Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Alderman Alison Gowman and Deputy Richard Regan.

There were no declarations of interest.

To agree the public minutes and summary of the meeting held on

Matters Arising

Item 8 – Medium Term Financial Plan - Business Rate Premium

The Chairman updated Members that the Business Rate Premium increase had not been agreed at the last meeting of Resource Allocation Sub-Committee.

To receive a report of the Town Clerk.

Police Committee Workshops

The Chairman informed Members that details of upcoming Police Committee workshops had been circulated and requested that Members liaise with the Town Clerk to confirm which sessions they would like to attend. Due to the nature the Committee having a small membership, the Town Clerk would liaise with Members if the dates offered were not suitable.

Road Safety Update

The Chairman updated Members that the road safety update would provide a collated calendar of events so that all Members were aware of the various City and Police road safety initiatives.

Threshold licensed premises

The Chairman advised that an email had been sent to Members which updated them on the saturation of licensed premises within the City. Members discussed whether the Force was resourced appropriately to deal with the existing licensed premises within the City, of which new applications were assessed on a case by case basis.

The Commissioner advised Members that he felt the Force did have sufficient resources to deal with licensed premises at this point, but could be further explored in a report to a future meeting of the Police Committee as the numbers of officers would reduce further and the number of licensed premises could increase. The report will include details of the work undertaken by the Licensing Team.

Recruitment of Independent Advisory Group Member

The Equalities, Diversity and Human Rights Manager updated Members that officers sought to advertise the position as widely as possible, and would be underway by the beginning of February.

To receive a report of the Commissioner of Police.

The Committee received a report of the Commissioner of Police which updated Members on recent community engagement activities, community priorities and forthcoming events.

A Member remarked that he felt there was very little contained within the report that summarised what communities were telling the Force . The Chairman also requested that further details of the levels of anti-social behaviour within the City be included in future reports.

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

The Committee was advised this report had been withdrawn for further consideration.

The Committee received a verbal update from the Equalities, Diversity and Human Rights Manager, who spoke of the Force’s participation in the Stonewall Equality Index. A meeting was scheduled for 27^th February with the Stonewall Relationship Manager which would assist the Force in identifying areas for improvement in order to enhance its position in  the index.

Members requested further detail in future of the Force’s standing on the index. The Commissioner added that participation in the index was voluntary, and due to the organisation seeking to find efficiencies, this work could mean trade-offs in staffing to achieve these deliverables and an action plan and costing would be clarified.

The Committee received an update from the lead Member for the Independent Custody Visiting (ICV) Panel which informed Members she had attended a recent meeting of the Panel and had been impressed with the Force’s custody management. Some minor concerns had been expressed by ICV members, which the Force was undertaking.

To consider a report of the Commissioner of Police.

The Committee considered a report of the Commissioner of Police which presented the draft Policing Plan 2014-17 for the City of London.

The Chairman advised that the Performance and Resource Sub-Committee would be providing final oversight and approval of the measures before it would be published at the end of March.

The Commissioner informed Members that the Member workshops had been very helpful in informing the draft plan. The role of the Force as the national lead for fraud would be made more explicit, and the Force was moving into line with Home Office measures with  regards to fraud.

The Commissioner noted that improving traffic flow would be further included in the narrative of the plan, but was limited by resourcing and role responsibility.

RESOLVED –That,

a)    the Draft Policing Plan 2014-17 be adopted as the Policing Plan for the City of London, subject to any further amendments agreed by the Police Committee and the Commissioner, subject to final sign off of measures by the Performance and Resource Management Sub-Committee in February;

b)    following approval the plan be published on the internet by 31^st March 2014; and

c)    Performance against the plan be reported quarterly to the Police Performance and Resource Management Sub-Committee.

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

The Committee considered a joint report of the Commissioner and the Chamberlain which updated Members on the latest approved revenue budget for 2013/14 and sought approval for the proposed revenue and capital budgets for 2014/15 for subsequent submission to the Finance Committee.

The Director of Corporate Services advised that the overall positive net movement from General Reserves had been £1.7m, and the Force would be working with the Chamberlain’s Department to address the underlying revenue deficit.

Members discussed the Police Innovation Fund, which the Force had been successful in receiving funding for one of two applications. Useful feedback had been received for future applications.

Members discussed the support for the Force shown at the last meeting of Resource Allocation Sub-Committee, where there was understanding of the pressures on Force funding but it was felt other methods should be explored  as opposed to increasing the Business Rate Premium.

Members queried as to where the reduction costs were located and the Director of Corporate Services and Commissioner highlighted that there would be cost savings achieved through the Force’s accommodation strategy. These figures were not currently included in the income and expenditure actual and budgets as some details of the accommodation strategy need to yet be agreed, such as occupation dates (Appendix A, page 63). 

The Commissioner suggested, and it was agreed by Members, that a workshop to discuss options for the three year budget should be held in September 2014.

RESOLVED – That,

a)    the latest position of the 2013/14 budget be noted;

b)    the revenue budget for 2014/15 be reviewed and approved, to ensure it reflected the Committee’s objectives, for submission to Finance Committee; and

c)    the Capital budget for 2014/15 be reviewed and approved.

Questions were raised as follows –

A Member queried as to when the lift in Bishopsgate Police Station would be repaired, and the Director of Corporate Services undertook to provide an update and respond to the member by e-mail.

The Deputy Chairman asked for an update on the new Force uniforms would be worn by officers, to which the Commissioner advised the final specifications had been agreed, and was now subject to legally binding procurement laws which affected the timeline. It was hoped the Force would have new uniforms by summer 2014.

The Chairman sought clarification on the use of overtime pay for Force officers during the Lord Mayor’s Show evening fireworks event, to which the Commissioner advised a significant  policing requirement was provided and undertook to deliver further detail over email.

Following the last meeting of the Committee where Members received the annual report and grant recommendations of the Police Property Act Fund, Members were asked to consider one further grant by an individual Member.

RESOLVED – That,

a)    Members approve a one-off grant of £1,500 to the following charity:

i.              Care of Police Survivors (CC Reg. 1101478)

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.

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

12                                            3

13                                            3

14                                            3

15                                            3

16                                            3

17                                            3

18                                            3

19                                            3

Matters Arising

The Commander of Economic Crime would be providing a verbal update to Members at this meeting and then would provide a written report quarterly.

To receive a report of the Town Clerk.

The Committee received a report which updated Members on action taken by the Town Clerk in consultation with the Chairman and Deputy Chairman since the last meeting of the Committee.

To receive a report of the Commissioner of Police.

The Committee received a report of the Commissioner of Police which updated Members on the progress of the Force’s IT Modernisation programme.

To consider a report of the Commissioner of Police.

The Committee considered a report of the Commissioner of Police which sought approval for a new formal agreement between the City of London Police and the Association of train Operating Companies.

To consider a report of the Commissioner of Police.

The Committee considered a report of the Commissioner of Police which sought to formalise existing arrangements to allow the British Transport Police to continue to use the City of London Police firearms training range.

The Commander of Economic Crime to be heard.

The Commander of Economic Crime was heard concerning on-going and successful operations undertaken by the Economic Crime Directorate of the City of London Police.

The Commissioner of Police to be heard.

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

Questions were raised as follows –

The Force accommodation project.

The following urgent items of business were raised –

Maintenance at Bishopsgate custody suites.