MPS Targeted Career Development Service

This decision concerns two MPS Leading for London (LfL) initiatives designed to support the Mayor’s Action Plan for Transparency, Accountability and Trust in policing and underpins the drive to build a police service that better represents and understands the communities it serves:

• Inspiring Leadership Programme– to support career development of Black constables.

• Lead On Programme – to provide the tools for female and/or Black Asian and Ethnic Minority sergeants and inspectors to unblock typical barriers to progression over 2 years.

The Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime is recommended to:

1. Approve the investment of £800,000 over two years (2021/22 and 2022/23) to support the Lead On programme.

2. Approve to go to market through the Bloom Procurement Services for a suitable external partner(s) to design and deliver the following two leadership initiatives:

• Inspiring Leadership Programme– to support career development for Black constables over 3-years, at £400k per year and; (Investment approved PCD 832)

• Lead On Programme – to provide the tools for female and/or Black Asian and Ethnic Minority sergeants and inspectors to unblock typical barriers to progression.

3. Approve delegated authority to the Director of Commercial services to award the resulting contract.

1. Introduction and background

1.1 The Mayor’s Action Plan for Transparency, Accountability and Trust in policing commits to building a police service that better represents and understands Black communities.

1.2 Increasing the number of police officer recruits from London’s Black communities is a key part of delivering this Action Plan. The MPS is aiming for 3.8% of its officers to be from a Black background by 2022, 4.5% by 2024 and 7.2% by 2030. To achieve this the MPS aims to see as many as 8% of new recruits from Black background by April 21.

1.3 Furthermore, the Action Plan commits to supporting more Black officers to progress through the ranks to more senior positions. This includes aspiring to have 3% Black Sergeants and Inspectors by 23/24 and 7% by 29/30.

1.4 PCD 832 approved the funding for the Inspiring Leadership programme until 2024.

1.5 If the public believe they are being treated fairly by the police, this will lead to increased trust that the MPS is acting in their best interests to keep London safe. Shaping a workforce in which our communities can see their own reflection; not just as Constables but as Leaders and decision makers speaks to our integrity and how the MPS value individuals for the diversity they bring.

2. Issues for consideration

2.1 These programmes aim to increase the number of Black, Asian and Ethnic Minority applicants for promotions to the Sergeant and Inspector ranks, as well as enabling our female colleagues to recognise and unblock typical barriers to progression for women. By improving representation of Black, Asian and Ethnic Minority and/or female colleagues at all levels, we can better understand our communities and our workforce, leading to improved practices that encourages progression and retention of female and/or Black, Asian and Ethnic Minority colleagues in the future, and a sustainable diverse and inclusive Met.

2.2 The content developed through this contract will be of additional benefit to all constables, sergeants and inspectors who would like to progress as some elements will be available for all.

2.3 The programmes will be supported locally by the Career Development Officers who will oversee their implementation and ongoing progress in BCU/OCUs. Through using the LfL Alumni, we will continue to build capability within the Met and expand best practice.

2.4 There is substantial evidence across organisations that greater diversity leads to better organisational performance.

2.5 The programme will be designed in full consultation with Staff Support Associations and Networks including the MPS Black Police Association who are a key stakeholder.



2.6 The Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime will have oversight of the MPS governance of this programme through regular engagement with MPS Senior leaders and data will be published within the quarterly oversight report.

3. Financial & Commercial Comments

3.1 The investment of £800,000 over two years (2021/22 – 2022/23) for the ‘Lead On programme’ is from the MPS approved budgets (Leading for London budget).

