Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Alderman Alison Gowman, Deputy Keith Knowles, Alderman Ian Luder and Don Randall (external Member).

The Town Clerk advised the Sub-Committee that the meeting was inquorate and therefore any decisions would have to be rectified at the next quorate meeting of the Sub-Committee.

There were no declarations of interest.

To agree the public minutes and summary of the meeting held on 9September 2013.

The public minutes and summary of the meeting held 9^th September 2013 were approved, subject to ratification at the next quorate meeting of the Sub-Committee.

The Town Clerk undertook to include an outstanding reference list of actions discussed and to be taken that would be included in future Sub-Committee agendas.

Matters Arising

Value for Money Benchmarking Report

Those present suggested that this report should be received at the next meeting of the Sub-Committee.

The Assistant Commissioner informed Members that following discussion with the Commissioner, consultation on this report would occur with the Chamberlain and the Town Clerk. He suggested as part of this report, an external body could be employed to provide an audit and scrutiny function to the Force to ensure sufficient rigour and scrutiny was underway. It was noted that HMIC Value for Money profiles were not helpful in this area due to the size and nature of the Force.

The Chairman remarked that it was important that the Sub-Committee was able to demonstrate progress in this area.

To receive a report of the Commissioner of Police.

The Sub-Committee received a report that summarised the performance against Policing Plan targets for the second quarter of the 2013-14 financial year. 28 of the targets were on track to be met (green), three were graded as amber and one had been graded red.

Target 1.3.1.b - deliver on-going organisational improvements and development relating to public order deployments (complaints)

The Assistant Commissioner noted that debriefs had been undertaken and the amber target was now on track to be met for the next quarter.

Target 1.4.1a – reduce levels of victim-based crime compared to 2012-13

The Chairman noted that victim-based crime figures had increased quite considerably and queried if resources were being allocated sufficiently. The Assistant Commissioner replied that they were, and was a main area of focus. The Force was addressing any victim based crime patterns, such as those that related to the night time economy or certain areas of the City.

The Assistant Commissioner commented that a report would be brought to the next meeting of the Sub-Committee on the detail of the nature of violent crime in the City of London and the impact of the tactics in place to address this.

It was noted that it was not always possible to compare victim based crime rates with other areas of London, due to the large differences in scale but that any relevant intelligence was always shared.

The Chairman queried the rate of domestic burglary, which had increased since last year, and the Assistant Commissioner undertook to see if there were any trends related to the increase. 

Target 1.7.1b – to ensure at least 90% of victims of crime are satisfied with the service provided by the police.

It was explained that this would continue to be a difficult target to meet but due diligence procedures would contribute

To receive a report of the Commissioner of Police.

Those present received a report of the Commissioner of Police, which updated Members on the draft action plan to address both the national recommendations and observations resulting from the HMIC Stop and Search Inspection. 

It was suggested that the Independent Advisory Group should also receive the statistical data that was being supplied to the Performance Management Group on a quarterly basis.

A Scrutiny Group of the Force’s Stop and Search action plan had also been developed and would meet on 6^th December 2013, the first meeting of the group had been delayed owing to the need to obtain the views of young people and the difficulties experienced in getting willing participants from this group. Details of this meeting would be sent to relevant Members.

To receive a report of the Commissioner of Police.

Members considered a report of the Commissioner of Police on the progress of the CoLP in response to HMIC inspection reports. Two actions remained outstanding in relation to custody inspection recommendations, that were reliant upon the progress associated with the National Health Service Custody Healthcare Service.  Two  further actions remained outstanding that related to software solutions for auditing / monitoring integrity.

The Assistant Commissioner advised that there were plans to upgrade the Force’s IT systems and he added that the Force did not currently have the IT capacity and capability to effectively monitor and audit all of its information systems, but this was currently being completed manually within PSD as stated in the plan. However, progress was being made to identify and install appropriate software. The Assistant Commissioner advised that these actions were standing items and would be revisited and assessed at the next meeting, in light of the anticipated completion date of April 2014.

To receive a report of the Commissioner of Police.

Those present considered a report of the Commissioner of Police, which outlined the Force’s Human Resources monitoring data for the six month period from 1 April 2013 to 30 September 2013.

