Strengthening Local Policing (SLP)

The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) faces a significant challenge in addressing evolving and growing demands whilst achieving a real-term reduction in its budget. Local policing needs to become more effective and efficient in tackling crime and disorder, and be able to deliver a service that is more personal and responsive to the needs of London with fewer resources.

In order to achieve this, the Strengthening Local Policing (SLP) Programme will introduce a functional-based approach to local policing; coupled with merging Borough Commands to create larger, more resilient Basic Command Units (BCUs); improved strategic leadership; and incorporate a focused safeguarding capability integrated with local services.

This approach was tested in two ‘pathfinder’ BCUs: East Area (previously Barking & Dagenham, Havering and Redbridge Borough Commands) and Central North (previously Camden and Islington Borough Commands). In response, after initially experiencing issues remedial changes were implemented and emergency response is now operating effectively. In light of this the MPS has taken the operational decision that the changes be extended across London to meet the challenges posed by planned budget reductions in 2018 and beyond and to deliver the operational benefits more widely.

This paper seeks approval for the funding to roll out the SLP programme across London.

Recommendation:

It is recommended that the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime:

a. Notes that the BCU “Pathfinders” - East Area (previously Barking & Dagenham, Havering and Redbridge Borough Commands) and Central North (previously Camden and Islington Borough Commands) – are now operating at levels, including emergency response, comparable with the rest of the MPS, and recognises them as permanent Command Units.

b. Notes the decision by the MPS to proceed with the Programme to implement the required changes in full to local policing and to stand up the remaining 10 Basic Command Units in line with a phased implementation and in accordance with the 12 BCU configuration.

c. Approves the funding of £9.919m (£3.723m Capital and £6.196m Revenue) to complete the Programme as defined over the remaining part of 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20. The capital funding is affordable within the Capital Plan. The revenue funding is affordable through a combination of in-year budget underspend for 2017-18 and drawing down of reserves in 2018-19 and 2019-20.

d. Notes the forthcoming appointment of BCU Commanders by the MPS and recognises the importance of these appointments to support early engagement with local partner Councils and organisations.

e. Notes that existing borough commanders who will not become BCU Commanders will either undertake positions within the BCUs as leads for one of the functional areas or be redeployed within the MPS.

f. Approve the initiation and award of the procurement of required equipment and services following existing processes through mini-competitions under existing framework agreements.

1. Introduction and background

1.1 The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) must plan for a future with fewer resources in order to achieve further savings of £325m by 2021. The reduced budget has meant that police officer numbers have now fallen to 30,000. However, this is not the only challenge for local policing.

1.2 Overall crime levels nationally have increased. London is no exception and the trends indicate that this pressure will continue. Demand continues to rise in relation to sexual violence, domestic abuse, mental health and child protection. The MPS must be able to meet this demand and maintain effective partnership working. Officers must also must be able to work across diverse vulnerabilities – ensuring that safeguarding functions are fully integrated.

1.3 In an environment with reducing officer posts the current Borough Commands will find it increasingly difficult to individually provide the range, volume and flexibility in officer numbers and ranks to operate effectively and efficiently, and deliver the required service. There is also a need for the MPS to operate more consistently across all parts of London, the existing operational structures limit their ability to do this.

1.4 The Strengthening Local Policing (SLP) programme therefore 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.

1.5 The programme will directly help address key priorities in the Police and Crime Plan 2017-2021 with a reduced officer workforce. The changes to local policing will establish the foundations for:

a. An empowered and devolved police leadership that can drive local changes;

b. A consistent approach to policing across London;

c. Neighbourhood officers and safer schools officers more visible and active in their communities;

d. Local priorities being addressed collaboratively, with proactive investment in the prevention of crimes and disorder;

e. Addressing current and future problems around extremism and radicalization through improved neighbourhood and proactive policing activities;

f. Victims having officers ‘owning’ their crime and not experiencing multiple hand-overs;

g. A joined-up holistic approach to safeguarding and the protection of vulnerable adults and children, operating in partnership with local authorities;

h. Improvements in positive outcomes – for example cautions, charges, community resolution etc.;

i. Increased job satisfaction in officers; and

j. Increased community confidence.

1.6 The SLP programme will achieve its objectives through:

a. The establishment of a functional-based approach to local policing based around Neighbourhoods, Response, Investigation (CID) and Safeguarding, all led and coordinated by a strategic Command HQ function.

b. The merger of Borough Commands to form larger establishments – Basic Command Units (BCU) – that can improve the leadership of officers and staff at all levels; enable the functional-based approach to local policing; flex resource where necessary; provide the required future operational resilience and robustness, and reduce border-based silo behaviours.

c. The strengthening of the protection of vulnerable people through transferring roles, responsibilities and staff into the BCU-based Safeguarding function, operating in partnership with local authorities in multi-agency hubs.