3.2 The funding for the ‘Inspiring Leadership programme’ has already been approved via PCD 832.

3.3 The MPS will go out to market with a mini competition through Bloom Procurement Services (our preferred managed service provider) for professional services and ensure that the GLA Group Responsible Procurement policy is followed. We will ensure value for money by:

a. Driving down price – the mini competition will generate competitive bids and Best and Final Offer (BAFO) in the final stages. Bidders will be invited to cost the initiatives individually and provide a combined cost (which should be better vfm).

b. Balance quality with price - The resulting contract will be awarded to the most economically advantageous tender. We will use a 55/35/10 Quality/ Price/Social Value ratio as the value we are seeking from the market is innovation and expertise to drive behavioural change and navigate the barriers to progression.

c. Social Value – Due to the projected value of the contract, Social value will be a key element of the overall evaluation criteria of the tender, resulting commitments in successful suppliers bids will be contractualised to ensure that they are followed up on and materialize.

d. Selecting a proposal that aligns with our leadership approach (tailored, sustainable, accessible), the resulting product will be designed around the needs of our learners.

e. Evaluation – we will include in our evaluation criteria how bidders propose to demonstrate vfm in their bid.

f. Drive value - Monthly performance reviews will be included to measure progress against Key Performance Indicators (KPI) linked to organisationally valued outcomes

g. Opening up for small and medium enterprises – by splitting the programmes into two lots, this opens up the potential for two different providers each that may be best suited to the individual initiative.

h. GLA Responsible Procurement - Bidders will demonstrate how they will:

i. Enhance social value

ii. Encouraging equality and diversity

iii. Embedding fair employment practices

iv. Enabling skills, training and employment opportunities

v. Promoting ethical sourcing practices

vi. Improving environmental sustainability

i. Where appropriate, we will aim to own IP for internal use beyond the contractual term, at no extra cost. This will enable us to share output with other third parties if needed beyond this contract, or other forces

j. We will consider options to generating income – e.g. charging the provider a license fee for using co-designed material in other organisations.

k. Market research – we conducted market research to identify providers who have the capability and skills to deliver our service requirements and will invite to tender those that that meet our criteria.

4. Legal Comments

4.1 The Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (“MOPAC”) is a contracting authority as defined in the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (“the Regulations”). All awards of public contracts for goods and/or services valued at £189,330 or above shall be procured in accordance with the Regulations. This report confirms the value of the proposed contract exceeds this threshold.

4.2 The Directorate of Legal Services confirms that the route to market is compliant with the Regulations.

4.3 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.

4.4 Paragraph 4.13 of the MOPAC Scheme of Delegation and Consent provides that the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime (DMPC) has delegated authority to approve all requests to go out to tender for contracts of £500,000 or above, or where there is a particular public interest.

4.5 Paragraph 7.23 of the Scheme provides that the Director of Strategic Procurement has consent for the approval of the award of all contracts, with the exception of those called in through the agreed call in procedure. Paragraph 4.14 of the Scheme provides the DMPC reserves the right to call in any MPS proposal to award a contract for £500,000 or above

4.6 The commitment of these resources is also relevant to the Equality Act 2010 as it seeks to make the MPS more representative and provide positive action to support the advancement of underrepresented groups.

5. GDPR and Data Privacy

5.1. The MPS is subject to the requirements and conditions placed on it as a ‘State’ body to comply with the European Convention of Human Rights and the Data Protection Act (DPA) 2018. Both legislative requirements place an obligation on the MPS to process personal data fairly and lawfully in order to safeguard the rights and freedoms of individuals.

5.2. Under Article 35 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Section 57 of the DPA 2018, Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPA) become mandatory for organisations with technologies and processes that are likely to result in a high risk to the rights of the data subjects.

5.3. The Information Assurance and Information Rights unit will be consulted at all stages of the work arising from these proposals to ensure that all compliance requirements in respect of GDPR and Privacy are met.

5.4 The project does not use currently personally identifiable data of members of the public, so there are no current GDPR issues to be considered. If the project uses personally identifiable data of members of the public at a later date DPIAs will be completed as needed.

6. Equality Comments

6.1. 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.

6.2. As noted above this decision seeks to improve the representation and promotion of underrepresented groups. This is done in support of the aims of the Mayor’s published Action Plan, which in turn is supported by a dedicated Equality Impact Assessment (EIA).

6.3 An Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) has been carried out for the MPS leadership initiatives – it will be tailored to the Inspiring Leadership Programme and the Lead On Programme.

7. Background/supporting papers

7.1. N/A