Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Michael Landau. The Chair welcomed Helen Fentimen to her first meeting of the Committee as a Member of the Board and noted that Martha Grekos has been co-opted to the Committee by the Police Authority Board on the 25^th of May.

There were no declarations.

To receive the Terms of Reference as set by the City of London Police Authority Board at its meeting on 25 April 2022.

The Committee received its Terms of Reference as approved by the Police Authority Board.

The Chair noted his thanks to the previous Jamie Ingham-Clark for his contributions to the Committee in his previous position of Chairman of the Finance Committee and informed that the new Chairman Henry Colthurst would be joining the Committee accordingly.

RESOLVED- That the Terms of Reference be noted.

To agree the public minutes and non-public summary of the meeting held on the 4^th of February.

The Committee considered the draft public minutes and non-public summary of the Resource, Risk and Estates Committee meeting held on the 4^th of February.

It was noted that there was a typographic error in the name of Michael Landau which would be corrected.

RESOLVED- That the public minutes of the Resource, Risk and Estates Committee meeting held on the 4th of February be approved as an accurate record.

Joint report of the Town Clerk and Commissioner.

The Committee received a joint report of the Town Clerk and the Commissioner of Police on the actions outstanding from the previous meeting.

It was noted that one of the actions had been included in the MFTP and the second would be addressed in the Committee’s agenda.

RESOLVED- That the report be noted.  

Report of the Head of Internal Audit.

The Committee considered a report of the Head of Internal Audit regarding the Internal Audit Update.

The Chair requested further information on future funding of the City of London Police noting particularly the impact of increased inflation. Responding to this it was confirmed that the impact of inflation was being assessed across the City of London Corporation as a corporate risk and would be addressed in the Medium-Term Financial Plan (MTFP) risks.

Responding to a query the Chair’s question it was confirmed the Operating Level Agreement (OLA) was due to be presented for Chief Officer approval.

The Chair of the Police Authority Board observed there would be a review brought to the Committee on the Police Authority’s governance arrangements.

The Committee discussed that the position regarding the funding and savings risk for the City of London Police. Officers noted that there was a significantly improved financial risk for the City of London Police however more work would be required with regard to providing assurance on savings plans which would be reflected in the next report for Committee. The Chair of the Police Authority Board observed that measures required to give the Committee assurance on this would need to be appropriately addressed in the MTFP and that clear policy on the use of reserve. It was explained that the proposal was to combine a number of earmarked reserves into central reserves to provide better control and oversite from the Police Authority Board.

The Committee agreed it was comfortable for savings to be achieved by holding posts open against approved operational budgets as it was not an effective long term strategic approach.

The Head of Internal Audit confirmed that he considered it fair and balanced for City of London Police Governance Arrangements to be rated as Green.

The Police Authority Board commented

Report of the Commissioner.

The Committee received a presentation from the Commissioner of Police regarding the Workforce Update and the Year 3 Police Uplift Plan.

The Chair commented that he was content that the new leadership team have a grip on this, and that the Committee now had a strong oversight of the workforce concerns. In addition, it was observed that the final position needed to be that an effective establishment which is within budget. Responding to this it was confirmed that the City of London Police Chief Officers would be taking forward this work in the Corporate Services Review.

The Committee requested that a report be provided to the Committee detailing on how vacancies affect the delivery of the City of London Police’s operation priorities

The Chair of the Police Authority Board commented that progress needed to be made on the increasing diversity in the workforce. It was confirmed that this had been raised as a risk in the Year 3 programme but noted it would be a challenge to address the Metropolitan Police were also undergoing a uplift programme.

Responding to the presentation on the Police Uplift Programme the Chair commented that the City of London Police should highlight their unique offering.

A Committee Member noted the success of eight-week enablers campaign had been and were the enabling functions able to continue this level of support. Replying to this each it was confirmed that in going into year three a dedicated team was established to address this and that each of the enabling functions required for the uplift had been funded on a fixed term basis.

