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Strathclyde Police Primary Inspection 2004
4. Partnership and Resources
Partnership Working
4.1 Policing does not operate in a vacuum and, increasingly, co-operation is taking place in order to deliver services from a number of agencies in a cohesive way. During the inspection of Strathclyde Police, HMIC took the opportunity to discuss force performance with a wide cross-section of its partners. This included personal discussions with chief executives of local authorities, directors of local authority services and a number of representatives from the voluntary and private sector.
4.2 It is clear that Strathclyde Police highly values its partnership relations at all levels and is very active in working towards joined-up delivery of services. The following are provided as illustrative examples of the practical benefits being achieved:
Strategic Case Study: Glasgow Airport Limited There are two major and numerous minor airports within the force area, although only Glasgow Airport Limited is currently policed on a full-time basis. The airport caters for over eight million passengers annually and excellent liaison arrangements have been in place with the force for some time. These cover such issues as emergencies planning, international football traffic and VIP escorts. The spectre of international terrorism has led the force to conclude that it is now 'policing a new normality', rather than merely having to increase response levels for individual threats. This resulted in a review of the force's commitment to airport policing and a dramatic increase in the range and depth of formal co-operation with partners in the aviation industry. During 2003, Glasgow Airport was one of five in the United Kingdom to pilot Multi-Agency Threat and Risk Assessment (MATRA). This is a methodology devised to assess the threats to airport security and facilitate planning in respect of them. It involves bringing together partners from uniformed police, Special Branch, Customs and Excise, Immigration, airport operators, air carriers, cargo agents and related commercial concerns. It sets out a process to identify specific risks and develop a flexible and workable security plan to address them. Partners interviewed by HMIC during the inspection were extremely positive about the force's participation in multi-agency co-operation. There can be little doubt that the commitment from the force at executive, divisional and local level contributed significantly to the positive development of this important initiative. Following the successful piloting of MATRA, the scheme was launched nationally in December 2003 by the Home Office and the Department for Transport. |
Tactical Case Study: Dalmellington Area Centre Dalmellington Area Centre provides co-located community services to residents of the Doon Valley. In addition to having a police office, the centre provides council services such as housing, education and social work as well as medical and dental facilities. It was opened in 2001, following the renovation of a former clothing factory, at a cost of 2.3 million. The initiative has enabled community partners to occupy a facility in the centre of Dalmellington, providing greater accessibility for residents. It has also resulted in economies of scale as certain resources are used on a shared basis, such as the photocopier and notice boards. A user group committee was established to agree protocols among the partners and working relations are reported to be very positive. While co-location can be convenient and economic, its greatest benefit is the potential for integration of services. Collaborative working can have real advantages for the service user where a multi-agency solution is required to meet individual needs. By working together and building up trust and co-operation, the police and other partners within Dalmellington Area Centre can integrate service delivery for the benefit of the community. |
Operational Case Study: 'Bridging the Gap' 'Bridging the Gap' is a joint ecumenical venture between Gorbals Church of Scotland and St Luke's RC Church. It is held once a week for persons seeking asylum and refugees living in the New Gorbals area. A number of those attending act as volunteers to help run the event and provide refreshments and food. Charitable donations of items such as clothing and games are also available at the venue. The persons who attend are men, women and children from a wide variety of nationalities and backgrounds. Numerous languages are spoken and informative police literature is distributed to those who attend this and similar forums. Some of the attendees have been used to translate local literature for the police, although there is also enthusiasm for the same information in English, to support learning the language. The local community officer for the area began frequenting the venue when he became aware of the meeting place and uses it as an informal surgery for policing matters. There can be an initial reluctance to attend the police office by certain groups and the venue provides an opportunity to discuss matters with the police at a neutral location. The officer attends in plain clothes but is well known to the majority of persons present. Matters raised at the venue would typically include disorder, vandalism and drugs. As there is a regular police presence, the venue is not used for third party reporting of racist incidents but a scheme is in place which uses nearby schools, housing offices, etc. in this regard. The community officer updates the sub-divisional superintendent at Gorbals of any ongoing issues raised. |
Community Planning
4.3 The Local Government in Scotland Act 2003 created a statutory duty for key public bodies, including police forces, to participate in community planning. This is a process designed to ensure that people and communities are genuinely engaged in the decisions made on public services which affect them. It is also a mechanism to make certain that organisations work together to provide better public services.
4.4 The Chief Constable of Strathclyde Police was a founder member of the Community Planning Task Force when it was established in 2001 and took over as its Chair the following year. This body was responsible for taking community planning forward on a national basis and shaping the legislation which was later introduced. At a force level, a Community Planning Unit was established in advance of the legislation and a strategy devised to implement it. A wide-ranging programme of awareness was undertaken and a Community Planning section and discussion forum is maintained on the force's intranet site.
