Questions and answers posted on the Ask the Commissioner section of the MPS internal intranet site
Freedom of information request reference no: 01.FOI.21.022084
I note you seek access to the following information:
Under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, please provide me with a copy of all the questions and answers posted on the Ask the Commissioner section of the MPS intranet since 1 September this year.
Decision
I have today decided to disclose some of the requested information. Some data has been withheld as it is exempt from disclosure and therefore this response serves as a Refusal Notice under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act) by virtue of the following exemptions:
Section 31(1) - Law enforcement
Section 40(2)(3A) - Personal information
Section 43(2) - Commercial Interest
Reason for decision
Before I explain the decisions that I have made in relation to your request, I thought that it would be helpful to outline the parameters set out by the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act), within which a request for information can be answered. The Act creates a statutory right of access to information held by public authorities. A public authority in respect of a request must, if permitted, state under Section 1(a) of the Act, whether it holds the requested information and, if held, then communicate that information to the applicant under Section 1(b) of the Act.
The right of access to information is not without exception and is subject to a number of exemptions which are designed to enable public authorities to withhold information that is unsuitable for release. Importantly, the Act is designed to place information into the public domain, that is, once access to information is granted to one person under the Act, it is then considered public information and must be communicated to any individual should a request be received.
Section 31(1)(a)(b) - LAW ENFORCEMENT - Disclosure of any further information in regards to your request would cause operational harm to the MPS and affect our ability to fulfil our core function of law enforcement. The release of such information would reveal tactical operational information which would be to the detriment of providing an efficient policing service and a failure in providing a duty of care to all members of the public.
It is not in the public interest to disclose any further information as it would in effect, reveal law enforcement tactics and resources used to respond to policing matters and which is clearly related to policing capabilities.
Section 43(2) COMMERCIAL INTERESTS - Information is exempt information if its disclosure under this Act would, or would likely to, prejudice commercial interests of any person (including the public authority holding it).
There is a public interest in ensuring that companies are able to compete fairly. Any further disclosure could also provide competitors with an unfair advantage and weaken the position of the MPS in a competitive environment by revealing market-sensitive information. This would have a harmful effect on future partnerships when entering into commercial activities.
Section 40(2)&(3) PERSONAL INFORMATION - I consider that Section 40(2) and 40(3A)(a) is applicable in this case, as disclosure of personal information, as would be contained within the information being requested, would breach the 1st data protection principle that requires personal data to be processed lawfully, fairly and in a transparent manner in relation to individuals.
There is no presumption of disclosure in relation to ‘personal data’ which is defined as: ‘any information relating to an identified or identifiable living individual’
“Identifiable living individual” means a living individual who can be identified, directly or indirectly, in particular by reference to—
(a) an identifier such as a name, an identification number, location data or an online identifier, or
(b) one or more factors specific to the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural or social identity of the individual.’
For such disclosure to be lawful, it would be necessary to satisfy a condition within Article 6 of the GDPR. Article 6 sets out the six lawful bases, applying to all processing; one of which must be in place in every case of disclosure of personal data under FOIA, in accordance with the First Data Protection Principle.
Disclosure
I can advise that during the period of your request there were two ‘Ask the Commissioner’ Sessions in September and November 2021. However, at the time of your request there were no Answers for November. Whilst preparing this response, I was advised that the November answers had become available and I have decided to include these within this response.
I have today decided to provide you with a copy of the relevant Questions and Answers subject to the removal of information deemed harmful to Law enforcement - section 31(1),Commercial Interest - s.43(2) and Personal information -s.40(2)(3A).
Please see Annex A below for the requested information, which has been redacted in part – this is clearly shown by the relevant exemption in bold black/brackets.
Please note that five questions were removed. Two were pending review by the moderator and three for not following the etiquette (these are clearly shown within the order of the questions).
ANNEX A - Commissioner’s Q&A – September and November 2021
September 2021
Earpiece for all Frontline officers
Hello ma’am,
Why aren’t all frontline officers equipped with a radio earpiece?
I believe it’s a vary practical piece of kit, more pros out weighing the cons. [s.31].
Currently to get an earpiece on BCU, you need to justify why you need one, and the authority of a Superintendent. Just another long process to get a vital tool.
Answer :
Thanks for the question.
We have made the supply of a radio earpiece optional because we have found that many officers prefer not to use an earpiece, [s.31]
Where officers or staff have a specific operational requirement, earpieces and headsets are available in the PSOP catalogue. I am told that for BCU officers the most commonly ordered options are:
[s.31/s.43] – earpiece only.
[s.31/s.43] – 2 wire, earpiece and PTT/Microphone. I have asked for the process and authority level to be looked at to ensure officers can get access to earpieces where appropriate without unnecessary bureaucracy.
01MP PCR cases
Ma'am - With RUI suspects charged with a 01MP URN we cannot use a CMT team to generate a PCR (for some reason) and so have to find and then bother busy Custody Sgts with requests to add numerous charges to a record and for them to send us the PCR. Understandably these are not priority requests for them. I am aware that there is an email [s.31] in existence but this is hit and miss depending on staffing levels (probably). Can something be set up or improved in that we could email somewhere and get these requests done so that they are done in hours rather than days (which it can sometimes take)?
Answer:
Thank you for raising this with me. Currently Met Ops do not have a dedicated COPA team. Officers in charge are advised to complete the Release Under Investigation Closure Request form [s.31] which is automatically sent through to the local custody suite.
[s.31]
Welfare and mental health, DPS
Ma'am, we appear as an organisation, to throw the word welfare around freely in emails and on the intranet, Yet when it comes down to actually putting this into practice, very few people seem to care. Officers left feeling guilty if they are struggling. MH awareness week, seemed nothing more than an empty gesture.
One of the most stressful things officers go through is a DPS investigation. However whilst under investigation, often, for unexplained, long periods of time, support is often non-existent. [s.40]
Sometimes a 5 minute phone call from someone, even pretending to care, may help, yet often seems too much to ask.
Answer:
Thank you for your comments and observations. I really do understand how stressful a criminal or misconduct investigation can be. These cases can take time to thoroughly investigate, but the DPS are working hard to reduce these timescales wherever possible. It is of course right and proper to ensure all lines of enquiry are complete, not only for the complainants’ and the organisation’s perspective, but equally for the officers and staff themselves. It can be difficult to balance disclosure during an investigation however; the DPS are committed to reviewing the material for timely disclosures wherever possible. In each and every criminal or misconduct case a welfare officer is appointed. In addition, welfare is considered on review of any suspensions or restrictions placed on officers or staff. However, if you are aware of any specific cases that have not been handled appropriately then please contact your local Professional Standards Unit so we can work towards improving of our service.
