Update on the programme for the fundamental review of the Directorate of Professional Standards

Report: 7
Date: 9 March 2006
By: Commissioner

Summary

This report sets out the protocols and proposals for the implementation of the DPS Review Implementation Programme with effect from 1 April 2006 to 30 November 2006.

A. Recommendations

That

1. the proposals and timescales for developing and implementing the new structures and practices, as agreed by the DPS Review Project Board be noted; and
2. Members note the new phase of moving from Concept to Implementation.

B. Supporting information

1. The DPS Review Project Board have endorsed the proposal to now move from the ‘Concept’ phase to Implementation of the DPS Review Programme and agreed the new command structure for DPS.

2. The DPS Review Implementation Programme Register is attached at Appendix 1. This document outlines the status of the individual projects and key activities that make up the overall programme of work including resource implications, risks, project progress and emerging issues / comments. It will be updated on a monthly basis and provided as key management information to the DPS Review Project Board to track progress.

3. The Programme Register identifies the critical work to be carried out within the three new commands namely;

• Intelligence Command
• Enforcement Command
• Prevention Command
• Business Support

4. The current position on the command strands of work is as follows;

• Enforcement Command - The Projects and Key Activities undertaken by project leads within Enforcement Command primarily encompass all aspects of investigation from cradle to grave. The significant changes for this command will be demonstrated through the projects to deliver ‘Early Informal Resolution’ and ‘Empowering Local Managers, essentially the recommendations from the Taylor Report.
• Intelligence Command - Intelligence Command will focus upon maximising the use of information and intelligence systems and processes together with developing covert policing activities. The most challenging of the Intelligence Command projects will be the implementation of the DPS Reception Desk, which will act as the primary interface between DPS, the rest of the organisation and external customers.
• Prevention Command - The set up of the new Prevention Command will primarily seek to focus on prevention, moving from ‘blame culture’ towards lessons learned, through the provision of advice and guidance and organisational learning. The outcomes of the prevention strand will impact on the corporate modernisation change agenda and work will continue to develop with major corporate change programmes including ‘Together’ and Workforce Modernisation.
• Business Support - Business Support will continue to provide support services to all the three new commands as set out above. However, Business Support will undergo a major change programme to reconfigure DPS Support Services within the Deputy Commissioner’s Command (DCC) and Standards and Intelligence Command (SIC).

5. The remaining part of the paper sets out the following;

1. The relationship with the corporate centre (Corporate Structure).
2. Governance Structure for the new programme of work.
3. New Command Structure.
4. Consultation arrangements.
5. Emerging Findings.

Corporate structure

6. Management Board have undertaken to make the contribution of support and service functions more transparent through inclusion in the Met Modernisation Programme (MMP) delivery plans and the Corporate Performance Management Framework. The increased span of AC Brown’s Command to Standards and Intelligence and the streamlining of the Deputy Commissioner’s Command all impact on the overall future vision of the Directorate of Professional Standards. The DPS Review Implementation Programme Team will ensure that all emerging key activities will link into the MPS Operating Framework to develop and agree performance indicators for the major support and services functions so that the Directorate’s performance and contribution is transparent and that individuals can be held to account for delivery through the MMP Programme Board to Management Board and the MPA.

Governance structure

7. The governance structure and arrangements for the DPS Review Implementation Programme is outlined as follows:

For diagram of  the governance structure, see supporting material

Command structure

8. The major functions undertaken within the new command structure are as follows;

For diagram of  the command structure, see supporting material

Consultation

9. Since the last PSCC meeting on 12 January 2006, Project Board has met and agreed to the new way model and asked for the implementation arrangements to be formulated for agreement at the next DPS Review Project Board meeting on 27 February 2006.

10. The DPS Review and Implementation Team met with the Independent Challenge Panel on 10 January 2006 where a number of issues were discussed as follows;

• Impact on the DPS Review Programme in view of the potential10% budget cut. It was anticipated that the workforce modernisation principles would allow us to make efficiency savings in due course.
• The DPS Review Team reassured the Independent Challenge Panel that Diversity and Equality Impact Assessments would be undertaken within the DPS Review Programme of work.
• Single Points of Contact (SPOCs) – the enhanced training of SPOCS to Boroughs will help promote early intervention and local resolution. The new Prevention Command will oversee the impact and measure performance and success of this new initiative. Briefing and training sessions for SPOCS have been scheduled for March and April 2006.
• A presentation on the DPS Reception Desk was also given to those present and some positive feedback on the overall concept was shared.
• A formal note of the meeting has been recorded and all actions arising are currently being progressed by the team and will be fed into the governance framework.
• It is proposed that members of the Independent Challenge Panel will continue to be informed of progress throughout the programme of change. The advice and feedback of the panel has been invaluable to the DPS Review Team and although the formal process between the two groups has concluded, it is hoped that individual members could be approached for advice and feedback where necessary.

11. Internal consultation has taken place to set out the implementation arrangements, the results of which are, in essence, reflected in this paper.

12. During the implementation phase consultation and stakeholder engagement will continue. Communication and Consultation Strategy will be written and incorporated into each of the project plans and a reporting process will link into the governance structure and framework.

Emerging findings

13. The DPS Review and Implementation Team will continue to progress the implementation and delivery of all projects and key activities from 1 April 2006, as outlined. Comprehensive project plans will be drawn up in advance of the ‘go live’ date on 1 April 2006 and a programme reporting framework will be defined and presented to the DPS Review Project Board in March. A PRINCE 2 project reporting methodology will be applied to the programme of work being undertaken.

14. The DPS Review and Implementation Programme Manager will provide a comprehensive programme report to the next PSCC on 11 May 2006.

15. Dedicated Project Leads within the new command structure have been appointed to drive through progress and delivery in accordance with the implementation plan and Programme Register as outlined in Appendix 1.

C. Race and equality impact

1. All standard operating procedures developed from the review will fall under the DPS overarching policy. That policy is currently monitored quarterly in respect of equality and diversity implications. he findings of the Cambridge research into disproportionality will also be fully considered within this review.

2. As highlighted throughout the report, consultation with Staff Associations and other stakeholders has been extensive and continues to take place, to ensure that an inclusive and constructive change progress is implemented. It is not felt that these changes will affect any group or section of the community, positively or negatively to a greater extent than the general population, either within or outside the police family.

D. Financial implications

1. The overall cost to implement the ‘new way’ model will be met within the 2006/7 DPS budget allocation. However, the Deputy Commissioner’s Command currently faces a budget deficit and meetings are being held with the accountants to establish whether the funding gap will only allow the proposed minimum model to be implemented.

2. Fully costed project plans are being prepared to inform the DPS Review Project Board for the March meeting.

E. Background papers

None.

F. Contact details

Report author(s): DCS Stuart Osborne Prevention Command and Nadia Musallam, DPS Review Implementation Programme Manager

For more information contact:

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

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