that were not the case. They were told it was a difficult area around which to put measurable performance targets, and after consideration the sanctioned detection of supply of class A drugs had been proposed, although this did not address local perception of drug supply.

RESOLVED – That

1. the implications of the Government’s new performance framework on the MPA/MPS, particularly around LAAs be considered;

2. the draft CPAs for 2008-09 be considered;

3. the joint work of TP, Finance and Planning to develop an integrated planning and performance process that aligns with Government’s new performance framework be noted;

4. the MPA/MPS continue to review and develop the business planning process; and

5. a meeting of the Planning Panel be held.

39. Criminal justice update

(Agenda item 10)

This report provided members with 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 Chair noted that he had specifically asked that the report contain information on borough sanction detection rates. He also noted that full business case for Integrated Prosecution Teams needed to be made to the MPA. He added that the financial issues in relation to virtual courts had to be addressed properly before that business case was approved.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

The meeting finished at 3.40 pm.
 

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