Finance, Change and People Oversight Board minutes - 19 July 2022

Present

• MOPAC

      Sophie Linden, Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime (DMPC)

      Diana Luchford, Chief Executive

      Kenny Bowie, Director of Strategy and MPS Oversight

      Lisa Kitto, Interim Chief Financial Officers

      Elliott Ball, Head of Corporate Services and Financial Oversight

     Craig James, Strategic Accountant

• GLA

      David Bellamy, Chief of Staff, Mayor’s Office

• MPS

      Sir Stephen House, Acting Commissioner

      Roisha Hughes, Director of Strategy

      DAC Matt Horne

      Ian Percival, Director of Finance

      Clare Davies, Deputy Chief of Corporate Services

The Board discussed the progress with the implementation of the MPS’s new IT software CONNECT. CONNECT would deliver an integrated core policing IT solution, replacing standalone, antiquated legacy applications and building on the investment already made in mobile devices. It would enable the transformation of operational policing services within the MPS.

The project was planning to go live with Drop 1 in November 2022. There was a discussion of the issues that needed to be resolved before the MPS would take a final decision on whether to go live on this date. Issues included the search functionality, assisted technology, case migration, audit capabilities, rights of access and deletion. The MPS outlined the work that was being undertaken to address the issues.

The Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime (DMPC) noted the risks and it was agreed that in making any decision on whether it was appropriate to proceed with the go live for Drop 1 in November, the MPS would provide more information on the impacts and mitigations for the issues discussed and also provide the go/no go criteria.

Action 1: Following the Management Board discussion of the issues with CONNECT at its 26 July meeting, the MPS and MOPAC to meet to discuss:

• How the risks were being mitigated (search functionality; rights of access and data deletion; assisted technology; ability to audit system; and case migration).
• The criteria for making of the go-no go decision.

The Board discussed the 2021-22 Q4 Finance Report and the 2021-22 outturn. It was noted that:

• There had been an underspend in revenue and this had been transferred to reserves. The MPS outlined the drivers of the underspend, which included delayed projects and pressures carried forward. There was a discussion of the importance of transparency in budget movements, between the original agreed budget and the final outturn.

Action 2: For future quarterly reporting to MOPAC on the budget, the MPS to advise of changes against the original Mayoral approved budget. To aid transparency, plain English to be used so understandable to the public.

• There had been an underspend of the capital budget. The MPS advised the reasons for this, which included not purchasing property as planned, slower IT spend and delays to some IT and transformation projects. There was a discussion of the need for project delivery assumptions and spend profiles to be realistic and adjusted for optimism at the budget setting stage.  

Action 3: MPS to consider how it could bring more scrutiny to the setting of capital and revenue budgets to understand where they may be overly optimistic, for discussion with the MOPAC finance team by 9 September.

• Home Office projects were included in the capital budget in line with the advice from Home Office, but these too were experiencing delays, contributing to the underspend. It was agreed that the MPS would discuss with the Home Office the need for realistic assessments of project delivery.

Action 4: MPS to discuss with the Home Office how realistic it was being with the timing of its projects that have an impact on the MPS’s budget.

• There had been an increase in reserves. There was a discussion of the reasons for this and how much was earmarked for future commitments. The DMPC noted the need to have a good understanding of the future plans for the reserves and what could be released for other priorities.

Action 5: MPS to advise MOPAC of the detail of the reserves, so consideration could be given to whether any can be released for other priorities, by 9 September.

Action 6: MPS to discuss with MOPAC the officer pay reserve line and future officer pay underspend, by 9 September.

The Board noted that the 2022-23 budget guidance would soon be available and would, among other things, introduce carbon budgeting, set out expectations on reporting and set out provisional control totals.