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 14 February 2008 at 10 Dean Farrar Street, London, SW1H 0NY.

Present

Members

• Richard Sumray (Chair)
• Karim Murji (Deputy Chair) (item 6 onwards)
• Tony Arbour
• Reshard Auladin (item 1-10)
• Faith Boardman (item 1-10)

MPA officers

• Siobhan Coldwell (Interim Assistant Chief Executive)
• Catherine Crawford (Chief Executive) (item 8 onwards)
• Elizabeth Orsborn (Management Accountant)
• Jane Owen (Head of Performance and Review)
• Ruth Hastings Iqball (Committee Officer)

MPS officers

• Steve Bloomfield (Ch Supt, Safer Neighbourhoods)
• Simon Bray (Cdr, Performance Directorate)
• Cressida Dick, (DAC, Specialist Operations)
• Angela Emery, (Lead, Strategic Planning)
• Rose Fitzpatrick (DAC, Territorial Policing)
• Jo Kaye (Cdr. Central Operations),
• Graeme Keeling (Senior Performance Manager, Central Operations)
• Sharon Kerr (a/Cmdr, Specialist Crime Directorate)
• Craig Mitchell (Supt, Borough Performance)
• Graham Morris (Head of Operational Information Services Specialist Crime Directorate),
• Richard Riley (Director, Strategy and Modernisation)
• Joanna Young (Ch Supt, Emerald-Criminal Justice)

40. Apologies

(Agenda item 1)

Apologies for absence were received from

41. Declarations of interests

(Agenda item 2)

No declarations of interest were received.

42. Minutes of the meeting held  13 December 2007

(Agenda item 3)

Resolved – That the minutes of the meeting held on 13 December 2007 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

43. Criminal Justice update

(Agenda item 4)

A report was received providing an update on the work being carried out by the Department of Criminal Justice with the ultimate aim of bringing more offences to justice. Members were informed that paragraph 44 was incomplete and should have continued ‘They will also review the detainee list for the previous 24 hours to ensure any learning surrounding missed forensic opportunities is passed onto the officer concerned.’ The report stated that there had been no use for the 50 cells put aside for Operation Safeguard use. However, since the report had been written these cells were being used to full capacity. The Chair asked if there was pressure to increase the number of cells available. He was informed that this could not be done without MPS agreement. However, cells in magistrates’ courts were now being used, which caused the MPS some problems.

A magistrate member noted that at a recent magistrates meeting fellow magistrates were unaware of the changes taking place within criminal justice, such as the introduction of Integrated Prosecution Teams. He suggested the production of a leaflet for magistrates. The Chief Superintendent, Emerald-Criminal Justice, undertook to suggest this at the forthcoming London Criminal Justice Board (LCJB).

The Chair said he was pleased to see youth issues moving to the forefront in Criminal Justice and felt this was an area that could lead the work of the LCJB. He added that the ‘Inside Justice’ week at the end of the year could be used to engage young people more.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

44. Going local inspection

(Agenda item 5)

This report provided the Committee with an overview of the HMIC Going Local inspection process in 2007, particularly as it related to Camden, Ealing and Havering BOCUs. it outlines the MPS processes for identifying, managing and monitoring the activities required to implement recommendations and areas for improvement arising from HMIC reviews. The Chair asked if there was any learning for BOCU commanders from the common issues identified from the three inspections. The DAC, TP, stated that having trained staff and dedicated resources was valuable, in particular staff with analytical skills in both performance and intelligence. The Chair added that it would be helpful to see what recommendations had been implemented in the next report. Members asked why the figures in appendices 4,5 and 6 from the HMIC inspection report did not tally with MPS performance data. They were told they were clerical errors by the HMIC.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

45. HMIC Inspection 2007/09 phase one update

(Agenda item 6)

This report outlined for members the findings of the HMIC Phase One inspection programme published in October 2007 and the MPS response to the recommendations made. The Chair stated that it was not good enough for the MPS to be marked ‘fair’ in ‘protecting vulnerable people’, and that it needed to get to the next level. Members were informed that the MPS had looked at what police services that had been marked ‘good’ had done, and that a lot of their activity was now in progress within the MPS.

