Metropolitan Police Authority - July meeting

36/07
24 July 2007

A meeting of the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) will be held in meeting room 1 (ground floor), 10 Dean Farrar Street, London SW1 on Thursday 26 July 2007 at 10.00 a.m.

Members of the Authority will discuss the draft Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) violent crime strategy.

Len Duvall, chair of the MPA, said:

“Tackling and reducing serious violence is core business for the Met, and with new legislative duties under the every child matters agenda requiring us to do everything possible to protect the young, it is vital that this new strategy contains a major commitment to protect young people who are often disproportionately affected by violence.

“National crime statistics released last week clearly indicate that the Met is working hard to make London a safer city. Violence against the person in 2006/07 dropped by 8%, and this trend continued into the new reporting year - figures for April to June 2007 show falls in knife enabled crime, violent crime and robbery, and notable increases in clear up rates for violent crime, domestic violence and crimes motivated by racism or homophobia.

“However, we remain concerned about the increase in gun enabled crime and homicide, and the new violent crime strategy must make a significant contribution to redressing these issues. The MPA will continue to work closely with the Met to ensure that this and other important programmes are delivered promptly to improve police services across the capital and achieve results for all our communities.”

Other items on the agenda include:

• MPA domestic violence board;
• Independent review of policing led by Sir Ronnie Flanagan; and
• London community safety partnership.

The Authority will hear a question from a GLA member for Lambeth and Southwark Val Shawcross about the continuity of senior police posts in Lambeth in recent years. Catherine Crawford, Chief Executive of the MPA, will give the Authority’s response at the meeting.

Commissioner Sir Ian Blair will give an update on operational policing issues in London and present a written performance report.

Please note: the Commissioner's update will take place as near to 12:00 as possible, discussion permitting.

Notes to editors

1. Please note: the report requested by the Authority about the Metropolitan Police investigation led by Assistant Commissioner John Yates into alleged abuses by political parties under the Honours (Prevention of Abuses) Act 1925 will NOT be presented to this meeting of the full Authority.

2. Following the death of Victoria Climbié, which highlighted inadequacies in childcare provision, the government acted to introduce a new approach to caring for children. Every Child Matters, incorporated within the Children Act 2004, seeks to provide a more joined up approach to safeguarding children and places a duty on all agencies involved with providing services to children, including the police, to team up in new ways, sharing information and working together to protect children from harm.

3. The committee papers for this meeting can be found at:  www.mpa.gov.uk/committees/mpa/2007/070726

4. Confidential anti-terrorist hotline: 0800 789 321

5. Crimestoppers: 0800 555 111

Further media information

For further information, please contact the MPA press office

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