Agenda and minutes

Venue: Committee Rooms, 2nd Floor, West Wing, Guildhall

Contact: Xanthe Couture
tel. no.: 020 7332 3113  Email: xanthe.couture@cityoflondon.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Deputy Joyce Nash, Helen Marshall, Vivienne Littlechild, Keith Knowles and Deputy Regan.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 1.

2.

MEMBERS' DECLARATIONS UNDER THE CODE OF CONDUCT IN RESPECT OF ITEMS ON THE AGENDA

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 2.

3.

Minutes

Minutes:

3a

The public minutes and summary of the meeting held on 23 September 2013 were approved as a correct record subject to the following amendments - pdf icon PDF 163 KB

Minutes:

·         Item 7 (Crime and Courts Act 2013) - a correction to specify the Remembrancer would brief the Chairman further as opposed to the Town Clerk;

 

·         Item 10 (Accommodation Review Update) - to note the robust reserve methodology developed by the Force; and

 

·         Item 12 (Questions on Matters Relating to the Work of the Committee) – to note the Commander of Operations had clarified the existing Force Twitter accounts.

 

Matters Arising

 

Transient Community and / Visitors

 

The Chairman noted the Road Safety report, which would be brought to Committee in January 2014, would include further information on the work of the Street Intervention Team and Police Community Support Officers to reduce cycle crime.

 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 3a

3b

The public minutes and summary of the Economic Crime Board held on 23 September 2013 were received subject to the following amendments - pdf icon PDF 132 KB

Minutes:

·         Item 4 (Economic Crime Update, National Fraud Authority) – corrected to state the Chairman would liaise with the Town Clerk and the Chamberlain on the form of the letter that would be sent to the NCA advisory board on funding for Action Fraud.

 

Matters Arising

 

The Chairman noted that the Economic Crime Awareness Day had been well received, including positive feedback from the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners. He expressed thanks to the Commissioner, the Force and the Town Clerk’s Department for their work in delivering the event and suggested that it could serve as an annual event.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 3b

4.

Outstanding References pdf icon PDF 14 KB

Report of the Town Clerk.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 4.

Minutes:

Integrity Dashboard

 

The Commissioner informed Members that there was increasing public focus on police ethics and this would be an important report for the Committee to receive in December.

 

CoLP Reserves Report 

 

The Chamberlain advised that this report would demonstrate the rational for the Force reserves, and the views of Police Committee Members would be important to consider in advance of the report being considered at Finance Committee in February 2014.

 

Social Media Report and Workshops

 

In response to timeline for Force workshops on social media use, the Commissioner suggested that a report on the Force’s use of Twitter could be included as part of the next Community Engagement update before the workshops scheduled in February 2014.

 

Members and officers discussed that the use of social media by large organisations was resource intensive and faced unique obstacles. A Member suggested that the Force prioritise Twitter communications for practical and current information directed at people and businesses in the City.

 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

5.

Standard item on the special interest area scheme

Minutes:

5a

Community Engagement Update pdf icon PDF 148 KB

To receive a report of the Commissioner of Police.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 5a

Minutes:

The Committee received a report of the Commander of Operations that updated Members  on recent community engagement activities, community priorities and forthcoming events.

 

The Commander of Operations advised that a squat had been closed down in Tower Hamlets which had led to a slight increase in rough sleepers in the City. There had been an incident on the 30th of October that had led to the arrest of thirteen people and ended an occupation of a property. The Force was working with the City of Westminster to relocate people into housing. Supt Norma Collicott was a Member of the City’s Health and Well Being Board where she supported initiatives to help rough sleepers such suicide prevention and mental health assistance.

 

A Member remarked on the importance of Operation Fennel in working with City businesses, and the Commander of Operations added that it was important to deal with the issues that caused begging as displacement could skew figures. The Commissioner added that the project required resources, shared intelligence and constant vigilance.

 

The Chairman noted that the Hotel Forum launch had been well attended as well as the Safety First event.

 

Members and officers discussed the Eid event held at the Guildhall, Members supported the idea that in future, the City of London Corporation could play a larger role in hosting the event. It was noted that in the past, an Eid event had been hosted by the Lord Mayor at Mansion House and was in line with City of London priorities.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 5a

5b

Equality Diversity and Human Rights (EDHR) Update

To receive a verbal update of the Equalities, Diversity and Human Rights Manager.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 5b

Minutes:

The Commander of Operations provided an update on behalf of the Equality and Diversity Manager that outlined the following –

·         The initial feedback from the Stonewall Index and connections that had been established with other Forces were helping the Force to develop its own areas of improvement in identified areas;

·         Self-assessment of the Disability Standard had begun and results would be analysed; and

·         Events were being coordinated for the International Day of Persons with Disabilities for the 3 December 2013 and a Women’s Network event scheduled for the 2December 2013.

 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 5b

5c

Any Other Special Interest Area Updates

Minutes:

There were no other updates.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 5c

6.

Special Interest Area Scheme 2013/14 - Mid Year Update pdf icon PDF 579 KB

To receive a report of the Town Clerk.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 6.

