Minutes

Minutes of the Professional Standards and Performance Monitoring Committee meeting of the Metropolitan Police Authority held in AG16, Romney House, Westminster on Tuesday 9 January 2001.

Present

Members

• Richard Sumray (Chair)
• Elizabeth Howlett (Deputy Chair)
• Anthony Arbour
• Reshard Auladin
• Roger Evans
• Lynne Featherstone
• R David Muir

MPA staff

• Catherine Crawford (Clerk)
• Johanna Gillians (Senior Analyst)

MPS staff

• Ian Blair (Deputy Commissioner)
• Andy Hayman (Commander, Professional Standards)
• Cath  Kitching (Corporate Performance Analysis Unit)
• Barbara Riddell (Director of Corporate Development)

In addition, approximately 12 members of the press/public and other MPA/MPS staff were present.

Part 1

Constitutional/procedural matters

44. Apologies

(Agenda item 1)

No apologies were received.

45. Minutes of meeting: 12 December 2000

(Agenda item 2)

The minutes of the last meeting were agreed as a correct record.

Resolved:
that the minutes of the meeting held on 12 December 2000 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

Performance monitoring

46. MPS performance report – November 2000

(Agenda item 3)

A report was received that made reference to a paper considered by the Performance Review Committee (PRC) of the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) on 15 December. This paper, circulated to members separately, gave an overview of MPS performance, and provided a full listing of Policing Plan and Best Value indicators.

The Deputy Commissioner informed Members that a thematic inspection of Criminal Justice Units would be taking place. These units had had suffered from poor staff morale and low staff retention rates since the amalgamations caused by the change to borough policing. These problems, plus in adequate computer systems, impaired the timeliness and accuracy of case preparation.

Questions were asked about stop and search, as the public asked Members about this. A paper would be received by the Community Diversity and Outreach (CDO) Committee in February, and a further report was promised by the Deputy Commissioner to the Full Authority before Easter. Members were informed that the increased number of stop and searches in November was due to more accurate reporting. It was felt that statistics should always be as exact as possible, so that an accurate base line figure might be provided.

The Chair reiterated the decision made by the Full Authority that the police should concentrate on drug offences equally, whatever the drug. He felt that in concentrating on the open marketing of drugs, police were neglecting cocaine.

There was debate about the number of police officers various sources of funding would pay for. It was decided that a briefing note should be sent to Members clarifying matters. It was also noted that this issue would be covered at the workshop on recruitment and retention in the following week.

The Clerk noted that the Audit Commission Performance Indicators 1999/2000 (Police and Fire Services Compendium) would be published the following day.

Resolved:

1. the contents of the report be noted;
2. a report be circulated to the Full Authority, before Easter, on stop and search; and
3. members be supplied with a briefing note on the funding available for police recruitment.

47. Emerging performance indicators for policing plan 2001/2002

(Agenda item 4)

A report was received which summarised the emerging proposals for policing and performance plan performance indicators (PIs) for 2001/2, and listing the relevant Best Value performance indicators (BVPIs) required. The Chair informed Members that this paper was also going to the Finance Planning and Best Value Committee (FPBV). He had suggested to its Chair that a workshop be held for members of both Committees, and was awaiting the Chair's response. Members agreed with this approach. The workshop would be attended by representatives from the MPS, so any proposals made could be fed into the process.

Resolved:

1. the content of the report and the emerging PIs for 2001/2 be noted; and
2. a workshop be held with Members of the FPBV Committee.

48. Demand and response

(Agenda item 5)

A report was received which provided an overview of the MPS processes for dealing with 999 calls and outlining levels of demand and performance. It described initiatives to manage demand and improve performance, and detailed future plans. The Deputy Commissioner stated that the report showed the scale of calls received by the MPS. He added that the correct use 999 calls had been the subject of a press campaign. The provision of coloured cards to the public, listing appropriate telephone numbers on which to call the police, was being piloted in three Boroughs Command Units.

The paper stated that 999 call answering had improved significantly over recent months. In part, this had been effected by an increase in staffing levels achieved using an extended overtime budget. A question was asked about how far this use of overtime was offset by savings from unfilled posts.

Resolved:
that the contents of the report be noted.

49. Public complaints against the MPS

(Agenda item 6)

A report was received which gave an overview of complaints made over the last three years. The report also provided a comparison with other metropolitan forces, and gave some details of social factors relating to complainants. Members were told that future reports would explore different areas of the subject in greater depth. The Chair asked that a future paper include the problems encountered in effecting informal resolution to complaints.

Resolved:

1. the contents of the report be noted; and
2. a future paper on complaints against the police include information on the informal resolution of complaints.

Professional standards

50. Best value review – police complaints

(Agenda item 7)

Members received a report that provided an overview of the MPS pilot Best Value Review into the complaints and anti-corruption function, and highlighted its emerging findings. The Chair requested a mechanism of feedback to this Committee on progress. He was told that the six monthly evaluation report would be fed back to this Committee.

Resolved:

1. the contents of the report be noted; and
2. the six monthly evaluation reports be received by the PSPM Committee.

The meeting finished at 4.15pm.

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