The Met also has an extensive package of mental health support including the Employee Assistance Programme allowing self-referral to counselling and crisis support as well as staff support networks such as the Mental Health Network and our Blue Light Champions embedded within our teams. The Blue Light Champions are made up of officers and staff who are proactive in the workplace to raise awareness and challenge the way people think about mental health. We recognise that there is more we can do to increase this awareness and are continuing to roll out our mental health awareness courses delivered by mental health charity Mind and involve reflection on how we can break down mental health stigma in the Met and support our colleagues.
Support Channel call backs
Ma'am. I believe that the [s.31] we must be the only capital city Police service in the world that does this and it simply must change back to a 24/7 staffed channel
Answer
Thank you for your question. [s.31]
The call-back system on the BCU support channels was brought in by MetCC a few years ago for several reasons. [s.31]
This question has been removed pending review by a moderator
ATOC
Ma'am
Re the current ATOC negotiations, [s.43] could you confirm if these options are on the table as officers will need as long as possible to plan what they are going to do if these come in.
Answer
Thank you for your question. We fully recognise how important the ATOC scheme is for all of our police officers. We had hoped to have concluded the negotiations by now but they are taking longer than we had anticipated.
[s.43]
I fully accept that any increase in costs will be a disappointment to you particularly as the Government has announced a further pay freeze, however, I can guarantee that the scheme will continue to be an extremely attractive benefit. We hope to be in a position to conclude negotiations in the coming weeks and we will let you know the outcome as soon as we can. Any new arrangements will start from 1 July 2022.
This question has been deleted because it doesn't follow the etiquette for getting involved
Body-worn video battery life
Ma'am, I am a huge fan of body-worn video, the use in getting rid of complaints and showing the abuse we are getting on a daily basis is second to none.
[s.31]
Answer
Thanks for your question.
Body Worn Video has been an excellent addition to our equipment enabling us to gather evidence and also ensuring transparency and demonstrating accountability. It’s clearly been very important in protecting officers against spurious complaints. [s.31]
If you are concerned that a particular camera has less than the expected battery life, please contact the BWV team with the serial number as there is an AXON audit trail of each camera’s percentage battery strength showing when the time it is taken out of the dock, how long it was on and length of recording and this will identify where any camera is showing signs of battery fatigue or a fault.
Sharing re-rostered rest days with partners
Good Afternoon Ma'am,
[s.40]
Could there be any consideration to allowing officers in our position to 'share' re-rostered rest days, [s.40] The MPS would still receive the same number of hours from us as a collective, as a result.
Many Thanks,
Answer
Thank you for such a good idea. I am sympathetic to your particular situation and I would love to be able to do this if we could. Unfortunately though, as each individual is employed separately by the Met, another individual (even if a partner), cannot be given someone else’s leave or rest days. The intent of a rest day is to ensure that staff have sufficient rest and recuperation to ensure the organisation’s operational capability. Providing flexibility for all of our staff is really important to me, as part of their ongoing work with Project Balance, I have asked the Director of HR and Chief of Corporate Services to consider what else we can do to support working parents. In the meantime, I recommend that you speak to your line manager about the different options available to help with any specific short-term need.
High Risk Missing Person Searches
Ma’am. Hope you are well, [s.40] I have a question and some concern over how we deal with High Risk Missing Persons and the risk surrounding them. [s.40] the MPS an emergency, specially-trained team, to assist in the search for vulnerable missing persons. London Search & Rescue can deploy various specialist resources (24/7). I'm sure you'd agree there is a reputational risk to the MPS if we do not conduct these type of investigations properly. The MPS could have a large group of specially trained volunteers assist police to cover large areas. I just wondered why they are not utilised more often? Thank you.
Answer
I am well thank you, and thank you for your question.
LonSAR is a valuable partner in the search for high-risk missing people. To avoid LonSAR being swamped with inappropriate requests for service from the 12 BCUs they are only called out via the POLSA. As part of any high-risk missing people investigation, the appropriate tactics are considered by the OIC and if they think a physical search would help find the missing person then they contact the POLSA to see if a deployment of search officers is appropriate. When an Met search team is a valid tactic then the POLSA will also contact LonSAR to deploy with them for the search.
Over the last year, LonSAR have deployed at every missing person search the Met search officers have deployed at. [s.31] The LRO for missing people Superintendent [s.40] is currently working with both PSO and LonSAR to look at expanding the opportunities for LonSAR to deploy in circumstances beyond high-risk missing cases.
[s.40]
S136
Ma'am, In the last couple of years I have noticed the decline in the availability of S136 beds/suites, what is being done long term to address this issue?
In the absence of any suites we are being told to go to A+E and this means a unit has to stay with them until a bed is located as well as putting further pressure on our already busy A+E staff. The other night I called our dedicated number to be told not one single S136 bed was available in London (as well as no LAS ambulances to attend) and in another example we was kept waiting at the roadside for nearly 30 minutes while the service tried to ring around and find a bed. Long term this is not sustainable on ERPT with the amount of MH calls we are attending and these issues started creeping in well before the COVID pandemic.
Answer
I fully understand the frustration of officers when dealing with mentally unwell people. I was discussing this recently with the Policing Minister and it is very high up on my agenda. We are doing a lot of work through both our central and local teams together with our partners.
We have made a great deal of progress in some respects in recent years. However, sadly, I am fully aware of the extra burden that has been increasing recently, owing to the pandemic and pressures on all parts of the NHS, resulting in extra demand on police officers.
I would welcome your input on this and would ask that you contact A/Insp [s.40] to progress. I hope this goes some way to show you the commitment of the Met in addressing the issues our front line officers face with our partners, in particular the NHS.
Pension Forecasts
Ma'am,
Are you able to say when our pension provider will be in a position to provide accurate pension statements that reflect the Government's changes to the Police Pension in April 2022. [s.40]
Thank you.
Answer
Thank you for your question. Our pension provider, Equiniti, is in a similar position to all the other public sector pension administrators where it has not been possible to reflect the impact of the Court of Appeal McCloud ruling in this year’s Annual Benefit Statements (ABS). This is because the required legislation has not been passed and the resultant administration system updates, throughout the public sector, are not yet in place.
