Executive Board minutes: 12 March
Minutes of the meeting held at the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for North Yorkshire, Barker Business Park, Melmerby on 12 March 2013.
PRESENT:-
In the Chair: Julia Mulligan (JM)
Officers: Chief Executive Jeremy Holderness (JNH); T/Chief Constable Tim Madgwick; Chief Officer of Resources Joanna Carter (JC); Chief of Staff Ken McIntosh (KM) Force Solicitor Simon Dennis (SD).
Also in attendance: Director of Crime Simon Mason (SM) (for minute 15(2)); Director of Futures Liz Byrne (LB) (for minute 15(1)); Head of Tasking and Logistics T/Superintendent Nick Hunter (NH) (for minute 15(1)); Head of Forensic Services Mark Bates (MB) (for minutes 15(1) and 15(2); Service Delivery Advisor Maria Earles (ME) (for minute 15(1)).
APOLOGIES
Apologies were given on behalf of the Commissioner’s Chief Finance Officer Judith Heeley.
MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING
Minute 3 Decisions required:
Northern Base Business Case: KM reported that the required additional detail in the Decision Notice had now been produced and the finalised business case and Decision Notice will be forwarded to JM as a matter of urgency. The Business Solutions Manager Helen Marshall will liaise with the Commissioner’s office to develop the communications plan for the business case prior to approval and publication of the Decision Notice.
ACTION – Revised Decision Notice to be forwarded to JM as a matter of urgency (Lead JC with Julie McMurray).
ACTION – Communications plan to be developed between NYP and Commissioners office (Lead KM with Helen Marshall, Will Naylor and Gina Allen).
Re-Provision of Ripon Police Station:
No further action has been taken yet due to the North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service Chief Fire Officer being unavailable. To be carried forward to the Executive Board held on 19 March.
ACTION: TM to discuss the feasibility and associated costs of co-locating with North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Services in Ripon with the Chief Fire Officer Nigel Hutchinson. Outcomes of discussion to be brought back to the Executive Board on 19 March. (Lead: TM).
Extension to agreement for Independent Domestic and Sexual Violence Advisors:
JM confirmed that the required information had been provided to her and the Decision Notice approved. However further clarity has recently emerged regarding the position for partnership funding overall and
JM sought a further meeting with JC, the Head of Organisation and Development Gary Macdonald and the OPCC External Relations Manager Gina Allen to discuss this and potential future allocation of the Community Safety Fund for 2013/14.
ACTION: Meeting to be arranged (Lead: JC).
Minute 8 Forthcoming Events or Communications:
Student Officer Recruitment Campaign:
KM advised that T/DCC Cross had requested that the campaign be delayed by one week from 16 April to 23 April to avoid a clash with the Chief Constable selection process. As advised at the EB on 5 March, T/DCC Cross will provide detail for the Executive Board on 19 March of the proposal being pursued and the risk mitigation measures to be adopted in connection with that process. A communications plan for the event is also to be drafted for discussion.
JC also sought clarity that the Single Tender Contract approval for the continuation of the contract for recruitment services from West Yorkshire Police had been approved, which JM confirmed.
ACTION: A report on the process to be adopted by NYP in connection with the recruitment of student officers be provided to the Executive Board on 19 March (Lead KM with T/DCC Cross).
ACTION: A communication plan to be submitted to the Executive Board on 19 March (Lead: KM with Gina Allen).
Communications:
JM highlighted the need to ensure that communication plans are in place between NYP and the Commissioner’s Office prior to Decision Notices of significant public and media interest being published to avoid any misinterpretation. It was recognised and accepted that the operations of the Executive Board are critical to achieving effective pre-planning of co-ordinated internal and external communications on matters of significant public and staff interest.
This led to further discussion regarding the changing culture of transparency and publication of information within the public sector and steps that could be taken to promote greater understanding within the organisation of these changes.
ACTION: Guidance document regarding the transparency and publication of information to be developed and brought to a future Executive Board (Lead: JNH/SD).
DECISIONS REQUIRED
Collaborative arrangements for Front Counter Service provision in Whitby:
Approved.
ACTION: Approved subject to a communications plan being developed prior to publication of the Decision Notice (Lead: JC)
DELEGATED MATTERS TO NOTE
There were no delegated matters to note.
MATTERS ARISING FROM CORPORATE PERFORMANCE AND COORDINATION GROUP
As the first meeting has not taken place yet, there were no matters arising.
CONCEPTS AND/OR INITIATIVES TO BE DISCUSSED
Progression of Police and Crime Plan Outcomes:
The Board discussed possible approaches for the development of key governance processes which would be
necessary to secure the future rolling development of the Police and Crime Plan
effective scrutiny (by means of the operation of the new Corporate Performance and Co-ordination Group) and subsequent reporting by the Police and Crime Commissioner of progress towards achieving the outcomes of the Plan.