1.7 Each BCU will be led by a Chief Superintendent supported by five Superintendents, who will have functional leadership of each of the policing strands (Neighbourhoods; Emergency Response; Safeguarding and Investigation) and for the BCU HQ function. Each Borough within the BCU will also have a nominated Superintendent (one of the five) as a senior point of contact.

1.8 The SLP programme will deliver the required changes in a phased implementation approach, with all BCUs in operation by the end of 2018/19.

1.9 A significant amount of work has taken place to develop, test and confirm aspects of the SLP programme. Different elements were piloted in Southwark (Investigation), Westminster (Leadership & HQ) and Lambeth (Safeguarding referrals). The insights from these activities enabled the launch of two whole-system ‘Pathfinder’ BCUs in January 2017 in East Area (Barking & Dagenham, Havering and Redbridge) and Central North (Islington and Camden).

1.10 The learning from the pathfinders has been captured in a review document (see Appendix One), which supports the business case (Appendix two) to implement BCUs across London. This document not only covers improvements and modifications to the design of the BCU-based model, but also the changes to the approach taken for implementing the design and addressing the complex interactions, perceptions and relationships with all stakeholders.

2. Issues for consideration

2.1 Following the implementation of the pathfinders there were some performance decreases in key areas – notably emergency response in BCU East. There then ensued a recovery period, firstly with short term interventions and then implementation of permanent changes to the model design, before the Response performance returned to pre-change levels and above.

2.2 The two BCU Pathfinders are now delivering progress in several key performance areas:

a. Response: There was a performance drop following changes, but after short term interventions and long term permanent changes, ‘Immediate’ call performance is now back to pre-implementation levels, and ‘’Significant’ call performance has improved to the point that they are now above the levels of 12 months ago.

b. Safeguarding: Whilst demand in the Safeguarding area continues to rise, processes in the Pathfinders are improving to ensure that vulnerable victims are given the support they need – either through specialist investigators or through multi-agency action plans such as those developed at child abuse strategy meetings.

c. Crime: Overall crime performance has not been negatively impacted by the introduction of the BCU model, although there are local borough challenges still to be fully addressed such as theft person and robbery in Camden and Islington, and burglary in Redbridge, these challenges existed before implementation of the BCU.

d. Outcomes: Positive outcomes initially dropped after the move to Response officers ‘owning’ the management of Level 1 crimes but have since shown improvement, and it is anticipated that as the new ways of working are embedded further the proportion of positive outcome will continue to rise.

e. Victim satisfaction and public confidence: Satisfaction and confidence dropped following go-live and this was associated with the delays being experienced in initial response. The Pathfinders are now building on the position that call handling and response performance has improved, but there will be a lag between the improved performance now being shown and any improvement in public confidence levels.

f. Neighbourhoods: Along with the two Dedicated Ward Officers (DWOs) per ward, there are now additional demand-led Neighbourhood officers and an uplift in Youth Officers. The ring fencing of DWOs was relaxed during the summer of 2017 as part of the intervention activities, but this is now back in place.

g. Overall: Current results provide early signs of progress after a difficult transition – but there are improvements still to be made to sustain and further improve performance to comparable MPS levels, and to improve integration and collaboration with local partner services.

h. Benefits: The potential for cashable benefits in relation to officer numbers has been demonstrated in the Pathfinders. Current performance is being generated by resourcing levels that are at or below the levels originally modelled, although further rebalancing is required to address current shortfalls in key areas such as detective posts.

2.3 The Pathfinders have demonstrated that it is possible to deliver appropriate performance with overall post reductions and investment into priority areas, and that management savings can be realised from supervisory posts thus maximizing the financial value of the post reductions.

2.4 The Pathfinders are continuing to evolve. Further changes yet to be implemented in full include the roll out of mobile devices (in particular those for Response officers) which will secure further benefits beyond those seen above, as well as the continuing balancing of posts across the BCUs.

2.5 Nevertheless, whilst there is more to do to refine and improve service delivery, the Pathfinders have provided the Commissioner with the necessary confidence that the new model will create the required robust foundations for the future of local policing in London, and for the wider changes yet to be delivered through the continuing transformation of the MPS.

2.6 Whilst there is a financial imperative is to deliver the savings required within the MPS and develop a model which can operate with a reduced officer workforce, it must also be recognised that the intended new ways of working delivered by this programme are designed to address critical challenges to local policing and provide a robust foundation for future policing in London.