4.5 Although divisional and sub-divisional boundaries within the force are aligned with local authority areas, the 12 local authorities are not directly mirrored by the force's nine divisions. Consequently, flexible arrangements have been necessary to ensure appropriate representation in community planning partnerships. At the strategic level, divisional commanders typically represent the force on each local authority community planning partnership. Sub divisional officers and their deputies are tactically involved at executive level. The Chief Constable represents the four Glasgow Divisions on the Glasgow Community Planning Partnership, however, it is only the Glasgow City Council areas of these Divisions that the Chief Constable represents. An officer has also been seconded to the Glasgow Community Planning Partnership Support Team. The force is represented on East Dunbartonshire and East Renfrewshire Community Planning Partnerships by the respective Divisional Commander. As the Ayrshire Division covers three local authority areas, an additional superintendent post has been allocated to ensure effective involvement in each community planning partnership.
Financial Performance
4.6 Strathclyde Joint Police Board's budget for 2002/2003 was set at 408.8 million. Of this, 204.9 million was financed by government grant and 1.7 million was funded by balances held on behalf of the constituent authorities. The net balance of 202.2 million was financed by a precept on the constituent authorities. The general fund revenue account shows net expenditure for the year of 394.8 million and a surplus for the year of 12.152 million after a contribution of 2.535 million from general fund balances brought forward at 1 April 2002.
4.7 The surplus for the year was added to the net general fund balance brought forward at 1 April 2002 of 12.258 million which gave a general fund balance at 31 March 2003 of 24.41 million. In approving the 2003/2004 estimates, the Board budgeted to apply the sum of 18.9 million in support of that year's expenditure. Audit Scotland will continue to monitor budgetary performance on the general fund and keep under review the Board's utilisation of its balances.
4.8 Financial year 2003/2004 is the first year of the 3-year local authority settlement announced by the Scottish Executive. The budget was set at 409.2 million. The level of overall increase reflects a number of new cost burdens and the increasing cost of police pensions. Available resources for core activities have increased on average by 3% which is sufficient to maintain the Budget Strategy approved by the Joint Police Board in February 2003.
4.9 Capital expenditure by the Board is restricted to the level permitted by the consent issued by the Scottish Executive. During 2002/2003, the Board operated within these limits. Net capital payments adjusted for accruals matched the consent figure of 9.029 million. Capital investment of 14.6 million was planned for 2003/2004. Proposed expenditure was 1.3 million greater than 2002/2003, with increased resources being directed towards the building programme, largely to meet the cost of the new communications complex at Helen Street, Glasgow.
Devolved Budgeting
4.10 HMIC supports responsibility for financial management being devolved from force headquarters to divisional and departmental level. Strathclyde Police has a system of devolved budgets in place, whereby divisions and departments have control over expenditure for a wide range of resources. This is co-ordinated by divisional administration managers, although support is provided from force headquarters in terms of regular contact and budget monitoring. The experience of devolved budgeting has so far been positive and there is evidence of more innovation and virement being used.
4.11 The process is not yet complete, as the force had intended to devolve funding for salaries to divisional and departmental level from April 2004, but identified two prerequisites for devolvement of salaries. These were the introduction of a resource allocation model, supported by suitable management information systems. While the first of these has been established, the development of suitable management information systems had not been completed by the scheduled date. The force intends to devolve salaries to divisional and departmental level in early course and HMIC will be interested to see progress in this important area at the review inspection.
Local Authority Precept
4.12 The force is aware that some local authorities express concern that their individual contributions may not be reflected in the service they receive. In response, a review is being undertaken to identify service delivery by local authority area. The force, mindful of the need for openness and accountability in this key aspect of policing, has undertaken a similar exercise before. The implementation of a resource allocation model outlined at paragraph 5.2 will give added legitimacy to the process. Previously, the findings were reported to office bearers of the Joint Police Board. On this occasion, the intention is to present findings to the full board and this level of transparency is welcome.
Activity-Based Costing
4.13 Strathclyde Police is actively participating in the national development of a system to introduce activity-based costing. There are advantages in being able to ascertain the cost of different policing functions, to enable comparison of benefits achievable and ensure that value for money is being achieved. HMIC supports the introduction of systems which are capable of demonstrating the effective use of resources, and looks forward to examining the arrangements introduced for activity-based costing at the review inspection.
Best Value
4.14 In examining finance and Best Value issues during the inspection, HMIC worked collaboratively with Audit Scotland. The primary inspection provides the opportunity for Audit Scotland to discharge the responsibility which lies with the Auditor General to examine and report on all local authority functions to ensure that they are delivering economy, efficiency and effectiveness. Working alongside staff officers, Audit Scotland examined the extent to which the force is addressing the duty to deliver Best Value as defined within the Local Government in Scotland Act 2003. In this area, there are clearly areas of mutual interest for HMIC and Audit Scotland and the collaborative approach avoids duplication of effort for the inspecting organisations and the force.
4.15 There have been a number of important developments in Best Value since the last primary inspection, perhaps the most significant being the implementation of the Local Government in Scotland Act 2003 on 1 April 2003. This legislation places a statutory duty on police authorities to secure Best Value. The Act is supported by statutory guidance which defines the characteristics to be displayed by Best Value organisations and outlines how this might be demonstrated.