The Board accepted that there was currently a body of quantitative data which, in the short term, could and should be used for monitoring progress towards the Plan outcomes. However, the Board also accepted that in the longer term, that data was not comprehensive enough nor did it provide (where the context so required) the basis for a qualitative evaluation of success against outcome criteria.
Furthermore, it was accepted that most of the Plan outcomes would need detailed delivery plans, progress against which would also need to be factored into emerging monitoring/oversight processes.
There was also a recognition that the development of such a framework was pivotal to the Commissioner being able to demonstrate that she is adequately holding the Chief Constable to account for Force performance and to the role of the Police and Crime Panel in scrutinising the Commissioner’s functions.
Of immediate concern was the imminent requirement to outline, in the published Police and Crime Plan, how progress towards the Plan’s objectives are to be measured and monitored and, prior to that, to outline the Commissioner’s approach to these matters to the Police and Crime Panel on 21 March.
In addition, the views of the Board were sought on how the results of public consultation on the Plan should be considered, any amendments to the Plan determined and subsequently reported to the Panel.
Discussion also took place in regard to suggested amendments to the suggested current Police and Crime
Plan Performance Indicators which are to be used pending further development of the suite of measurement measures.
After extensive discussion the following actions were agreed:
ACTION: That the development of the planning and oversight governance framework be progressed on the basis of proposals submitted to the Board, with a view to having a fully functioning framework determined by July 2013.
That, pending the full development and implementation of that framework, an incremental approach be adopted to the initial oversight by the Commissioner of performance against the Plan, utilising current data (Lead LB/NH);
That a draft presentation to the Police and Crime Panel outlining the results of the public consultation phase of the draft Plan and the incremental development approach being adopted for updating the plan, and for monitoring and evaluating performance against the Plan (based on the discussions above)be developed for discussion at the Executive Board on 19 March. (LB/NH)
That prior to the Executive Board on 19 March, LB, JC and JM discuss the emerging content of that presentation via a conference call.
Draft protocol for information sharing between the Office of Police and Crime Commissioner and Police and Crime Panel:
The Board considered the draft protocol received, for initial discussion, from the Panel.
The Board recognised the importance of ensuring that the reporting and information requirements of the
Panel are complementary to the governance processes of the Commissioner, so as to avoid duplication and unnecessary use of scarce resources. It was agreed that the Commissioner should seek an early discussion with the Panel – as part of her presentation to the Panel on the development of the final Police and Crime Plan – to outline her plans for developing oversight and monitoring mechanisms in the hope of securing the agreement of the Panel to working with her on aligning her governance processes with the Panel’s reporting requirements.
ACTION: That the presentation being prepared for the Panel on 21 March, should seek to outline the Commissioner’s short and longer term arrangements for overseeing and refreshing the Plan.
MASH – Support to MAPPA and PVP
SM and MB provided a presentation on the current and proposed arrangements and costs for a Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH).
ACTION: That the proposals outlined in the presentation be developed and a Decision Notice be brought to the Executive Board on 19 March (Lead TM / SM).
ACTION: That a communications plan be developed for the initiative prior to the approval and subsequent publication of the Decision Notice. (KM)
NATIONAL OR LOCAL DEVELOPMENTS/CONSULTATIONS
Work programme for Regional Scientific Support Services (RSSS):
JNH highlighted the action plan which has been developed in connection with the RSSS project and the working group which has been established to oversee it.
TM confirmed that the role of the NYP representative on that Group was limited to overseeing the delivery of the action plan for the implementation of the RSSS project and to work up proposals for the future development of that project for discussion and decision by the Chief Constable and the Commissioner as appropriate.
HMIC Valuing the Police 3 Inspection:
Discussion took place in regard to the timescales of the inspection, which is due to commence in March 2013. Board Members did not see any potential problems with co-ordinating the actions necessary to prepare for that inspection.
Funding of Police, Crime and Community Safety Services:
It was agreed that this item would merit a fuller discussion at the Executive Board on 19 March.
ACTION: Item to be re-scheduled for 19 March Executive Board.
Procurement:
JM advised JC of feedback which she had received from a member of staff.
ACTION: JM to follow up and liaise with JC.
FORTHCOMING EVENTS OR COMMUNICATIONS
JM advised that she would be meeting with the Lead GP to discuss the cost and provision for a place of safety for individuals with Mental Health needs on Wednesday 13 March. KM agreed to provide JM with an update from ACC Spittal.
ACTION: JM to be provided with update from ACC Spittal (Lead: KM).
DATE OF NEXT MEETING
9am – 12noon Tuesday 19 March 2013 at the Chief Constables Office, Police Headquarters, Newby Wiske.