Agenda item

Report of the Interim Head of Crime and Anti Social Behaviour

The Mayor in consultation with Cabinet received a report seeking the Mayor’s agreement to extend the existing Section 92 (S.92) agreement, under which the Council is funding the purchase of 14 PCSOs, for a further 2 years.  The report also sought approval for the Council to enter into a new Section 92 agreement for an additional 6 police officers and an additional PCSO.  Approval is also sought to issue a letter of intent to the Metropolitan Police confirming the details of the Section 92 agreements.

Members noted that the proposal would result in a total of 31 officers who will be deployed across 5 police teams within the Crime and Anti Social Behaviour Service.  The teams would commence operations as soon as contractually possible.  Police staff were already in place (10 PCs previously agreed and funded and the existing 14 PCSOs) who would provide continuity of service until the Metropolitan Police Service can conclude its selection and team deployment plans for the additional 7 staff.

Members were informed that the Trade Unions have registered a failure to agree to the proposed changes to the Crime and Anti Social Behaviour service and have raised the matter with the Head of Legal Services nominee and the Assistant Head of Human Resources for their consideration.  The letter of intent will only be sent if and once the appeal process has been concluded  and would be subject to any changes required as a result of the determination of the failure to agree.

The report was urgent in order to provide continuity of service in parks and open spaces following the implementation of the Crime and ASB review.  The Metropolitan Police also require a lead-in period to enable them to recruit the extra officers for these duties.  Formal consultation for the Crime and ASB restructure proposals ended on 27 March 2009.

Decisions

The Mayor in consultation with Cabinet agreed to:

1.  the extension of the existing S.92 agreement (which expired the end of March 2009) for the purchase of 14 PCSOs for a further period of 2 years at a cost of £308,000 from 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2011;

2.  that the Council enters into a new S.92 agreement with the Metropolitan Police Authority for the funding of 7 additional police personnel under S.92 of the Police Act 1996 for a period of 2 years at a cost of £332,000, the terms of which are to be finalised by the Head of Legal Services; and

3.  to authorise the Executive Director of Environment to send a letter of intent to the Metropolitan Police in respect of matters set out in recommendations 1 and 2 above.

Reasons for the Decisions

The extension of the Section 92 agreement for the fourteen PSCOs and a new Section 92 agreement for the additional 7 Police staff will complement the existing PCs funded by the council and will provide a total of 31 police personal.

If the recommendations are agreed the complement of 31 police personnel will provide dedicated and additional policing services in the Borough and will include some of the functions, currently undertaken by the Parks Constabulary. The Parks Constabulary will be disbanded no earlier than the end of May 2009 and this is subject to the formal consultation process being completed.

The recommendations follow the Council and Police acceptance of the main change report Future Direction for a Safer Newham - developing a neighbourhood approach to crime and disorder reduction, Jan 2009.

The decision is not subject to the Call-In process and may be implemented immediately as the Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee agreed under the terms of paragraph 16 of Part 4.5. of the Constitution that the decision was not subject to Call-In as the decision was urgent and any delay likely to be caused by the call-in process would seriously prejudice the Council’s or public’s interest.