All affected ‘McCloud remedy’ members will be given a choice as to which scheme they wish to be a member of, for the period from 1 April 2015 to 31 March 2022 (the remedy period). It may not be possible to do this for retirements before April 2022.This is due to the necessary legal changes and systems updates and the length of time this will take. In this case, an option will be given as soon as possible after retirement and any additional monies owing, as a result of the change, will then be paid. [s.40] Please see the McCloud Officer FAQs for additional information; [s.31]
Soft touch
Why are we taking such a soft approach to people especially children in possession of drugs. The recent changes to policy as to how we deal with children as young as 10 who are in possession of a class B drug is beyond worrying.
[s.31]
Answer
Police officers can now issue a Community Resolution CR to a young person for the offences of possession of cannabis and all other Class B drugs. The previous Met policy was inconsistent with other Forces nationally and did not align with NPCC and Out of Court Disposals guidance. This has now been rectified. A key priority for MOPAC and the Met is to reduce first time entrants into the criminal justice system and increase diversion and education. We know that many young people who are involved in drug supply are being exploited. Given a choice most would not want to be involved at all.
[s.31]
I recognise you are uncomfortable with the use of Community Resolution more broadly but there is evidence to support them being an effective intervention, which reduce reoffending when used appropriately. They are used by forces across England and Wales.
Halogen and Fluorescent light bulbs in the Met Estate
Good Morning.
In the light of the Government's plans (announced Wednesday 9 June) to end the sale of halogen light bulbs from this September, as part of the UK's wider efforts to tackle climate change and legislation being brought forward to include the removal of fluorescent lights from shelves from September 2023, how will this affect the Metropolitan Police?
Answer
Thank you for your question, which is topical as the Mayor has recently announced his intention to bring forward ‘Net Zero Carbon’ for London from 2050 to 2030 across all GLA bodies.
Please be assured that as part of our wider environmental strategy and commitments to combating climate change, colleagues in Property Services have been phasing out the use of these types of lamps for a number of years and implementing more efficient lighting control systems. Replacement has been ongoing throughout the delivery of our major property refurbishment projects, lifecycle replacement work, general maintenance and grant sponsored schemes. Approximately 30% of the estate has been completed so far and we are targeting the complete replacement of all fittings by 2025. Given this activity, the Government’s recent announcement will not adversely impact on the Met.
Part Time Officers - OST
Ma'am, [s.40]
Is there a plan to introduce OST courses which are more supportive/flexible for part time staff?
Answer
Thank you for your question. The organisation has a duty of care to all our operational staff, and to the wider public, to ensure that PPST skills are compliant in line with the current national guidelines. Therefore, any officer returning from a period away from the workplace, including maternity leave, is required to undertake appropriate ‘catch-up’ training. We understand that this transition back to operational competency might seem overwhelming for some, so have introduced interventions such as ‘maternity returner’ classes as well as opportunities to complete practice JRFTs, to make the process as seamless as possible. I can offer reassurance that the 8-day foundation course can be split over different sessions. If you have any further questions about this or anything related, then please drop the PPST team at L&D an email at [s.31] and they will be only too happy to help.
Cap on acting pay
Ma'am,
Might I ask why there is a cap of 40 hours per week on claiming acting pay? I am not sure if this is the same for every rank [s.40]
I am not usually one to complain about money but this arrangement strikes me as unfair in any role that is not a strict 40 hour per week role and results in being paid less than the 40 hours per week some weeks [s.40]
Thank you.
Answer
Thank you for your question. Unfortunately in accordance with Police Regulations, officers acting up in the rank or above are not entitled to overtime payments and therefore you are not permitted to claim an enhanced level of the acting up allowance. Nonetheless, if you are required to do duty on a rostered rest day or a public holiday you will be entitled to the appropriate public holiday or rest day rates for your substantive rank.
If you work a shift pattern of variable lengths where you may have more than five 8 hr days in a week, then you are able to average out any claims made on MyHR over the period of your roster i.e. a variable shift pattern worked over 4 weeks. Overall however, you are not able to claim more than an average of 40 hours per week over the course of 52 weeks.
Closed Stations being Squatted in
Ma'am,
Police Stations and patrol Bases have been closing at an accelerated pace in the last 6 months to a year, and I am aware of at least 3 just within close vicinity to me [s.31]
I know that sometimes these are no longer owned by the MPS, but when they are it's quite frankly incredibly embarrassing to allow the squatting to happen. Once is unlucky, twice is careless, and anything more is ridiculous. [s.31]
Answer
Thank you for your question. The property strategy signed off by management board involves us disposing of our expensive and not fit for purpose buildings on the estate. In the last 10 years we have sold over 90 properties from the main estate generating approximately £1bn of capital receipts for the MPS. [s.31]
Long Service Medal
Ma'am, [s.40] COVID happened and for good reason them being given out stopped! Are there any plans for ceremonies starting again or at least being given locally?
Regards
Answer
[s.40] Hosting the Long Service Ceremony is on opportunity for me, on behalf of The Queen, to thank all the recipients for their service as well as it being a wonderful day to meet with so many of our fantastic colleagues and their families! I am very pleased to say that we were able to restart the ceremonies at the end of July [s.40]
Extraterritorial offences
[s.31]
Who is the relevant decision maker re: whether the MPS should investigate, and is there a process in place to ensure it reaches them?
Answer
Thank you for your question.
[s.31]
We will provide a further update on progress in Oct.
Excessive delay to ill health retirement appeals
Dear Ma'am,
[s.40]
Does the MPS have the ability to hold this company to account for the length of time it's taking to hear these reviews? Thank you.
Answer
Thank you for your question, [s.40]
There are occasionally differences in medical opinion around ill health retirement and the Police Medical Appeals Board is the correct organisation to decide these cases.
[s.40]
OH fit for purpose
Ma'am, a few months ago the question came up as to whether OH was fit for purpose given the inconsistences of officer’s experiences with them.
[s.40]
Answer
Thank you for the question [s.40]
Whilst it is not appropriate to discuss individual medical circumstances on a public forum [s.40] on behalf of the Deputy Director HR with OH to see if any further options are available.
Training for Peer Support Roles please
Ma'am, we have a significant number of Officers and Staff running support groups in the MPS such as the many strands of the DSA as well as local OCU support groups. They are performing these roles on top of their day jobs and much of it in their own time. The MPS needs to do more for these Officers and Staff, such as giving them official time and training to perform these roles. There is Peer Support Training available from the CoP that could be utilised as well as other needs for those performing a Support Group Lead such as MHFA and TRiM training.
The Met has moved forwards with its welfare but has some way to go and along with the intranet soundbites there needs to be more action to support and train those who are looking after your Officers and Staff. Can this be considered please.
Answer
The Met has made real progress and now has a significant amount of activity in place to support peers. Many BCUs and OCUs provide space in work time for well-being initiatives, which is something that I would encourage everyone to participate in. From our regular meetings with SSAs and Networks we are aware colleagues feel they would benefit from dedicated time and training for SSA matters, which is something that we are actively exploring. Our Blue Light Champions have training delivered by Leadership & Learning and they are an excellent support network and I am pleased to see it is one that is growing. Additionally, a range of MIND mental health training courses are also available to everyone and we continue to explore mental health training options with the College of Policing, including piloting their trauma peer support model and aligned training which is now live on selected BCU/OCUs.
This question has been removed pending review by a moderator
Recruitment if you apply to become a PC you must live within 35miles but DC recruitment no restriction?????????????
Mam could you shed some light on this please I've asked the Recruitment department, there response 'WAY ABOVE MY PAY GRADE'. Surely we need new PC's as much as DC's and to differentiate between the two roles in my opinion this is unfair. How the Job can expect young people to afford to move towards the Capital is beyond me. [s.40]
I respectfully request that some sort of rational could be provided to what appears to me, as a bizarre set of rules?
Answer
Thank you for your question. The London Residency Criteria was re-introduced in November 2020 in support of the Mayor’s Action Plan aimed at increasing the transparency, accountability and trust in policing, particularly among London’s Black communities. The action plan includes taking further steps to create a police service that better represents and understands our diverse communities. For this reason our PC pathways for both PCDA and DHEP now require candidates to reside in London (within the MPS policing boundaries) for three of the six years prior to application.
We have tried to strike the balance between getting sufficient candidates from London to apply, whilst also ensuring we continue to attract more broadly for the skills and experience we require for some of our more specialist pathways, so have exemptions for DC DHEP and Police Now. Exemptions are also in place for Met Staff, Met Volunteers, current or former military personnel and officers transferring from other Police Services in recognition of their relevant skills and experience. [s.40]
Incentivising roles with zero or limited blended working capacity
Ma'am,
Given the looming roll-out in the near future of formal Blended Working Agreements across the MPS is there any plans to incentivise employment within those roles that have limited or no capacity to undertake any blended working? I accept we are all volunteers but as staff and officers see colleagues in other roles equally well remunerated and compensated without the commuting time, costs, stress, anguish etc how will the MPS mitigate against what I suspect will be a significant migration of staff to the more blended roles?
Answer
Thank you for your questions. The impact of COVID has allowed us to progress our approach to blended working much sooner than we had anticipated. This, in turn, has supported our estate strategy with the positive benefit of savings which will be passed on to support front line policing. However, as you note, the very nature of policing means that whilst some roles can support blended working; for many this is simply not a viable option.
I appreciate that because blended working is not open to all roles in the Met. This will be a cause of frustration to many and we will be keeping this under review in the future. We are therefore exploring ways of how we can offer some form of flexibility in all our roles to enhance everyone’s work experience and are currently piloting flexible rosters, job shares and a bank employment model. Even when blended working is supported, I am mindful that the public rightly expects us to be a visible presence in their communities. In the future, I expect the vast majority of the workforce will still be required to attend a police building for at least 2-3 days per week.
Passwords / Single Sign-on
[s.31]
Answer
Thanks for the question.
[s.31]
CPS "Summer time" rules for DV crimes
Ma'am,
CPS Direct have adopted their "summer time" rules all year and show no indication of changing this.
[s.31]
Please can we ask CPS to allow DA cases to be submitted in custody regardless of remand status. [s.40]
Answer
Thank you for raising this question. Domestic abuse is, as you know, a priority for the Met. Our sanction detection rate is woefully inadequate currently averaging at around 12%.
[s.31]
This new model seeks to prioritise high harm cases that would not necessarily fit into the remand criteria under threshold test therefore allowing us to safeguard the most vulnerable victims in high-risk cases. [s.31]
MO10 will share key messages as soon as they are available.
Drug related violence
Ma’am,
Given that much of London’s violence can be attributed to drugs supply. Is it time society took a public health approach to drug use, even some politicians are suggesting the Misuse of Drugs Act is no longer fit for purpose.
What are your thoughts?
Answer
Thank you for your question,
It is crucial we continue to recognise the link between illicit drug use and violence. Disrupting the supply of drugs through enforcement and the use of legislation continues to form a central part of our work to tackle violence on the streets of London. We recognise that tackling illegal drug use will not be achieved longer term through enforcement alone and for that reason; we work with a range of partners in this area. We are constantly looking for ways through which we can signpost drug users to our health partners when we come in to contact with them. This is particularly the case within our custody environment where we have various referral schemes in place across London.
Meanwhile, demand for drugs is a massive problem and not one for the police to resolve. I am pleased to see the Government is committed to doing much more in terms of education, health and rehabilitation. We and law enforcement partners, such as the NCA, have a vital role to play in tackling violence and reducing drug supply but it is for others to legislate and develop wider and longer-term plans to address the roots of this problem.
I recognise that you are uncomfortable with community resolution more generally but nationally there is evidence that those given community resolution do not go on to commit more offenses.
Lack of pay rise - additional compensation
As we are not receiving a pay increase this year, would it not be fair to at the very least increase officers annual leave days this year? It would be great if we could get an additional 2 days off on-top of our current annual allowance. This would cost the MPS zero to do and would be a nice gesture to compensate the lack of pay rise. Thanks
Answer
Thank you for your question. Like you, I am disappointed that the hard work and dedication of police officers was not recognised by the Government by a pay award (aside from those earning less than £24,000). We do find ourselves in an unprecedented period due to the impact of COVID and therefore some tough decisions have had to be made. Nonetheless, I am still considering what if anything, we may be able to do to recognise the amazing achievements made despite the huge challenges our people have faced in the last 12 months.
Thank you for your suggestion of authorising additional annual leave. Unfortunately, as we are bound by Police Regulations, we simply don’t have the autonomy to make these decisions. Of course at the current time anyway, many officers have a large number of rest days and leave already accumulated and we are trying to be as flexible as possible to allow this to be carried forward. I would like to reiterate my earlier assurances that Management Board and I will continue to press hard our case for a fair pay settlement for you all in future years.
Is the role of a DC valued more in the Counties?
Ma’am, I am aware most county forces now pay a small yearly detective allowance to encourage their detectives to stay in the role and show they’re valued for the job they do. To become a detective you have to study and pass an exam often at a cost. The reason detectives are in short demand across all forces is clearly due to officers no longer wishing to do the role. The hard to fill allowance offered to TDC’s is frankly a kick in the teeth to DC’s already in the role. Some colleagues are transferring and are no worse off financially, bearing in mind ATOC goes up in cost year on year. It is becoming increasingly more attractive for DC's to transfer. Why are we in the Met not offering an allowance as the counties do to show those in the role of DC are valued?
Answer
Thank you for your question. I am sorry to hear about your concerns. The role of the detective is very much valued and the way in which we support officers along their learner journey and beyond is something, which is discussed and progressed via the monthly Detective Resilience Group (DRG), who work tirelessly to encourage detective growth and provide wider opportunities for all officers who choose a detective career pathway. Whilst I recognise that some county forces do provide additional allowances for detectives, the majority do not.
When we introduced the hard to fill allowance, People & Learning Board (P&LB) fully recognised the valuable role that Detective has played in the Met and they seriously considered whether an allowance should be paid to all Detectives. We had to consider the other areas of the Met which also presented challenges in respect of recruitment and retention issues and the affordability of supporting any other initiatives. As a result of the various factors involved, P&LB chose not to make any further awards and elected to use the available budget to encourage more internal Constables to enter the TDC pathway. Of course we will continue to review all those areas where there are skills shortages, or hard to fill positions and consider the options that are open to us.
November 2021
This question has been deleted because it doesn't follow the etiquette for getting involved
[s.31] for domestic arrests
[s.31]
We are supposed to be investigators using our skills and experience to make decisions and the 'human element' to me seems to very desirable especially in the area of Safeguarding. We should have faith in our staff to make the right decisions and support them [s.31]
Answer
Thank you for your question.
[s.31]
[s.31]
Our response to victims of DA is of the utmost importance to the Met. [s.31] seeks to make our response as effective as possible, and identify an evidence base to inform that response. We are determined to support victims of DA and bring about the best outcome for them.
Overtime PCSOs
Dear Commissioner
It my understanding that overtime opportunities for VAWG in our own wards is not being offered to PCSOs. I have asked questions but have not yet got a satisfactory reply. High Visibility patrols by DWO PCSOs provides high level of reassurance from a familiar face and builds confidence in the MET. I believe ward PCSOs should be at the front line of this operation as we know our audience better than those who come from elsewhere not knowing the local streets and local dark alleys.
Thank you
Answer
Thanks for your question. It is great to see your commitment to addressing VAWG and improving public confidence is a truly collaborative effort. We’ve taken your feedback and have been in touch with your HQ leads at [s.40]. PCSO overtime is not currently in the VAWG tactical plan but your suggestion has been a conversation between HQ and the VAWG Tactical Plan owner; as well as addressing the PCSO overtime allocation more broadly. [s.40] will take this conversation to the other BCU HQ Leads to see if similar benefits can be considered. Supt [s.40] has agreed to update you on both of these points.
Obstructive CPS [s.40]/ summer working rules
Ma'am, time and time again [s.31]
Considering the focus on violence against women and girls, can we as an organisation challenge the CPS to return to their old way of doing things and review non-remandable DV cases?
Answer
Thank you for submitting your question.
I understand how frustrating it is to bail a prisoner for a CPS decision, especially in Domestic Abuse cases where you are concerned you will lose the support of the victim. [s.40]. The Threshold Test must only be applied where the seriousness or the circumstances of the case justify the making of an immediate charging decision. Not all DA suspects will justify a remand in custody and bail with conditions will be appropriate in some circumstances. The five conditions of the threshold test exist to ensure that it is only applied when necessary and that cases are not charged prematurely.
[s.31]
CPS will only support in custody charging where they see a realistic prospect of a remand succeeding at court so we must ensure MG7s clearly justify the remand request. New guidance around improving the quality of remand applications is due to be released pending consultation with other portfolios.
[s.31]
Role exchange laptop
I have recently moved BCU and had to request a role exchange laptop in order that my previous BCU did not end up having a laptop funded by them taken to another OCU. After several weeks I was able to attend the Tech Bar to exchange old for new, [s.40]. Could I respectfully suggest that a much more efficient use of everyone's time could be the departing OCU is able to 'bill' the receiving OCU in order that the device can be retained and the previous OCU is not out of pocket. The laptop I received is a refurb and identical to my previous one, I do not believe this was an efficient use of mine or the Tech Bar staff's time.
Answer
I think it makes sense that as a general rule laptops stay with the person they are issued to provide that person is moving to another role that requires one. Having discussed this with DP colleagues they will ensure that this is made clear in guidance.
When a business group funds a set of laptops, they are funding the role to change to a laptop role not the individual and so those roles will always be provided laptops by DP even if a person moves and takes the initial device with them. [s.31]
[s.31]
I am assured this will change as they update the design of our desktops in the coming year.
JRFT.
With recent changes to the JRFT and the expectation that the fitness test will now be taken twice a year in line with OST training, what happens if an officer passes the test on the first occasion and fails the JRFT on the second OST course (or vice versa). Notwithstanding the fact the MPS expects it to be passed on both occasions is this in line with the National guideline which indicates that the JRFT is an annual test? IE Once a year, which the officer will have obtained by passing just the once in either of the two OST sessions.
Answer
Thank you for your question. We have listened to some of the concerns raised by officers around this, and have taken a decision to pause the implementation of bi-annual fitness testing whilst we consult further and agree the best approach. This means that if you have an in-date Job Related Fitness Test pass in the last 12 months, recorded on PSOP, you will be able to take the PPST training as usual. We will advise in advance of any changes to this policy.
There is a recent news article on the intranet from the Deputy Commissioner talking about the Met’s stance on this which you can read here
Locking start and finish times
Hi Ma'am,
[s.40]
I understand that things can be somewhat managed at line manager level, but is there anything that could be done around 'locking' start/finish times on CARM for those with [s.40] responsibilities to provide an extra layer at a corporate/duties level?
Many Thanks
Answer
Thank you for your question. [s.40]
I do not underestimate what a challenge this is. Flexibility is key to our recruitment and retention plans and we are constantly reviewing our processes to find new ways of creating greater flexibility, particularly for operational officers and staff. We have been working on a number of pilot schemes including flexible rostering, job share, project balance and a bank model.
Currently flexible workers are subject to the same requirements of police regulations around exigencies of duty and shift changes as those who do not work flexibly. This means it is not possible to ‘lock’ hours or guarantee that shifts will not be changed which in turn means it has to be managed on a pragmatic basis by the [s.40] line managers. I do want to make flexible working more accessible for all, particularly those with [s.40].
I recognise the constraints of the current CARMS system and how police regulations can sometimes limit our flexibility but I have asked [s.40] Director of HR [s.31] to consider further what more we can do.
PSPO
Ma’am
[s.31]
There needs to be action taken as a preventative measure not a reactive measure
Answer
Thank you for your question [s.31]
[s.31] whilst ensuring the reputation of the MPS as a transparent organisation is also upheld.
Warm weather clothing
Ma'am, are there any plans for officers to be issued anything in the way of warm weather clothing? Currently all we are really given is a fleece and a waterproof coat which when wet seems to become a wearable freezer unit.
[s.31] coat which is routinely given out to all in the counties?
I understand there is a significant cost to it, but would be nice to not freeze when on a static aid post, crime scene etc in the cold.
Answer
Thank you for your raising this issue. It is really important that we ensure that everyone has the right kit to carry out their role. I am going to ask that this issue is raised through Uniform and Appearance Board where I am aware they are currently looking at alternative options for a warmer fleece that utilises fabric routinely used for outdoor pursuits such as walking and climbing. Alongside that I know there is a project which is considering our uniform of the future, including how to better “layer” items of clothing but this will be a longer term solution and I’ve asked that some options in the short term are considered – including providing a warmer jacket option.
The Uniform & Appearance Board makes decisions on where to focus resource for new and improved product development based on your feedback so please can I encourage you and your colleagues to provide specific feedback on products to the [s.31] wherever possible. More information on how to provide feedback and get involved in various working groups can be found here: [s.31]
Review of On-Call Allowance?
Boss, thank you for taking my question.
A question relating to increased expenditure is always a difficult topic but I wonder whether you would agree it is the right time to review the on-call allowance.
Three areas I would argue should be looked at. First, is less than a pound an hour adequate compensation for someone being on call for 24hrs a day in 2021? Secondly should this be increased on bank holidays or is right that officers are on call on significant dates in the calendar (e.g. Christmas) and receive the same compensation despite the increased disruption to family life? Finally should a Superintendent for example receive the same compensation as a PC, although the disruption is similar, the PC will receive compensation by way of OT in event of a call out?
Kind Regards
Answer
Thank you for your question. Police officer pay and allowances are governed by Police Regulations which means the Met cannot independently amend the rates of on-call as we simply don’t have the autonomy to make these decisions. [s.43]
You are correct that the rate of compensation does not differ amongst ranks. I believe that the disruption to an individual’s private life, no matter what the rank, is broadly the same, therefore, I do not support a differential rate. For those at the Inspector rank and above, the overtime element of pay was previously bought out and their basic pay increased to compensate.
Whilst we acknowledge your concerns that the rate of on-call is low, our priorities have been and will continue to be, to secure an increase in basic pay for all police officers. [s.43]
EV Car Leasing option
Good Morning Ma'am
Hope you are keeping well.
[s.40] making use of EV car leasing salary sacrifice schemes offered by their employers. At a time when there are plans to extend the area and price of the ULEZ and congestion charge in London, is the MET looking at salary sacrifice schemes?
As you aware, the Government wants us to drive electric vehicles to save the environment. Which is why they’re encouraging businesses and their employees to switch to an EV by offering a tax-efficient way to pay for a lease EV Car. The MET will be saving hugely on NIC. [s.40]
Thanks
Answer
Thank you for your question. The congestion and ULEZ schemes have been introduced to reduce traffic and harmful pollution and to improve the environment. As an organisation we support the strategy. As you have mentioned, the Met previously offered a vehicle salary sacrifice scheme, however, we elected to stop this arrangement in 2020 and we do not have any plans to reintroduce this in the future.
The decision to end the scheme was primarily because the HMRC over time were reducing the tax benefits of this type of salary sacrifice scheme. [s.40].
Whilst salary sacrifice schemes are attractive in terms of us saving national insurance contributions, we do still incur costs of running them.
I recognise that not all officers can use public transport to get to work but hope that for many, access to free TFL travel and the new rail travel scheme will provide an environmentally friendly and affordable way to continue travelling to work.
Custody Sergeant Courses
Good Afternoon Ma'am,
I hope you are well and Ok.
On the issue of training, Custody Sergeant training courses is one that need looking into urgently. Currently newly promoted Custody Sergeants are waiting up to 4 months to get on a training course. [s.31]. Respectfully Ma'am, can this be looked into please?
Answer
Thank you for your question. One of the impacts of COVID and the arising government and corporate guidance, was a necessary reduction in our ability to deliver our full suite of training courses. Due to social distancing requirements, our capacity to deliver custody courses was reduced by two-thirds. However, since the lifting of corporate restrictions at the end of September, L&D and Met Detention have been working hard together and have already cleared the majority of those waiting for courses. Since April, L&D have been delivering custody courses [s.31]. L&D are now running back-to-back custody courses in the run up to the end of the year, and are upskilling more staff to be able to deliver this training, as well as utilising Met Detention staff where feasible.
SNT Shift Pattern
Ma'am,
[s.31]
However, I've received feedback from a staggering number of officers saying they would remain, if the shift pattern were changed. Generally, two RD just isn't enough to relax, especially for those who travel in. Can this be looked into please? For the sake of officer welfare and good policing?
Answer
Thank you for your question.
The Met is committed [s.31] – this is an area that the Met has prioritised and we value this role highly. We recognise the challenges of retention and recruitment and the added complexity of a large number of new recruits and probationer pathways to deliver. A review is underway to explore retention issues and vacancy levels, seeking to understand the problems and remedy them as far as possible. Many of the current issues will abate once the new recruits mature in service and their pathways are complete.
In terms of shifts, it has been clear over the years that DWOs being absent from their wards for many days can damage our efforts to build and maintain community confidence.
A simple but effective way to improve officer’s day to day working life.
Welfare Reward
Could The Met provide cost price subsidised high quality hot drinks at The Main Working Police Stations in all Boroughs? It would significantly raise morale saving Officers time and money sourcing it elsewhere. The cheapest coffee of a decent standard costs approx. £1.50 at McDonalds I believe The Met could do it cheaper and better for its staff. The impact would be v positive in my opinion.
Answer
Thank you for your question, catering is an area that we know is very important to our officers and staff. [s.43]
L2 training restrictions of MO/SO PC's/PS's
Ma’am,
An email has been sent out from MO6 [s.31]
Please can this be reviewed?
Answer
Thank you for raising this, I appreciate your concern and do apologise that the first email circulation did not clarify several important aspects of Level 2 training in some areas.
[s.31]
Ban on level 2 refreshers /training for NON BCU officers
Ma'am
I manage a team of officers in FLP who are now not able to do level 2 refresher training following a recent email from MO [s.31]
Answer
Thank you for raising this issue and I apologise for the confusion caused.