Members asked if police services were going to revisit the rationale of Safer Neighbourhoods policing. They were informed that the MPS was revisiting the current staffing model as it now wished to move to something more sophisticated and it had been noted that existing ward boundaries sometimes made little geographical sense.

Members were informed that the MPS did not accept the recommendation in relation to performance management and would be writing to the HMIC.

RESOLVED – That members note the report.

46. National crime recording standard - MPS action plan

(Agenda item 7)

This report reminded members of the Audit Commission’s 2007 report on MPS compliance with National Crime Recording Standards (NCRS) and provided a progress report on the MPS’s response to the recommendations from that report.

The Chair commented that the comment ‘CAD not stable enough to support changes at present…’ could be emotive. He was assured the changes would be in place by the end of the year. In answer to questions, members were informed that it was hoped to achieve an NCRS grade of ‘good’ in 2008/9. Questions were also asked about staff who failed the NCALT remote training package.

In relation to the second recommendation, the Chair stated that the next report on NCRS, in six months time, contain information on how the Authority could undertake a proactive role in the oversight of NCRS and NSIR at BOCUs.

RESOLVED – That

1. the content of the NCRS action plan at Appendix 1 be noted; and

2. the next report on NCRS , in six months time, contain information on how the Authority could undertake a proactive role in the oversight of NCRS and NSIR at BOCUs.

47. Corporate business planning update

(Agenda item 8)

This agenda item followed item 5. The report outlined proposals for the critical performance areas for 2008/09 and outlined progress in developing the performance challenge for 2008/09 including the target setting process. A late appendix provided an update on the Territorial Policing variable target setting process, giving an overview of the methodology and process followed for the 2008/09 planning cycle and setting out the current position regarding the indicative targets and current performance for both crime reduction and sanction detections. A revised version of annex 1 to appendix 1 was circulated at the meeting. The MPS Management Board had seen this revised annex. but was awaiting finalisation before the full draft Policing Plan was submitted to the next meeting of the full Authority. The Chair stated more explanation should be provided around how the targets were arrived at in the report to full Authority, and asked to see the before it went to full Authority. Members agreed this world be helpful. In answer to questions members were informed that the key words in arriving at Territorial Policing targets were ‘challenging’, ‘on an improving trajectory’ and ‘achievable’. The Chair noted that two targets would be needed for gun-enabled crime when incidents involving pepper spray and CS gas were removed, to provide comparison with previous years, and that the Office of Government Commerce had yet to publish its gateway review recommendations,

A member stated that he had been informed that each borough would have to second three officers to the Olympics Command and asked if this could be confirmed. The DAC, TP, undertook to find out and report back

RESOLVED – That

1. the critical performance areas for 2008/09 be approved for presentation to the full authority;

2. more explanation be provided around how the targets were arrived at in the report to be forwarded to full Authority;

3. progress on the work regarding the performance challenge for 2008/09 including the target setting process be noted;

4. members to be informed if it were true that each borough had to second three officers to the Olympics Command.

48. Corporate performance report: financial year to date April - December 2007

(Agenda item 9)

Members were provided with an overview of MPS performance for the financial year to date including the critical 12 high level indicators and further information on performance with respect to other indicators and targets.

The Chair noted that it had been generally a good year for performance. He noted that the MPS was rated 5th in its most similar force (MSF) group for ‘crime victim satisfaction in the overall service’ but rated 1st in the MSF group for ’percentage of people think their local police do a good job’ (sic). It was suggested this could be related to the MPS’s handling of victims of crime. The DAC, TP, said that a new way of dealing with crime victims was being rolled out, but there would be a time lag before its success was reflected in surveys. The Chair noted that New Scotland Yard was being used to answer phone calls. The Committee was informed that here had been some blips, but performance was improving. The Chair asked for more information on this aspect in the next report.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

49. Borough performance report

(Agenda item 10)

This report provided the Committee with an overview of key performance indicators for MPS boroughs for April – December 2007 compared with April – December 2006. It examined performance against British Crime Survey comparator crime and relevant critical performance areas for TP. It also sought to explain the strong performance of Barnet, Kingston and Merton highlighted by the Home Office last year and examined the sanction detection profile across boroughs and outlined drivers for BOCU sanctioned detection performance.