4.16 It will be noted that the statutory duty to secure Best Value is directed towards the local authority and not the Chief Constable. There is now, therefore, an increased importance for the members of police authorities to be active in the promotion of Best Value to ensure that the force is actively working to secure continuous improvement, a sound cost-quality balance and respecting equal opportunities. The plan to 'mainstream' Best Value into how the force plans and manages services has been the main focus of Best Value activity over the past year. Indeed, during the course of this primary inspection, HMIC noted that a Best Value Strategy will be presented to the Strathclyde Joint Police Board during the summer of 2004. This document will interpret the statutory guidance for each of the Best Value characteristics and define the force's future arrangements.
4.17 Once the strategy has been approved, HMIC has identified that the force will prepare a status report that shows which of their existing arrangements are satisfactory, which ones are under development, which ones need further improvement and whether there are any requirements that they had not previously recognised. An implementation plan will then be drawn up, outlining what needs to be done, how it will be done, what timescales are involved and who will be responsible for each area of activity. While this is ongoing, joint discussions will also take place on options for enhanced officer/member working. HMIC is aware that further development of the force's Best Value arrangements will include adoption of a balanced scorecard, incorporation of change management protocols into the operating arrangements for strategy groups and adoption of a structured approach to risk management.
4.18 The original concept was for all forces to examine all aspects of their operations over a 5-year period and for HMIC and Audit Scotland to examine the resultant review timetables and progress against the schedule, as well as methodology and outcomes of a review nominated by the force. It will be noted that Audit Scotland's main concern arising from their follow up review of the force's arrangements for Best Value in 2002/2003 related to progress against the original programme for service reviews. It was established, however, that a force executive decision was taken during 2002/2003 to reduce the emphasis on service reviews and widen the focus to incorporate continuous improvement across all areas of activity.
4.19 The force programme as outlined in its business plan has detailed the major review activities for the force and it is intended to be adopted as the review schedule. These projects are strategic in nature and monitored regularly by the appropriate force strategy group. The inspection has also established that service reviews remain an integral part of the force's overall approach and the force's intention is that some of the reviews within the programme of work will be nominated as Best Value service reviews and formally managed in that way.
4.20 The force identified a review of the Occupational Health and Welfare Unit undertaken by the Institute of Public Finance Ltd as an example of a completed examination to be considered through the inspection process. The review delivered a series of major and far-reaching conclusions and recommendations to be applied within the force. The inspection also disclosed that the four Cs (challenge, consult, compete and compare) had been rigorously applied and that there was a systematic approach for evaluating the options for providing the service.
4.21 This has been a transitional period for the force in relation to Best Value activity. During the last year, it has adopted a strategic application of Best Value, following on from an initial series of service reviews. It is important, nonetheless, that the force gives due attention to process and its updated approach to all aspects of review activity will allow the principles of Best Value to be applied with due regard to sound procedures. At the Review Inspection, HMIC will be interested to examine the extent of progress in relation to the force's updated Best Value arrangements.
Internal Audit
4.22 Audit Scotland attaches great importance to internal audit within a local authority and requires that each authority must arrange for a properly resourced internal audit service of good quality.
4.23 Strathclyde Police is the only Scottish force with a dedicated internal audit facility. Elsewhere, the service is typically sourced from local authority providers but, where the service is from outside the organisation, there can be limitations on the range of functions which are subject to scrutiny. Furthermore, a dedicated in-house audit facility enables monitoring and follow up activity to ensure that recommendations are progressed through to implementation.
4.24 Where appropriate, joint scrutiny is carried out along with the force's internal inspectorate. This enables professional auditing skills to be combined with police knowledge and experience to examine such issues as policing football, information security and court overtime.
4.25 The overall conclusion from the inspection of internal audit is that there is an effective internal control function in place. This follows the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy's Code of Practice for Internal Audit in Local Government in the United Kingdom and has contributed positively to the control environment within Strathclyde Police. The Board has also now established an Audit Committee to redress a gap in their corporate governance arrangements.
Force Inspectorate
4.26 The force inspectorate covers a number of compliance issues which come within the Deputy Chief Constable's portfolio of responsibility. These are inspection, information security, force safety and equality and diversity. There is a scheduled inspection regime which seeks to build all of these functions into a single process to ensure cohesion and eliminate unnecessary disruption. In addition, thematic inspections are conducted to address priority matters on a force-wide basis and these are conducted jointly with other specialist units where appropriate.
4.27 Where recommendations are made, it is important to ensure that there is a mechanism in place to deliver implementation. This is an area where the force itself had identified weakness and it was therefore encouraging to note that a framework has been developed to ensure that action is followed through to compliance. The devised system appears to be relentless in its follow-up, and named individuals are tasked with specific actions. Updates are requested by e-mail at regular intervals, enabling a quick, simple and auditable procedure. This process was about to be launched and HMIC will examine its effectiveness at the review inspection.
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