Strengthening Local Policing Implementation Costs

The Strengthening Local Policing (SLP) programme aims to deliver local policing in a way that is more personal and responsive to the needs of London, helping to tackle crime and disorder more effectively and helping to make London the safest global city.

The DMPC is asked to

1. Approve additional implementation costs of £1,479,943 to be met from the Major Change Fund. This is support the greater proportion of IT changes that are required to be delivered in 2017/18 to support the implementation of the SLP programme.

2. Note at the Strategic Outline Business Case (SOC) stage, programme costs were estimated at £13.6m over five years, with IT costs comprising £11.55m. From this, an initial request of £0.73m was made – covering the period until 31st March 2017. Further funding of £1.48m is now required to support implementation activity – pending the submission and agreement of the Full Business Case (FBC) in autumn 2017.

3. Note that this request takes place in the context that overall IT costs for the programme have reduced by £3.8m (following assessment of requirement during the Pathfinder process). This represents a fall from a total of £11.55m to £7.7m.

4. Note the funding remains within the overall envelope proposed within the SOC – but does require a greater proportion of the IT funding to be delivered within 2017/18. This is based on an assessment that the required changes are both achievable within 2017/18 and that they are essential to support operational delivery at the point of go-live (£6m against an original estimate of £4.5m in 2017/18).

5. Note the additional implementation cost of £1.48m is affordable within the Major Change Funding budget for 2017/18. The budget will be reviewed at FBC stage.

1. Introduction and background

1.1. The objectives of the Strengthening Local Policing (SLP) programme are:

• Improved quality of service – driving increased confidence in local policing and public satisfaction

• Improved decision making – driving continuing reduction in crime and increasing our ability to bring offenders to justice

• To make better use of our people – increasing job satisfaction and the confidence of our own staff in the services we provide

• Increased efficiency and productivity – making savings that will enable reinvestment back into local policing and / or other MPS priorities

1.2. The SLP programme focuses on changing the way the MPS operates, by examining how new structures could be adopted in order to make efficiencies to meet the financial challenges that the MPS faces. In particular, the SLP programme is reviewing how the Borough Command Units (BCU) could be structured. The MPS has developed two BCU Pathfinders to enable their designs to be tested and gain understanding of the assumed benefits.

1.3. The experience of the Central North and East Area BCU Pathfinders have, identified some important learning. It has emerged that a greater proportion of the IT changes required within the programme need to be delivered within 2017/18. The MPS is now seeking approval for additional implementation costs of £1,479,943 to be met from the Major Change Fund.

2. Issues for consideration

2.1. The approval of this funding request is vital to supporting the successful delivery of the SLP Programme as it is a key enabler for other MPS transformation programmes, such as the Smarter Working and Streamlined Leadership.

3. Financial Comments

3.1. The MPS requires funding of £1,479,943 and this will be met from the Major Change Fund budget.

4. Legal Comments

4.1. There are no legal implications arising from this report.

5. Equality Comments

5.1. There are no direct equality or diversity implications arising from this report

6. Background/supporting papers

6.1. Report.