Letter from DMPC to Commissioner - 22nd September Oversight Board

Dear Mark

Let me begin by thanking you, and all your colleagues in the MPS, once again for the outstanding work you all did in policing the historic events up to and including the State funeral for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. This showcased the MPS at its best.

I was equally grateful for your open and collaborative approach at last Thursday’s Oversight Board meeting. As I said at the outset, whilst my role is clearly to oversee the work of you and the wider MPS and to hold you to account for that, I wish to do so in a way which benefits both sides and where it is seen as contributing to shared objectives.

It was obviously a slightly unusual Oversight Board given how little time both you and the new Deputy Commissioner have been in post. The minutes will be agreed and published in due course. Nonetheless, I note that we agreed the following:

• You will provide a further update to me and the Mayor in October on MPS progress towards meeting the Home Office Police Uplift Target following the completion of relevant work underway in the MPS. Within that you also indicated you would consider the training of new recruits and what improvements might be needed in that regard.
• The MPS will share, as early as possible, its proposed plans for where extra officers from the Police Uplift Programme will be posted, as well as an assessment of what performance impact might be expected as a result of that. I understand at this stage that this will most likely be high level, but I believe it is important the MPS begins to do this.
• You indicated that at the next Performance Board – chaired by the Deputy Commissioner – you will be looking at existing related products and how these map against your new priorities. You agreed that Kenny Bowie and Paul Dawson from MOPAC would attend Performance Board for this item.
• In terms of the Transformation portfolio, we agreed that Michelle Thorpe would provide a demonstration of the various products to my team, including on how benefits are calculated and captured.
• We agreed to use the budget process to support the realignment of financial resources to priorities and, in doing so, your team confirmed that they will be sharing the analysis and assumptions relating to revenue and capital budget setting. This will include your review of MPS earmarked reserves and capital projects that will deliver the Mayor’s ambition to achieve Net Zero by 2030.
• You have agreed to share data and analysis based on the most recent HMICFRS VFM assessment with Lisa Kitto from MOPAC.
• I am grateful that you have agreed to have MOPAC representatives present for the Management Board discussion on the CONNECT go-live decision on 6^th October.

Although we did not discuss the matter at this meeting, I would very welcome a discussion with you about internal governance within the MPS and what your approach to that will be. It is a vital cross-cutting issue which, done correctly, should help underpin all the reforms you wish to make. However, currently, I believe, and as is evidenced by many audit reports, that the current structures in the MPS are not strong enough to give you the assurance you need on key issues, and I have seen little evidence of how they link up to ensure strategic issues come together in a coherent fashion.

I would be very grateful if your reply to this letter could set out any intentions you have around reviewing your governance structures, and that we can use that as a basis for future discussion.

Yours sincerely,

Sophie Linden

Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime