28 August 2024
Minutes of Meeting
Meeting: COT Board
Venue: HQ, Haigh Room
Date and Time: 28.08.24 @ 9:30am - 1:45pm
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ITEM 1: ATTENDANCE
CC T Forber - Chair DCC S Bisset ACC C Clarke T/ACC W Fox Insp D Anderson Lisa Stitt – Assistant Chief Officer Louise Branford-White – Chief Finance Officer Maeve Chappell – Head of Corporate Communications Ian McClelland – Governance Support Officer APOLOGIES: None to report. |
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ITEM 2: Review of Minutes Summary of Discussion: The Minutes of the previous meeting were reviewed and approved. |
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ITEM 3: Review of Action Log Summary of Discussion: Action #571. Police Officer Recruitment. Agenda item at this COT. Action closed. Action #588. Driver Standards Paper. Agenda item at this COT. Action closed. Action #597. Transport Decision Tree. Research conducted on pence-per-mile rates. Draft Transport Policy in circulation for consultation, returning for COT review and finalisation on 25th Sept. Action re-allocated to ACO. Action #604. PDR Reviews. Head of People Services noted progress being made, comms will be published regarding utilizing monthly 1-2-1s within the PDR process. First comms for release in Sept as an interim reminder to supervisors, second comms in Feb 25 once Origin is upgraded to allow the new process. Anticipated new PDR process will be available within 25/26 year. Progress links to AFI and will give assurance to HMIC that progress has been made. Action remains open. Action #605. Agenda item at this COT. Action closed. Action #611. FPM Diary. Research conducted and briefed. Action completed and closed. Action #612. Women in Police Conference. CC directed that funding is to be found to support this conference. Within the next FY, a centralised ‘Discretionary Conferences’ budget is required. Action closed. Action #613. Use of Powers. Section 60 usage update to be presented at next Use of Powers Meeting to demonstrate governance over its use. Remit to Use of Powers Meeting. Action closed. Action #614. International Control Room Week. Dates noted in COT diaries. Action closed. |
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ITEM 4: People Management Inc Wellbeing Survey Summary of Discussion: Head of People Services, L Consett, and Data & Insight Lead, D Southern, joined the meeting. Analysed results of the anonymous NYP Staff Wellbeing Survey were reviewed and discussed in detail, including the results of the additional four questions asked which saw 175 responses. The role of Front-Line Managers in understanding and undertaking their supervisory and leadership roles was noted to be a key area to resolve a number of the raised concerns. CC will discuss leadership roles and responsibilities with all Insps and Sgts in the course of his visits. Additionally, CC will address these issues at the scheduled Oct 24 Supt and Ch Insp Day. Areas of lessening the workload of policing and thereby enhancing wellbeing were discussed. Improving processes by better utilising using technology via personal devices, such as the booking of keyless vehicles, are to be explored. Within the Fleet, telematics roll-out continues. The Op Crystal training received positive feedback. Many of the areas highlighted within the Survey are already being addressed. In addition to the CC recording a message on the outcomes of this survey, there are four topics to feedback to the workforce via Comms highlighting the work and progress being made: · Enhanced resources to reduce the workload. · Continue with the modernisation, and mobilisation, of IT. · To reduce the bureaucratic burden. · Enhance the quality of leadership within mid-line and front-line leaders. Noted that there will be a National Wellbeing Survey in 2025. |
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ITEM 5: Recruitment Entry Routes into NYP – Decision Paper Summary of Discussion: Learning & Development Officer, C Convery-Brown, joined the meeting. Two options within the paper were presented, challenged and discussed in detail: a single method of recruitment, and a blended approach to recruitment. Areas highlighted and discussed included training cohort current attrition rates, costs of the training entry routes, salary offer, diversity of cohorts and attractiveness of the career path offer. Comparison with other Forces noted that the blended recruitment route was preferred. Decision: Option 1, the single-entry route, was discounted due to the prohibitive high training costs. Option 2, the blended entry route, was the preferred option, with the option of 1 x PCEP, 2 x PCDA and 1 x DHEP per year preferred. |
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ITEM 6: Finance Reports Summary of Discussion: The Chief Finance Officer provided the updates. The budgets were reviewed, scrutinised, challenged and clarified. Capital Budget Monitoring as at July 2024. The capital programme is currently forecasting a breakeven position. A thorough review of the change pipeline resulted in savings being found, there does remain many committed projects still within the pipeline. Better governance systems are now embedded offering more scrutiny, and an understanding of the longer-term estates programmes. The changes to key personnel has resulted in progress. Following discussion and challenge, further clarification will be provided to recommendations and the budget further circulated. The budget will continue to be reviewed by COT monthly. Revenue Budget Monitoring as at July 2024. Areas of saving opportunities were noted and discussed. Significant savings were noted as a result of a proposed reduction in cohort training intakes to ensure that the PUP level was not exceeded. The impact on the NYP headcount and the need to manage an affordable workforce whilst maintaining a high level of skills and capabilities is key. ACC Local Policing is to be aware of the proposed re-alignment of courses. The long-term vacancy reduction process was discussed and the governance process clarified. The monthly People-v-Budget reconciliation will continue to be presented at COT. Overtime costs are being tightened with greater scrutiny required at supervisor level. Following a change to pension regulations in 2022, a legal challenge to repay pension money is to be undertaken by CFO. Both reports were noted. After minor amendments, the reports will be further reviewed with HoF prior to presenting at Oct Savings & Efficiencies Bd and finally through governance to EB. NEW ACTION #615 - CFO is to challenge the pension abatement repayment following the 2022 regulation change. |
