Minutes of the Senior Command Team Meeting
Monday 24 August 2009

Present:-

DCC Robert Dyson (Chair)
DF Nigel Hiller
ACC Max Sahota
ACC Mark Whyman

210. Declaration(s) of Interest

There were no declarations of interest.

Presentations

211. None

Standing Items

212. Minutes from SCT Meeting 10 August 2009

The minutes were approved as a true and accurate record.

213. Action Schedule and Work Programme

The action schedule was discussed and will be updated by the SCT Corporate Support Assistant.

214. Portfolio Issues

DCC Dyson

• Business Change Board 26 August 2009 - only DCC Dyson attending from SCT. From a governance perspective he asked colleagues if they would read the papers and inform him of any issues they wished him to raise at the meeting.

DF Hiller

No issues

ACC Sahota
• Outlined discussions which had taken place between Det Ch Supt Talbot and Ch Supt Redhall about staff re-locating from Performance Development, Ecclesfield, to the 5th floor at Headquarters. He said it was not appropriate for the Gold Command Suite to be used as office space as it would be required for emergency use, certainly while Manvers and Moss Way were being developed. The fall back facility for Atlas Court, also on the 5th floor, was not considered suitable due to the layout of the room.

ACC Whyman

• Update on Restorative Justice - Has been presented to LCJB who gave full support and have committed some resource to assisting in a seconded post to drive the agenda forward. SYP are involved in a regional group looking at youth restorative disposals being led on ACC Whyman's behalf by Chief Inspector Nick Warnes in relation to the ACPO portfolio. This is in order to provide worked examples and an assessment and development of this area aimed at providing quick, expedient disposals for minor offences to allow us to concentrate and focus on prolific and repeat offending.

• FME contract - goes live on 1 September 2009

• Update on sifting process for Promotion Boards

• Training Centre has once again been given Investors in People accreditation

• NSPIS - SYP are to pull out 1 April 2010 and stop paying support and maintenance for the existing product. However ISD have not got the capacity at the present time to develop the alternative system in time to train staff. ACC Whyman said it is possible that NPIA will pay for the development work. DF Hiller undertook to speak with ISD re support for Case and Custody.

• Outlined that he had undergone the Health Assessment being provided by OHU and was very impressed. He recommended it to colleagues.

215. Force Performance

DCC Dyson updated colleagues on recent Force performance outlining that overall crime was down by 21.9% in August 2009 compared with August 2008.

 

Decision Papers

216. Expansion of Taser Capability

ACC Sahota explained that the purpose of this report was to provide SCT with an update of the progression of the project to rollout Taser capability across the force to non AFO's following SCT's approval to bid for 70 Taser units from the Home Office in January this year. Those 70 Taser units have now been received in-force along with a quantity of Taser cartridges to enable the commencement of rollout to Response Bases on all Districts and TSG staff

The paper put forward the following recommendations:-

1. That SCT approve the format of the rollout of Taser deployment as detailed in the report.

2. That SCT approve the go live date of 1st December 2009

3. That SCT approve the draft Taser Procedural Instructions

4. That SCT approve the recurrent revenue costings of £54,000 p.a. (rising to £70,00 by 2012) for refresher and continuation training of Taser and the replacement of cartridges and TASER units.

Recommendations 1, 2 and 3 were agreed. With regard to recommendation 4, the costings of £54,000 for this year were approved, but a development bid would be required for future years. DCC Dyson said it was worth exploring with NPIA whether it was necessary to use 14 cartridges per officer for training. This seemed excessive and was expensive.

After discussion it was agreed that ACC Sahota should ensure that there is a media strategy around extending TASER; question NPIA as to why 14 cartridges per officer for training are needed; arrange for a development bid to be submitted from 2010/11 onwards and prepare a Police Authority paper (for 18 September) that incorporates opportunity costs and also figures around usage in SYP compared with other Forces.

ACTION: ACC Sahota

217. Attendance Management Policy

ACC Whyman outlined that the purpose of this paper was to brief SCT on the review of the attendance management policy and seek approval to implement an updated policy.

SCT approved the updated policy, the main change to which was a change of emphasis from absence to attendance supporting the Healthy Workforce Strategy.
 
Discussion / Information Items


218. SYP 3 Year HR Plan Update

ACC Whyman said this report was to update SCT and receive approval for the Force HR Plan for 2009/12

The paper was approved, but it was agreed that HQ Personnel Services should start to post probationers into substantive vacancies and continue to bring in transferees as quick as possible. DCC Dyson said there was a need to ensure that when taking transferees that full background checks are carried out with their host force.

219. Home Secretary's Strategic Policing Priorities 2010-2011

DCC Dyson referred colleagues to correspondence received outlining the Home Secretary's Strategic Policing Priorities for 2010-2011. SCT had no issues with the priorities and DCC Dyson said he would respond accordingly through BCD.

220. Budget Monitoring Report

DF Hiller presented the Budget Monitoring Report for July 2009 which was received and noted. Concern was expressed about the accelerated underspends, and it was agreed that SCT should discuss this with district/department heads under their portfolio to ensure their underspends do not increase.

221. Utilisation of Carry Forward Balances

DF Hiller presented this report which informed Senior Command Team of the projected utilisation of the 2008/09 carry forward balances during the 2009/10 financial year as at the end of July 2009.

The report was received and noted.

222. Implementation of Growth Bids

DF Hiller said this report was to inform Senior Command Team of the projected implementation of growth bids for the 2009/10 financial year as at the end of July 2009.

The report was received and noted. It was agreed that DF Hiller should speak to the Force Management Accountant to ascertain if some of the money not spent could be used to fund some of the bids which were unsuccessful.

ACTION DF Hiller
 
Audit Reports

None

Papers to Review

223. Performance Committee - 4 September 2009

223.1 Operation Impact - Summer 2009

Approved

224.2 Drink Drive Campaign - Summer 2009

Approved

224.3 HMIC Review of Serious Violent Crime

Approved, subject to minor amendment.

Standing Items

225. Notification to Police Authority

No issues

226. Notification to Force

No issues

227. Any Other Business

No items.