2.7 Changes to local policing in this programme will be put in place in partnership with local Councils and other organisations. Whilst the police operational requirements are paramount, changes are enhanced by the support of local communities and their representatives, and the engagement of the MPS with those contributors. The MPS is aware that the BCU element of the SLP cannot be a ‘one size fits all approach’ and that bespoke engagement with each area will be necessary.

2.8 Other Programmes within the One Met Model 2020 Transformation Portfolio are dependent on the changes planned to local policing for the realization of key benefits, in particular those from Estates Transformation.

2.9 A decision is sought in support of the SLP programme Final Business Case (FBC) to approve the funding of £9.919m (£3.723m Capital and £6.196m Revenue) to complete the SLP programme over the remaining part of 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20.

2.10 This decision will enable the start of the critical personnel processes required for the implementation of the next set of BCUs and thus maintain the delivery of all BCUs by the end of 2018. In addition, it will support the required engagement with local partner Councils and the establishment of joint governance boards to oversee the changes.

3. Financial Comments

3.1. Funding of £9.919m (£3.723m Capital and £6.196m Revenue) is required to complete the SLP programme, as defined in the FBC, over the remaining part of 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20.

3.2 There is a provision for the £3.723m against this programme in the Capital Plan, which would be drawn down to fund the capital element.

3.3 The £6.196m revenue includes £2.244m required for 2017-18 and £3.952m required across 2018-19 and 2019-20.

3.4 The costs of implementing the SLP programme are outlined in detail within the FBC which is attached as Appendix 2.

4. Legal Comments

4.1. The reconfiguration of the MPS Borough Command structure (i.e. BCUs) is an operational matter over which the Commissioner has an unfettered discretion in her decision making. There is no express statutory legal requirement for the Commissioner to conduct a public consultation exercise on the reconfiguration of the borough command structure and/or resources.

4.2 The duty under section 34(2) (Engagement with local people) of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 (PRSRA 2011) requires a chief officer to provide persons in the relevant police area with “information” about policing. The duty to inform is less onerous from a duty to consult, and one which is expected to be discharged by the engagement strategy outlined with key stakeholders and partners.

4.3 The presentation of the FBC and accompanying material to The Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) fulfils the requirement to work closely with the DMPC in order that the Commissioner can ensure the MPS is efficient and effective in accordance with section 3(6) of the PRSRA 2011.

4.4 The Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime is a contracting authority as defined in the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (the Regulations). Public contracts for goods and services valued at £181,302 or above must be procured in accordance with MOPAC governance and the Regulations. Section 5 (“The Commercial Case”) of the FBC confirms the procurement strategies for all elements required. MPS Directorate of Legal Services and the Directorate of Commercial Services will be consulted prior to award of any contracts to ensure compliance with MOPAC governance and the Regulations.

5. Equality Comments

5.1. Given the potential scope and the breath of changes to the organisation as a result of the implementation of this programme, Strategic Inclusion & Diversity recommended that Equality and Impact Assessments (EIA) were to be conducted on the individual implementation projects themselves, including testing.

5.2 Work to date at Programme level considering each functional strand against the local policing design has supported the overall programme approach (and has built upon the work on the Pathfinders) and this will be updated in line with recent design modifications to form a Programme Level EIA. This will form an overall framework for individual BCU EIAs. The project plans for each BCU implementation will include the project-level EIA at the earliest juncture and these will be undertaken in full consultation with Strategic Inclusion and Diversity (who will also sit on the Programme Working Group).

5.3 Confirmation against the Programme EIA, and the relevant Project EIAs, will be a requirement for the Gate 4 assurance decision points (BCU Go/No Go decisions).

5.4 The changes to implement the SLP programme are intended to deliver beneficial equality impacts that include:

a. Improved holistic investigations ensuring the MPS include and consider different facets or types of vulnerabilities in a systemic manner and thus reflect different protected characteristics in the investigation;

b. Single co-located local authority-based referral gateway focusing on early identification of risk and vulnerability in relation to domestic abuse, child abuse and child sexual exploitation. This will have a positive impact on vulnerable youths and females;

c. Offender management providing greater focus on prolific youth offenders and troubled families;

d. Improved response performance and ownership of crime investigations by officers will provide greater interaction and relationship with victims and improved public confidence;

e. Investment in schools and youth officers meaning that youths in schools, higher education establishments and care homes will have access to and visibility of a named officer; and

f. Increased visibility of, and accessibility to, dedicated neighbourhood officers through a range of events and social media routes that are relevant to the ward demographics.

5.5 The assessment to date of the design has identified no external adverse impacts on age, disabilities, gender reassignment, marriage/civil partnership, pregnancy/maternity, race, belief/religion, sex or sexual orientation.

6. Background/supporting papers

6.1 The BCU learning document is attached as Appendix 1.

6.2 The SLP programme FBC is attached as Appendix 2.