Minutes:

The Committee received a joint report of the Town Clerk and Commissioner of Police which informed Members of key developments in each of the Special Interest Areas over the past six months (April to September 2013).

 

Anti-Social Behaviour

 

The Lead Member for Anti-Social Behaviour remarked that several measures had been met with reduced resources. It was noted that these figures were substantial for the Force, regardless of the fact that national statistics for Anti-Social Behaviour were on the decline.

 

The Commissioner added that there was still a perception that levels of anti-social behaviour were unchanged from last year. It was discussed that the Force should work to share the message with the public that the City has low levels of crime and low anti-social behaviour.

 

Economic Crime / Fraud

 

The Lead Member for Economic Crime / Fraud stated that the Force was doing a good job in its response to economic crime and in its role as the National Lead Force for Fraud, for which resources were diminishing. While crime figures were dropping nationally, the rates of economic crime were increasing and could be considered as the new ‘clean crime’. He added that Police and Crime Commissioners had not been pleased with the response rate of Action Fraud when economic crime was previously reported.

 

Members and officers discussed the recent Home Office reforms, of which Action Fraud would now be part of the Force’s National Fraud Investigation Bureau. The Force needed to communicate its role and the role of police local authorities on cases of economic crime as there could be reputational risk involved when the Force assumed responsibility for Action Fraud.

 

The Commissioner added that the Economic Crime Awareness Day had supported the PCCs gaining further details of how Action Fraud functioned and that PCCs needed to influence resources

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

7.

City First evaluation and measures pdf icon PDF 149 KB

To receive a report of the Commissioner of Police.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 7.

Minutes:

The Committee received a report of the Commissioner of Police which updated Members on the City First Change Programme.

 

The Commissioner noted that the City First Programme had resulted in an overall reduction in staff headcount, notwithstanding increases in the Economic Crime work stream and the expected force establishment would now be 730 officers.

 

The Chairman noted that the City Futures programme had been discussed at the Member’s Police Committee workshop and the Commissioner would present it to Members at Committee in December.

 

A Member remarked that the current figures did not measure the diversity in the workforce and would these would be included the next report to Committee.

 

A Member remarked that the current figures did not measure the diversity in the workforce and would be included in a future report to Committee.

 

The Deputy Chairman noted that the detection rates were being examined as part of considerations for targets for the Policing Plan 2014-15. Members agreed that caution was required in establishing additional targets as there was the risk of distorting behaviour and creating perverse incentives. The Commissioner added that the Home Secretary held the view that having large numbers of targets was not necessarily better and that established rates of crime and detection should be clear. While the focus remained on crime reduction, the best way to measure this was a dashboard indicator system.

 

A Member noted that detection rates and crime rates were both down, which could hypothetically be due to underreporting. It was thus important that the Force communicate crime reporting and current figures and engage with communities.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

8.

Questions on matters relating to the work of the Committee

Minutes:

There were no questions.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

9.

Any other business that the Chairman considers urgent

Minutes:

The Chairman noted that the Police Committee dinner had been a great success, with a range of different policing stakeholders present. He thanked all those who had attended.

 

The Chairman reminded Members of the next Police Committee workshop to be held the 6th December and the next meeting of the Safer City Partnership.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

10.

Exclusion of the Public

MOTION - That under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of the Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 10.

Minutes:

RESOLVED – That under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part 1 of the Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

 

Item No                                   Exempt Paragraphs

11                                                        3

12                                                        3

13                                                        3

14                                                        3

15                                                        3         

17                                                        3

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

11.

Non-Public Minutes

Minutes:

11a

The non-public minutes and summary of the meeting held on 23 September 2013 were approved as a correct record.

Minutes:

11b

The non-public minutes and summary of the Economic Crime Board held on 23 September 2013 were received.

Minutes:

11c

The non-public minutes and summary of the Police Leadership Team meeting held on 8 October 2013 were received.

Minutes:

12.

Final Gateway 3 - Police Accommodation Strategy

To consider a report of the Chamberlain.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 12.

Minutes:

The Committee considered report of the Chamberlain that requested Members approve the Final Gateway 3 of the Police Accommodation Strategy.

 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 12.

13.

Extension to the Office Lease for Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department at 21 New Street

To receive a report of the Commissioner of Police.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 13.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered a report of the Commissioner of Police that sought approval for the extension of the lease for the second floor of 21 New Street, London EC2 until October 2016.

 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 13.

14.

Police Desktop Upgrade

To consider a joint report of the Commissioner of Police and the Chamberlain.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 14.

Minutes:

The Committee considered a joint report of the Commissioner of Police and Chamberlain that requested approval for a City of London Police desktop upgrade.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 14.

15.

Commissioner's Updates

The Commissioner of Police to be heard.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 15.

Minutes:

The Commissioner of Police was heard concerning on-going and successful operations undertaken by the City of London Police.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 15.

16.

Questions on matters relating to the work of the Committee

Minutes:

There were no questions.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 16.

17.

Any other business that the Chairman considers urgent and which the Committee agree should be considered whilst the public are excluded

Minutes:

The following items of urgent business were raised –

 

 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 17.