With regard to the specific issue for your team the decision is in the process of being reviewed [s.31]
Quality of service from Babcock
Ma’am, [s.40] so my question is, why do we allow Babcock to 'get away' with such an awful service? They take weeks on occasion to 'service' a car, constantly have no brake pads for a BWM (not as if we have many), and when 'comms' issues are reported they don't get fixed simultaneously when cars go in for other problems due to the lack of comms 'engineers'. Only the other day, we received a car back from a 'service', which then had to be collected the very same day as they hadn't put oil in it and the warning lights appeared, so off it went back to Babcock!! It's almost laughable.
There are plenty more examples I'm sure
Answer
Thank you for your question, I understand that a member of the MO11 Fleet Services team has made contact with you to look into what happened with the car that you mentioned and to progress some other concerns that you have.
Unfortunately, as I am sure you are aware there are currently global supply issues for semi-conductor parts that is impacting the turnaround time of some vehicles and the team are working on minimising this impact as much as possible.
The team are also working with Babcock to improve communications with officers when cars are out of service for an extended period as I know it must be frustrating, that even if there is a good reason for a delay, you are not made aware of what is happening and why.
Going forward if you feel there is an issue with the servicing and maintenance of a vehicle there is a formal complaints procedure that is in place to raise these types of issues and I would request you and other officers to use this, it enables the Fleet services team to formally monitor and manage Babcock’s performance, making interventions when necessary.
The Met Complaints Procedure intranet link [s.31]
BCU Public Protection CARMS
Hello Ma’am. The BCU [s.31] CARMS rotas on [s.31] (and by extension I imagine across many BCUs) are based on the now defunct ‘omnicompetent’ model [s.31]
There are some local haphazard fixes, but what is really needed is a re-upload reflective of the reality of separate teams. As it is a blueprint question, it would need to be centrally driven, please can this be considered?
Answer
Thank you for your question.
I am sorry that you have been experiencing these challenges in this incredibly important work.
[s.31]. This compliments a wider review of our approach to public protection to ensure we provide the best possible outcome for victims and bring offenders to justice.
[s.31]
We anticipate a change to the CAIT shift pattern in the New Year in line with HMICFRS recommendations which will predicate the broader changes.
I hope this offers some assurance that a solution is on the horizon that will ensure teams are where and when they are needed in order to best support victims of these awful crimes.
Unanswered questions
Our commitment to you is all over the Intranet, You have stated that these Q&A sessions are very important to you, and the officers that ask them deserve an answer. Why then are there still 3 unanswered questions from Sep 21 that's 11 weeks since it opened.
You have explained previously that it can take time to get an accurate answer, I have to say that 11 weeks is unacceptable and something has gone seriously wrong here, are these sessions managed? There seem little point in asking if you don't get an answer. Curtesy and respect is part of police Regs.
Answer
Many thanks for your questions and I firstly want to apologise for the delays in not getting answers to three of those questions out in a timely manner. Questions from my officers and staff are very important to me and something I have been able to dedicate more and more time to over the last year, both as part of this Q and A forum [s.31]. In answering questions I am equally committed to making sure I get the right answer, with the right amount of detail and as you noted this sometimes does take some time. The time taken to respond in to these three questions was without a doubt too long and I have asked my internal communications team to explore what went wrong here. I am pleased to say that answers have now been published for all to see.
Cleaning up the MPS Intranet
Please can the MPS consider improving its intranet by:
a) providing a quality search engine to retrieve information accurately
b) quality assuring the data that sits there (e.g. a quick look at information relating to [s.31]. Typical benefits of an up to date and easy to use intranet include:
a) enhanced employee engagement
b) increased productivity
c) better connection for distributed employees/hybrid workers
d) ease of communication of change management (e.g. form changes, process changes)
e) establishment & reinforcement of strong organisation culture
f) improved time management g) single source of truth for version changed information.
Answer
Thank you for your email. [s.31].
This will improve the experience for officers and staff by improving the search, providing easier ways to create content locally and offering officers and the staff to tailor the intranet to their interests and business groups. If you’d like to be part of our user testing group, we’d be delighted to get you involved so that the new intranet meets the needs of the Met’s officers and staff.
This question has been deleted because it doesn't follow the etiquette for getting involved
Recruit schemes for family members
Ma'am,
With regard to the current recruitment schemes and the requirement for London Residence, would it be considered to run a bespoke option for direct family members of serving or retired officers and staff to join the job without this requirement. [s.40]
The MET as other forces has a long history of families working her for generations and it would be a real shame if this is lost as a result of so many officers having to move out of London and their children now not being eligible to join.
Answer
Thank you for your question. Having the children of former and serving officers join us is a real privilege and it’s wonderful to see the next generation being inspired to join by their family members. Our current officers will have developed in depth knowledge of London and its varied communities during their service. Other experiences bought by those who live outside of London are also important. But in the context of urgently needing to do more to gain the trust of black communities, and being in the position of attracting high numbers of applicants from London, we want to prioritise this knowledge in our PC recruitment processes.
The good news is that we do still have some entry pathways to which the London Residency criteria does not apply such as Police Now, external entry detective, in addition to Specials, Cadets and police staff, [s.40]
OST and the Alternative Fitness Tests
Recent changes to OST mean that we now have to run the JRFT at the start of every OST session. Those who do the AFT or the JRFT at the monthly [s.40]. This change seems to have been made without any understanding of the length of time it takes to get the OH referral completed and book the AFT. Some people who thought they had valid passes have been sent home from OST and put on restricted duties.
Please can this be reviewed with a proper understanding of the timescales involved [s.40]
Answer
Thank you for your question. I know that for some people, the Job Related Fitness Test (JRFT) can be particularly stressful. We have listened to some of the practical and logistical challenges of organising an alternative test within two weeks, and have taken a decision to pause the implementation of bi-annual fitness testing whilst we consult further and agree the best approach. This means that if you have an in-date Alternative Fitness Test (AFT) or JRFT pass in the last 12 months, recorded on PSOP, you will be able to take the Public and Personal Safety Training as usual. We will advise in advance of any changes to this policy. We have also recently re-advertised our women only fitness testing awareness sessions and you can find more information here [s.31]. Our fitness working group is also looking at the range of support available to everyone, but in particular to women. [s.40]
Uniform Standards
Ma'am,
Hope you are well.
On the topic of standards, is there any plans to rethink the Met Uniform? You may remember your first week in post [s.40]
I made the comparison of putting a Met officer beside a BTP colleague and a County colleague and having a MOP vote on who looks most professional, I could confidently predict the vote of any such survey.
