Consultation proposals on the London Crime Reduction Board

Jane Harwood
Deputy Chief Executive, MPA
March 2010

Met Forward: the MPA mission statement for London’s police

Introductory letter

Dear Partner,

At the request of MPA Chair, Kit Malthouse, I am writing to you with draft proposals on the London Crime Reduction Board.

The MPA published MetForward in April 2009 as its mission statement for the next 3 years. Within this strategy document the MPA set out its intentions in the Met Partners section to work together with those who have common cause with us to achieve real success in making people feel safe and secure. One of these intentions is to establish a single London Crime Reduction Board, led by the MPA, to bring clarity and ensure better shared delivery.

The following short paper sets out initial proposals for a new board. There is general agreement that there is a need for all partners, at local, regional and national level, to work together to achieve long term crime reduction. Your views are sought in general on the proposals, and specifically on:

1. How can this joint working and prioritisation be achieved?
2. Is the proposed scope along the right lines?
3. Are there any other members that should be included?
4. Is there a need for an executive group and secretariat to drive the programmes of work and support the Board?
5. Have any areas of need been overlooked?

There are several opportunities for you to feedback your views.

1. We will contact specific stakeholders to arrange direct meetings with them to discuss the proposals.
2. The proposals will be tabled on agendas of meetings of London Councils, the London Community Safety Partnership and other relevant boards for discussion.
3. Written responses can be submitted to me at the MPA.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Jane Harwood
Deputy Chief Executive
MPA

London Crime Reduction Board: Consultation Proposals

This report sets out a new framework for the strategic co-ordination of crime reduction partnership working in London. It serves to take forward the MPA’s commitment to establishing a London Crime Reduction Board as set out in its mission statement, ‘MetForward’.

Why a new Board?

1. London has a complex system of accountability for dealing with policing and crime reduction. A number of pan-London organisations play a role in, and influence, the delivery of policing and community safety activity. No single agency has an outright responsibility.

2. There is a multitude of programme boards covering a range of strategic organisational programmes e.g. Time for Action, MetForward, JEMs, etc as well as thematic areas e.g. Serious Youth Violence, Anti-Social Behaviour, Domestic Violence, Hate Crime, Gangs, and Dangerous Dogs. All initiatives need to be pulled together with effective strategic oversight.

3. The Mayor of London and London Councils have agreed the first City Charter for London which commits the Mayor and London’s 33 boroughs to work together more closely in order to improve the capital’s public services and deliver better value for money for London taxpayers. The Charter work has already begun to address policing and youth crime as well as funding for the capital within a broader list of agreed priorities.

4. The London Criminal Justice Partnership provides a useful overarching model for London whereby relevant agencies are brought together with a clear mandate and resources to lead, co-ordinate and initiate joint areas of working. The London Community Safety Partnership (LCSP) has, to an extent, provided an arrangement for direction and oversight of community safety strategic partnership working in London. The LCSP was refreshed and scaled down in early 2009 following its progress from 2006. It is currently due for review in March 2010. It currently lacks elected representation.

5. The conclusion from the above is that London needs a new board that has the profile and influence to identify shared strategic priorities, lead and co-ordinate pan-London partnership working, and to support the delivery capability of borough CDRPs.

Proposed Scope

1. The London Crime Reduction Board will:

1. Provide leadership and improve co-ordination on strategic working at the regional level on policing and crime reduction delivery in London
2. Develop a joined-up strategic assessment process in London to identify joint priorities and to help achieve focus and value.
3. Lobby for change and seek to secure/maintain funding for London to achieve crime reduction.
4. Ensure good practice in London on strategic crime reduction issues is appropriately identified and communicated.
5. Assist the sharing of information between organisations and understanding of key crime reduction programmes and improve the synergies between these.
6. Enhance the relationship between police and local authorities for working on crime reduction, as well as facilitating a stronger alignment between crime reduction activity and other strands of local strategic partnerships e.g. health, safeguarding, young people, economic development etc.
7. Provide a consultative link with the National Crime Reduction Board and central government departments on national crime strategy developments.

Membership of the new board

1. A proposed standing membership of 16 representatives is listed below:

1. MPA (x2)
   • Chair of the Metropolitan Police Authority
   • Deputy Chief Executive
2. MPS (x 2)
   • Commissioner or his designated representatives
3. London Councils (x 5)
   • Executive/Portfolio members (x 3)
   • CDRP Chairs (x 2)
   • Chief Executive
4. London Boroughs (x 3)
   • Chief Executives
5. Greater London Authority (x 2)
   • Ambassador for Young People
   • Deputy Chief Executive
6. Home Office (x 1)
   • Regional Director
7. London Probation (x 1)
   • Chief Probation Officer (London Region)

2. Wider stakeholder membership will include 4 other main levels that can be involved in the business of the group on a specific needs basis. These are:

1. Key London-wide partner services e.g.:
   • GLA group: Transport for London, London Development Agency, London Fire Service.
   • Chief Executive (NHS London)
2. National government
   • Depts. responsible for education/schools, health, criminal justice, transport, environment etc.
3. Delivery partners
   • CDRPs, Youth Offending Teams and Drug Action Teams
   • Practitioner forums
   • Third Sector and Businesses
   • Children’s Services
4. Boards and organisational programmes e.g.
   • London Criminal Justice Partnership
   • London Safeguarding Board
   • Thematic boards e.g. Serious Youth Violence Board. London ASB Board, Domestic and Sexual Violence Board, etc.
   • Joint Engagement Meetings programme
   • Time for Action programme

Timetable

1. Proposed programme:

1. Stakeholder scoping discussions (Feb/Mar 2010)
2. Consultation on and development of proposals (Apr/May 2010)
3. Reports to London Councils, LCSP and other stakeholders for approval (June/July 2010)
4. Development and induction of new board and arrangements (Jun to Sept 2010)
5. Inaugural Board meeting (Sept 2010)

Existing structures

1. The development of this board may lead to the need for linking with or rationalising existing structures.

1. Congress and City Charter are not crime reduction specific and are principally focused on all of the capital’s public services, but that it identifies the elected leaders as the appropriate fulcrum for leveraging change. Reference will be made, as appropriate, between these boards and the LCRB.
2. Discussions will be held with boards to be decommissioned in order to agree a timetable and any handover arrangements.
3. The LCRB may be sought to be a sponsor for sub-boards whose main board has been reviewed or boards that would see the London Crime Reduction Board as an opportunity to strengthen their profile. This matter will be dealt with through any handover process.
4. There is no intention to subsume existing thematic boards under the LCRB.

2. A mapping exercise is being prepared and will inform this area of consideration. Newly established boards, and panels such as the MPA Anti-Violence Panel, will need to be considered.

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