Replying to a Member’s question it was confirmed that the nine hundred and nighty five positions, as demonstrated on page fifty three of the agenda, was a complete refection of the required uplift.

RESOLVED- That

Report of the Commissioner.

The Committee received a report of the Commissioner of Police on the City of London Police Workforce Monitoring report 1 October 2021-March 2022.

The Chair highlighted the relationship between the Workforce Plan and the Monitoring Report noting that progress as being made on data however there needed to be greater focus this relationship ensuring that the required core key skills areas were covered in the workforce. It was added that comparative data needed to be included for the Committee to have a better understanding on the relative position for the City of London Police. Responding to this it was explained that the Home Office released the comparative data for each Police Force in July and that the move to an online recruitment system would assist with collecting this comparative data.

The Chair of the Police Authority Board noted that there needed to be a single combined and connected report on all Human Resources matters relating to the Force at the next Committee with appropriate dashboards and metrics included to give a better understanding of these issues. Officers agreed to provide this information to the Committee to reassure Members on these details. ACTION

RESOVLED-That the report be noted.

Report of the Commissioner and Police Authority Treasurer.

The Committee received a joint report of the Commissioner of Police and the Police Authority Treasurer on the Chief Finance Officer’s update.

The Police Authority Treasurer observed that there had been a steading of financial position over the recent years however he was keen to drive this agenda forward. The Chair commented that balancing the budget was an absolute political priority.  

RESOLVED- That the report be noted.  

Report of the Commissioner.

The Committee received a report of the Commissioner of Police on the City of London Police Capital and Revenue Outturn 2021-2022.

The Committee were informed of the reasons for revenue underspend of £2M noting that this provided the opportunity to increase reserves with the proposal to pay into the general reserve and combine earmarked reserves to bring the general reserve to £4.3M.

The Chair noted he had concerns over the ability of the Force to adequately plan and execute capital spending budget exercises.

Following a discussion by the Committee on the suitability of combining reserves it was requested that Officers prepare a report for Committee consideration on the proposals for the reserves policy.  

In response to a Member question it was confirmed that key decisions on the realignment of capital priorities would be take by the City of London Police Chief Officer group.

RESOLVED- That: -

                     I.        the report be noted; and

                    II.        That Members noted that PAB will be asked to approve the proposed allocation of the £2m underspend to the General Reserve, along with the consolidation of other earmarked reserves into General Reserve as highlighted, when the final outturn is presented to June PAB.

Report of the Commissioner.

The Committee received a report of the Commissioner of Police on the City of London Police Risk Register Update. It was noted that the key objective of this update was to bring the City of London Police risk register in line with the City of London Corporation’s risk register with the report focussing on systems and processes rather substantive analysis of each risk.

The Chair requested that an update on the risk register be prepared for the Committee on a quarterly basis rather than biannually.

The Chair of the Police Authority Board requested that a report be brought to the Committee on the City of London Police’s vulnerability to cyber-attack.

Responding to a Committee Member’s concerns on the likelihood and level of specific risks in the Risk Register it was confirmed that further details regarding these risks would be included in the quarterly report to the Committee.  

RESOLVED- That the report be noted.

There were no questions received in the public session.

There was no urgent business considered in the public session.

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 I of the Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

To agree the non-public minutes of the meeting held on the 4^th of February.

The Committee considered the non-public minutes of the Resource Risk and Estates Committee meeting held on the 4^th of February.

RESOLVED- That the non-public minutes of the Resource Risk and Estates Committee be approved as an accurate record.

Joint report of the Town Clerk and Commissioner.

The Committee received a joint report of the Town Clerk and Commissioner of Police.

RESOLVED- That the report be noted

Report of the Commissioner.

Joint report of the Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer.  

The Committee received a joint report of the Chief Operating Officer and the Commissioner of Police regarding the Police IT Value for Money Review.

RESOLVED- That the report be noted.  

Report of the Commissioner.

Joint report of the Commissioner and City Surveyor.