PCD 1783 Workforce Planning and Career Management Capabilities

This paper seeks approval for the funding and recruitment of an additional 14 posts to support the New Met for London (NMfL) Fixing the Foundations programme.  The posts will deliver workforce planning and career management functions. The full year annual cost of £1,064,000 will be funded from within existing MPS budgets. 

The Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime is recommended to:   

1. Approve the proposal to recruit 6 staff at an annual cost of £497,000 from 2025/26 to deliver a new Workforce Planning capability, fully funded by the NMfL budget allocation for this work; 

2. Approve the proposal to recruit 8 staff at an annual cost of £567,000 from 2025/26 to deliver a new Career Management capability, funded by the NMfL budget allocation for this work, plus £64,000 p.a. from the HR budget. 

PART I - NON-CONFIDENTIAL FACTS AND ADVICE TO THE DMPC 

1. Introduction and background  

1. The MPS developed a surge capacity in late 2023 to deliver additional HR services required by the NMFL transformation programmes. This paper seeks approval to make permanent changes to the MPS HR Target Operating Model (TOM) to provide for workforce planning and career management in the longer term.  

2. Issues for consideration 

1. The six posts under workforce planning will support the New Met for London commitments for development of a new strategic workforce plan for the whole Met, and to help deploy Met resources and manage workforce pressures to better meet demand. It will also address His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) Engage milestone of a full target operating model for workforce planning and deployment. 

2. The eight posts under career management will support the New Met for London commitments to support everyone in developing their career, and help reform the Met promotion processes.  It will also address His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) Engage milestone of a roll out of Career Review Boards beyond Chief Superintendent/Band A. 

3. Financial Comments  

1. The total budget requirement for these additional posts in a full year is £1,064,000. The posts are expected to be filled and incur costs from 1 April 2025.  The costs will be funded from the approved New Met for London budget of £1,000,000 with the HR function covering the additional £64,000 from within its existing budgets. After NMfL specific funding the costs will be contained within the HR budget.  

4. Legal Comments 

1. The Directorate of Legal Services assures that the appointment of these additional posts is within legal powers. Paragraph 1, Schedule 4 of the Police Reform Social Responsibility Act 2011 gives the Commissioner a power to appoint staff including (2)The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis may appoint such other staff as the Commissioner thinks appropriate to enable the Commissioner to exercise the Commissioner's functions, or otherwise to assist the metropolitan police force. 

2. Paragraph 4.8 of the MOPAC Scheme of Delegation and Consent provides that the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime (DMPC) has delegated authority to approve business cases for revenue or capital expenditure of £500,000 or above. 

5. Commercial Issues  

1. There are no commercial issues associated with this proposal. 

6. GDPR and Data Privacy  

1. MOPAC will adhere to the Data Protection Act (DPA) 2018 and ensure that any organisations who are commissioned to do work with or on behalf of MOPAC are fully compliant with the policy and understand their GDPR responsibilities.   

2. The MPS assure that the approval of the additional posts does not use personally identifiable data of members of the public, so there are no GDPR issues to be considered. 

7. Equality Comments  

1. MOPAC is required to comply with the public sector equality duty set out in section 149(1) of the Equality Act 2010. This requires MOPAC to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations by reference to people with protected characteristics. The protected characteristics are: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. 

2. The MPS assure that this request for funding to recruit additional full time staff will use existing recruitment processes which are subject to equality legislation and diversity and inclusion policy and processes. 

8. Background/supporting papers 

• Appendix 1 MPS Report - Investment in HR to fix foundations and deliver revised Workforce Planning and Career Management Capabilities