Minutes

Minutes of the Professional Standards and Performance Monitoring Committee meeting of the Metropolitan Police Authority held in AG23, Romney House, Westminster on Tuesday 13 March 2001.

Present

Members

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

MPA staff

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

MPS staff

• Ian Blair (Deputy Commissioner)
• Phil Hagon (Director, Quality, Performance and Standards)
• Cath Kitching (Corporate Performance Analysis Unit)

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

Part 1

61. Apologies

(Agenda item 1)

Apologies were received from Roger Evans and R David Muir (Members).

62. Minutes of meeting: 13 February 2001

(Agenda item 2)

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

The Deputy Commissioner stated that the action plan referred to under agenda item 8 was being pursued, although the mediation meeting with the Lindo family had not taken place. The Chair asked for a written report at the next meeting, and quarterly thereafter.

The Clerk stated that the date set by the Home Office for responses to 'Complaints against the police - framework for a new system' had been extended. She would circulate the MPA's draft response to Members.

Resolved:

1. the minutes of the meeting held on 13 February 2001 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair;
2. the Committee receive a report on the concerns raised by the Lindo family and the MPS action plan at the next meeting and quarterly thereafter; and
3. the Clerk circulate the MPA's draft response to the Home Office paper 'Complaints against the police - framework for a new system' for comment.

63. January performance report

(Agenda item 3)

Members received a report providing an overview of MPS performance, and a full listing of Policing Plan and Best Value indicators. It was noted that CRR training was not going to meet the planned target. Questions were asked about the return of officers seconded to other forces because of boundary changes. Members were assured that attempts were being made to ensure officers returned to the MPS at the end of the secondment period. The Deputy Commissioner was asked about the number of officers answering 999 calls, due to civil staff shortages.

Members asked for an update on the review of Criminal Justice Units (CJUs), and its overlap with best value reviews. They were assured that changes would not be delayed by the review. The Deputy Commissioner offered to bring a report to the next meeting on this subject. Members felt the importance of CJUs could not be overestimated in ensuring the delivery of justice and appropriate identification and treatment of offenders.

Resolved:

1. the contents of the report be noted;
2. a paper on the various CJU reviews be bought to the next Committee.

64. MPS performance against burglary

(Agenda item 4)

Members received the second of the quarterly reports on burglary. Members were informed that burglary had not been as low as the current level for 25 years. This improvement could be due to increased building security, robbery and autocrime being seen as easier crimes to perform, DNA testing, the speeding up of forensic testing, and the speed of officers arriving at scenes of crime. It was felt the causes should be identified, if possible, so the improvement could be replicated for other offences.

Resolved:
the contents of the report be noted

65. Autocrime performance

(Agenda item 5)

Members received a report updating information provided to the PSPM Committee in December. It also indicated the implication of the decision that Autocrime be a sustained activity in next year's Policing and Performance Plan. This report had been circulated with fewer than three clear working days notice, as it had not been available when the agenda was circulated. Members agreed to consider the report as an urgent item.

Members felt partnerships had a role to play in providing safer car parking places. The Deputy Commissioner offered to show interested Members background information on this subject. It was noted that autocrime frequently bought Londoners into contact with the police, but that Londoners were more fearful of robbery.

Resolved:
the contents of the report be noted.

66. Youth offending

(Agenda item 6)

A report was received which provided an overview of issues relating to youth offending. It assessed MPS performance against targets and policing plan objectives, the ability to deal with persistent young offenders and identified a number of initiatives and actions.

Members felt the prevention of youth offending would be assisted by more provision for excluded pupils, and that there was a link between exclusions and re-offending. Youth offending teams were providing good work, but it was taking too long for cases to get to them.

Resolved:
the contents of the report be noted.

67. Review of performance information provided to MPA committees

(Agenda item 7)

A review of all of the performance information provided to MPA committees had been carried out by the MPA's Senior Analyst. Members received a report outlining this review and making recommendations regarding the receipt of performance management information.

The Deputy Commissioner expressed his concern at the opportunity costs of preparing reports for the MPS, citing the young offenders report (agenda item 6) as taking one person seven days to produce. He was informed that that the MPA was not trying to impose an unreasonable burden of work. It was suggested that lead MPA officers and MPA Members should define more clearly what was required in a report, then the cost of preparing it be quantified. The Deputy Commissioner also felt it would be helpful if Members were able to access the MPS Intranet.

It was suggested that youth crime be added to the table at paragraph 9.

Resolved:

1. lead committees for dealing with performance information topics be agreed, as shown at Appendix 2;
2. PSPM, Human Resources (HR) and Community Diversity and Outreach (CDO) Committees should receive a high level summary of performance information for those areas that they are responsible on a bi-monthly basis (including a commentary from the MPS and MPA officers);
3. relevant management reports produced by the MPS be included as background papers to the summary reports;
4. lead officers be assigned to each Committee;
5. topics of on-going high importance be subject to in-depth reports to committees;
6. lead members be assigned to topics of high importance; and
7. member workshops be held for areas of emerging importance or where greater understanding is required.

68. Meetings in 2001/2002

(Agenda item 8)

A report was received setting out a calendar of committee meetings dates up to June 2002. It was noted that there would be a three-month gap between meetings in the summer.

Resolved:
the meeting dates be agreed.

69. Exclusion of press and public

(Agenda item 9)

A resolution was put to exclude the press and public from the meeting during agenda item 10 'Police Regulations' as it would be likely to disclose exempt information as described in paragraph 1 of Schedule 12(a) of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

Resolved:
the press and public be excluded from the meeting for item 10.

70. Police regulations (exempt)

(Agenda item 10)

The Committee considered two confidential reports by the Clerk, which had been circulated to Members of the Committee only.

Resolved:
the recommendations to the reports be approved.

The meeting finished at 4.30pm.

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