Members and officers discussed the Force’s efforts to increase recruitment of BME police officers, including planned activities next year, which would target those groups currently under represented. The Chairman requested that in future, and it was agreed that in future reports the number of black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) and females in senior posts would be presented in more detail.

The Chairman noted there had been a decline in Specials and the Assistant Commissioner advised that Special Constabulary recruitment would be included with normal recruitment and would help increase the number of special constables in the future.

Members were advised that 55 recruitment campaigns had been completed. The Force conducted both internal and external recruitment, as well as specialist agency recruitment.

It was noted that staff numbers presented in the Work Force Management table did not include agency staff but would do in the future. The information relating to individuals leaving the Force would also include more year on year data in the future to ensure trends could be analysed.

In respect of departmental sickness absence management, it would also be analysed to include a breakdown by directorate and the Force was developing plans to improve management of cases of long term sickness.

The Chairman asked for some comparison data in future iterations of the report regarding working days lost. Members discussed that the rest of City Corporation could be used as a comparator and ideally, show a comparison with government as a body, and possibly some private sector comparisons. It could also be useful to have trend information on a Directorate basis going forward.

The proportion of

To receive a report of the Chamberlain.

The Sub-Committee received a six monthly update on internal audit reviews undertaken between April and October 2013, as well as further information on the progress being made in the completion of the Internal Audit Plan.

The Chairman expressed concern that only 13 days had been completed in the last period, and 32 had been completed in this period. The Chamberlain advised that she was satisfied there were sufficient resources to complete internal audit activities going forward, this included temporary resources which had been allocated.

The Chairman also expressed concern that internal audit activities had been affected by sickness absence and hoped that there were now systems in place to prevent future recurrences. 

The Chamberlain noted that information on the Fleet Management Strategy had not been included in this report which specified that discussions between the Police Director of Resources and internal audit had resulted in this review being deferred due to the Force examining a revised Fleet Management Strategy.

Members and officers discussed that the number of monitoring audit days would increase for 2013-14 to reach 125 internal audit days. The Chamberlain provided reassurance to the Sub-Committee that 125 monitoring audit days would be completed for 2013-14.

The Chamberlain added that there were other audit monitoring areas undertaken by the City of London Corporation with regards to Force activities. In the future, these would be included in internal audit reports to the Sub-Committee.

To receive a report of the Chamberlain.

Members considered a report of the Chamberlain which updated Members on the interim work undertaken by HMIC and Internal Audit for the five year period 2008/09 to 2012/13.

The Chairman commented that the HMIC risk register reports were very detailed, but lacked the analysis provided by the Chamberlain’s internal audit processes, which were very valuable. Members and officers discussed the overlap in audit activities which due to those areas where Members had asked for further monitoring information. The Chamberlain added that they were working with the Assistant Commissioner to add further value to the Force audit process.

To receive a report of the Commissioner of Police.

In response to a Member query regarding the matrix, the Assistant Commissioner stated he was grateful for the insight provided by the Chairman on this report, which provided an update on the Force’s Statistic Risk Register. The Assistant Commissioner advised that he would engage with Chamberlain to improve the analysis of information and to highlight increases and decreases to risk.

Members and officers discussed Strategic Risks related to IT (SR 13, SR 14, SR 15) and commented the Force had lacked a strategy since the East Coast Information Systems (ECIS) had not progressed, but that one was now being developed. It was noted that a post ECIS Strategy would be included in the IT strategy report to Police Committee.

There were no questions.

There were no urgent items of business.

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.

To agree the non-public minutes and summary of the meeting held on 9 September 2013.

The non-public minutes of meeting held 9^th September 2013 were approved, subject to their ratification by a quorate meeting of the Sub-Committee.

The Sub-Committee considered the non-public appendix as part of the Second Quarter Performance against the Targets in the Policing Plan.

To receive a verbal update of the Commissioner of Police.

The Assistant Commissioner and Chairman discussed that the Medium Term Financial Plan would now be received at the next meeting of the Police Committee, 6^th December 2013.

There were no questions.

There were no urgent items of business.