Why are we still so behind on our uniform? Why are we not in line with the rest of the forces? The standard patrol uniform is not fit for purpose in comparison to other UK Forces. Respectfully.
Answer
[s.40] You raise some interesting points around comparison with other forces and I know the MO11 Uniform Team has already reached out to you to understand some more specific detail around the points you raise.
We regularly review our uniform products based on feedback received to ensure they are fit for purpose and I would encourage you and your colleagues to provide that specific feedback via the Uniform Team so they can focus on the products that will make the most difference.
We do work with other forces as part of a national network to look at where we can share best practice on products. This has the added benefit of providing best value across all forces with a greater purchasing power. [s.43]
As I am sure you are aware an important part of our current work is that officers understand the need to present a professional image at all times, and it is as much about how you wear the uniform as what it is. I encourage all officers to make an effort to ensure that they look their best.
MO11 Uniform Services via [s.31]
OST Refresher course - or lack of!
I’d like to know why officers are having to be gated for months whilst they are waiting for an OST refresher course to be made available? [s.40]. These courses are few and far between with the next available offerings in December. These courses are full with no prospect of more courses until 2022. This is ridiculous as we have officers waiting to attend so they can become operational again but are sitting in offices. Can this be addressed?
Answer
Thank you for your question. I can assure you that there are still spaces available for the courses in November and December. The organisation has a duty of care to all our operational staff, and to the wider public, to ensure that Public and Personal Safety Training (PPST) skills are compliant in line with the current national guidelines. Any officer missing the last cycle of PPST refresher training between March 1st and September 30th, will need to attend a PPST catch up before they can be deployed operationally again. These OST[s.31] refresher courses are available via PSOP and can be allocated via the PPST SPOC aligned to all BCUs/OCUs. This one-day OST [s.31] catch-up, however, is not suitable for an officer who is returning from a prolonged period of absence. In these circumstances, officers who have not had any PPST training in the last twelve months to five years, are mandated to attend a three-day OST [s.31] catch up course. We normally run these courses once a month, and they are routinely only ever half-full. [s.40]
Public Order Policing Overkill
ERT is regularly being decimated by Officers being drafted in to deal with what on the face of it is low level disorder. [s.31]
[s.31]
Surely Londoners would prefer the Police responding to serious crime over potential low level disorder?
Answer
Thank you for your question. As you know The Public Order command within the MPS oversees event policing. This is a core aspect of policing for London. [s.31]
[s.31]
[s.31]
Still no Resolution?
I previously asked regarding this issue over 6 months ago. [s.31] pay for the ATOC to cover the 70 miles as stated on the issued card only to be allowed to travel 55 miles ( Bedford ) . The additional cost for officers for the further stations is at least another £2000 per year. Can we please make it FAIR and EQUAL for ALL who use this system and liaise with EMR [s.31]. As each year goes by we are paying thousands of pounds more than all our other colleagues who use the other networks?
Answer
Thank you for your question. I fully recognise how important the ATOC scheme is for all of our police officers and I appreciate that this issue has been a cause of frustration for many over a number of years. The general principle of the ATOC scheme is that it allows officers with unlimited travel on rail networks within a certain boundary. For many train operators, the boundary is around 70 miles, but this is not universal [s.43]
Ideas forum
Good Afternoon Ma'am,
I wish to pitch two new ideas in regards to technological advancements in policing. Both ideas are in regards to future app development and technological advancements which I believe would be beneficial to front line policing [s.31]. I am unsure of the appropriate forum in which to "pitch" these ideas and unaware of the relevant points of contact. In particular, is there a specific IT development team ideas can be submitted to?
Regards,
Answer
Thank you for your question.
I understand that [s.40] Director of Technology, has now contacted you directly and put you in touch with Superintendent [s.40]
If any other colleagues have an IT idea they would like to ‘pitch’ then do get in contact with [s.40]
Inefficiency of Learning and Development disseminating Quarterly Course Allocations
Over the past year Learning and Development dissemination of quarterly course allocations to Training SPOCs, the notice has been getting shorter and shorter - Q2 eight working days notice, Q3 only five days notice. This is unreasonable to MO2 as we're a large and diverse command, carrying a great amount of risk and professionally disrespectful to colleagues. Representations have been made via MO Training Board but the situation is only getting worse. There is information to suggest that Babcocks have priority for rooms & trainers and SSCL processes appear to be overly bureaucratic.
What assurances can you give that MO2 will receive Q4 allocations by 15th December and not say Christmas Eve afternoon please?
Answer
Thank you for raising this. I recognise the importance of having sufficient notice of quarterly course allocations to help with local planning. L&D performance data shows that the average notice period for sharing allocations was 21 days in Quarter 2 and 30 days in Quarter 3. Looking ahead, L&D now have the Quarter 4 training requirements from the Business Groups and are working to issue the final Quarter 4 allocations at the beginning of December. A member of the L&D senior team has also been in touch with the Met Ops Business Group Training SPOC to discuss the issues that you’ve raised in respect of MO2 and agree if any additional action is needed. I can also reassure you that any suggestion that Babcock are being given priority access to MPS estate or trainers is unfounded. The recruit training that Babcock support us in delivering has a dedicated pool of trainers allocated to it and uses the accommodation of our [s.31]. The new corporate Learning Management System that we are implementing next Summer will significantly simplify and improve the processes supporting the identification of corporate training requirements and the associated allocation of courses. In the interim, L&D will continue to work closely with BCU and OCU training SPOCs to ensure that the current processes are operationalised as effectively as possible.
Circuit Training [s.31] Gyms in the met
My question is about a circuit training class [s.40] which was well attend and enjoyed including myself. Optima [s.40] have said that it does not benefit their company for these classes to be held which is totally against the met keeping healthy and fit awareness. Also could a new good size gym be put [s.31]
Answer
Thank you for your question. The health and wellbeing of our workforce is of significant importance to me and we continually review our services to ensure we are getting the best value for money for everyone across the Met. [s.40]. The decision to stop the circuit training classes was made as part of a priority based budgeting exercise where we had to make some choices about which health and wellbeing initiatives we invested in. This meant a few discrete activities such as circuit training were stopped and the money was reinvested in new services such as additional physiotherapy treatment which were accessible to more officers & staff.
There continues to be significant investment made into improving our operational estate including gym facilities. Work already completed includes new larger gyms [s.31]
Whilst the existing gym is not included within the works, we will continue to ensure that gym facilities across the entire estate are considered as part of our maintenance and future upgrade activities.
[s.43]