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ITEM 7: Driving Standards Summary of Discussion: Ch Insp Specialist Operations, Ch Insp A Butterfield, joined the meeting. Stats from the beginning of year were shared and showed that although accident levels had dropped, there were still far too many and not anywhere near the level expected it should be. On average, there is a road traffic collision involving an NYP officer or staff member every day. Insurance claims and costs for repairs and write-offs were discussed. Vehicles are not being treated well enough. A robust multi-phase comms plan will be put in place to highlight driving standards and car-care responsibilities. A variety of comms methods will be employed across a number of medias to educate. Impeccable driving standards should be expected and it is accepted that accidents will occur, especially with T-PAC, but general standards must rise. There will be changes to the Driver Standards Panel and managers are to set the tone for post-damage investigations. The rollout of telematics installation across the fleet will continue, and dashcams will be added. The potential introduction of a Police Licence was discussed in detail, utilising the practice currently used by the Met Police. This Licence provides a solution to monitor driving standards where poor driving skills or poor car-care carries a consequence of accumulated points leading to performance reviews, re-training and potential re-assignment. The system is a significant admin burden which was decided to be too costly within NYP; telematics and dashcams will cover this process. The comms campaign will commence in Sept. Additionally, driving standards will be focused on during the Force Performance Meetings. Decision: The Police Licence system was discounted. |
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ITEM 8: Victim Engagement Summary of Discussion: Superintendent Customer Contact, Supt A Nunns, Chief Inspector FCR, Ch Insp T Ibbetson and Salesforce Enterprise Account Executive, Mr A Doran, joined the meeting. Salesforce had been invited to COT to demonstrate how technology can improve customer contact, which is linked to an AFI. CC noted that NYP FCR performs very well, but is under constant stress, and with no further funding or officers available, a technological solution to enable a streamlined, effective and efficient process for customer contact is required. The Salesforce presentation highlighted the transformational benefits that can be achieved through technology within the FCR; there is a significant increase in customer satisfaction, significantly less 999 and 101 calls to the FCR and provides a financial saving. Challenges and clarifications were sought throughout the presentation. Other Forces have seen major efficiencies and savings. The system is compatible with STORM and NICHE and requires little ICT workload once installed. Risks to integration strategies were discussion and its robustness confirmed. Before any commitment is made, Salesforce would conduct a desktop demo with FCR SMEs and a visit to the NYP FCR would be arranged. Mr Doran left the meeting. Procuring the Salesforce system met with unanimous agreement and is to be purchased through the Blue Light Procurement system. The enhancements deliverable via this system will see strategic progress with community contact well into the future. Governance is required through the budget process. Decisions: 1. Procurement of the Salesforce Victim Engagement system was approved. 2. Ch Supt Willey (Ch Supt Local Policing & Contact) is appointed project lead. 3. Ch Supt Willey is to liaise with Salesforce to timetable next steps. 4. Mr Doran is to be invited back to conduct the desktop demo within 3 weeks. 5. Feed back from the demo is to be presented at COT in 4 weeks. |
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ITEM 9: COT Forward Planner Summary of Discussion: The forward planner was reviewed. The Uniform Policy will be reviewed at COT 04.09.24. Salesforce Victim Engagement desktop demo feedback from Ch Supt Willey at earliest COT following the demo. |
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ITEM 10: Urgent Financial Decisions and Updates Summary of Discussion: Nothing further raised. |
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ITEM 11: Any Other Portfolio Updates by Exception Summary of Discussion: Fire Alarm Failure. ACO noted that the Alverton Court Police HQ fire alarm system had failed on 28.08.24. The Business Continuity Plan had been invoked and comms published across The Source. |
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ITEM 12: Chief Officer Team Commitments Summary of Discussion: Nothing further raised. |
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ITEM 13: Any Other Business Summary of Discussion: Nothing further raised. |
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Date, Time and Location of Next Meeting Date: 4th September 2024 Time: 11:00am Location: Scarborough Police Station Conference Room |