The Chair noted that each borough had a different view of where its success lay. A member noted that in his link borough there were fewer young people appearing before juvenile courts, local people felt youth crime was out of control because two youths had been murdered in two months. He felt there was a need for the borough crime figures to explain there was a reduction in youth crime. Another member suggested that there was need for the report to show how individual boroughs improved against their targets. The Committee was informed that this would be difficult to encapsulate in one report.

Members suggested that fixed penalty notices, such as cannabis warnings, were being used to improve sanctioned detection rates. The DAC, Territorial Policing, stated that the emphasis in sanctioned detection had to be proportionate, with emphasis on serious crimes. There were no targets for giving cannabis warnings, but they were often a consequence of other activity. For instance, a campaign to combat violent crime might lead to more stops and search activity, which might in turn lead to more cannabis warnings. Alternatively, they could be the result of a focus on a local priority. Fixed penalty notices were never used to increase arrest rates. The activity of BOCUs was studied by TP and unusual patterns of disposal identified. TP took the view that disposal needed to be appropriate because of resource implications.

In answer to a request from members, numbers, addition to percentages would be supplied in the charts provided with the report

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

50. Central Operations Directorate management information

(Agenda item 11)

Members received a report summarising Central Operations performance against targets from April to November 2007 and including commentary and examples of operational success. A thematic focus on the work of Operational Support Units (Marine Support Unit, Dog Support Unit, Air Support Unit and Mounted Branch) was also provided.

The Chair thought the narrative contained in the report was helpful and raised the profile of the Operational Support Group. He added that the Jenny Jones’s campaign to reduce road accidents was bearing fruit. He noted the important role Operational Support Units would play in the policing of the Olympic Games. He requested that this report be brought to the attention of all members.

RESOLVED – That

1. the current operational performance within Central Operations be noted; and

2. the report be brought to the attention of all members.

51. Specialist Operations Directorate management information

(Agenda item 12)

This report provided a summary of Specialist Operations Command performance against its objectives from September 2007 to December 2007. the DAC, Specialist Operations, stated that the report should be read in connection with the report ‘Counter-terrorism: the London debate - MPS update’ which went to the full Authority on 31 January. She added that since the report was written, information relating to the number of calls received following events on 29 June (Operation Seagram) had been retrieved from British Telecom. Additional telephone lines had been opened at Empress State Building and remained open until 16 July. 2192 calls were made and 2052 answered. Calls were on average five and a half minutes in length, the longest being 49 minutes. This was more calls than normal, but less than after the incidents of 7 July 2005. Members felt some information about the effectiveness of these calls should be made known to the public. Members were informed that it was planned to integrate calls about terrorism with Crimestoppers.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

52. Exclusion of press and public

(Agenda item 13)

RESOLVED – That the press and public be asked to leave the meeting during discussion of the remaining item of business because exempt information as defined in of Part 1 Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended) was likely to be made known.

53. Security vetting service improvement review - progress against improvement plan

(Agenda item 14)

This report outlined progress against the outstanding recommendations made in the Service Improvement Review (SIR), information on current performance and on how the vetting issues arising out of the implementation of the ‘Every Child Matters’ agenda were being addressed. It also identified the financial or resource implications of the current work.

Questions were asked about the cost of vetting for the implementation of the ‘Every Child Matters’ agenda, and the Chair requested that this be factored into future budgets, and reported upon in the next report on this subject to this Committee. Members were informed that a bid had been made for £200,000 for the current tranche of Olympic checks. One further report was requested on the review, before just regular performance reports were received.

RESOLVED – That

1. the progress on the implementation of the recommendations of the SIR of Vetting be noted;

2. current vetting performance be noted;

3. the impact of changes in legislation on vetting be noted; and

4. the cost of vetting for the implementation of the ‘Every Child Matters’ agenda be factored into future budgets and reported upon in the next report on this subject to the Committee.

The meeting finished at 4.15 pm

The meeting finished at 12.50 pm.

Send an e-mail linking to this page

Feedback