Minutes of the Senior Command Team Meeting
Tuesday 5 May 2009

Present:

CC Meredydd Hughes (Chair)
DCC Bob Dyson
DF Nigel Hiller
ACC Andy Holt
ACC Max Sahota
ACC Mark Whyman
Ch Supt Steve Redhall (Items 120 and 121)

113. Declaration(s) of Interest

There were no declarations of interest.

Presentations

114. None

Standing Items

115. Minutes from SCT Meeting 20 April 2009

The minutes were approved as a true and accurate record.

116. Action Schedule and Work Programme

The action schedule and work programme were discussed and will be updated by the SCT Corporate Support Assistant.

117. Portfolio Issues

DCC Dyson

• Briefed colleagues on the IPCC investigation into death of Victor John Spence.

ACC Holt

• Gave results of Op Utah which finished last week - 37 arrests; 74 vehicle seizures; large numbers of Fixed Penalty Notices issued; good working with Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Police.
• Football play offs - SUFC v Preston - 8.5.09 at Preston, 11.5.09 at Bramall Lane
• Update provided into the review of Op Oasis (Kent)

ACC Sahota

• HMIC Inspection around Protect to take place on 2/3 July 2009
• Regional Tasking process to be chaired by ACC Sahota as Regional Heads of Crime
• S M Marper - retention of evidence - no issues with what is being done in SYP
• Atlas Court - lines down. A number of checks have taken place and it transpired that the problem was caused by the virus checking system. Faults now cleared and system to be monitored for re-occurrence
• Protective Services Committee of the Police Authority held 1.5.09. Members had queried the impact on policing in South Yorkshire for the Olympics and ACC Sahota said he had agreed to provide a report to their next meeting

ACC Whyman

• NSPIS - NPIA want SYP to pay maintenance for next year, but happy to work with the Force on development of an alternative system. 12 months notice given verbally, not yet finalised in writing
• Lead Force for the Region - preparing a paper for a Special Meeting of the Police Authority to be held on 15 May 2009
• SPP - paper to be brought to a future SCT - possibility that the ceiling for SYP may be raised

DF Hiller

Updated SCT colleagues on issues surrounding the sale of Training School

118. Force Performance

ACC Holt briefed colleagues on recent Force performance. Overall crime continues to fall.

Decision Papers

119. Change to Body Armour *Restricted*

This item was taken in closed session.

120. Corporate HR

ACC Whyman said the purpose of this paper was to brief members of SCT on the proposed re-alignment of Personnel Services to better meet the needs of the organisation

The paper recommended:-

1. That SCT agree the proposed changes in establishing a Corporate HR function.

2. That SCT agree to the transfer of Leaders in Action from Business Change Directorate to Human Resource Development.

Ch Sup Redhall attended for this item and outlined that the move to devolved budgeting, the development of HR Plans, the need to align personnel with finance, together with the constant requirement to support projects such as mobile data, citizen focus and prevent has created a need for change with Personnel Services.

He continued that the paper highlighted the proposed changes to Personnel Services including a change to the name, moving from Personnel Services to Corporate HR to reflect the alignment with Corporate Finance, to meet the changing demands of the organisation and recognise the different role of the HQ function to that of districts and departments.

Following discussion, DCC Dyson said whilst he agreed with LiA being transferred from BCD, he would need to see a delivery package to ensure initiatives and values within LiA would be maintained. CC Hughes stressed that he wished to be involved in planning for the forthcoming event.

SCT agreed that Ch Supt Redhall should be given a mandate which allowed him to give a corporate steer on HR Manager issues, whilst ensuring that it is clear that line manager responsibility for HR Managers lies with local commanders.

SCT also agreed that the Head of Finance together with the Head of Personnel should expand the existing guidance, by way of a financial instruction, to ensure that all re-structure papers submitted to SCT meet a corporate standard.

Paper approved.

121. Review of PDR Process

ACC Whyman outlined that this paper was intended to brief SCT on the review of the Professional Development Review (PDR) process and associated system and recommend a plan for process improvement.

The paper put forward the following recommendations:-

1. That SCT agree the recommendations contained in the paper to implement changes to the PDR process.

2. Agree the implementation of two pilot PDR groups - the Special Constabulary and ISD.

2.1. Agree the proposed work that needs to be carried out as part of the pilot:
• Management skills gap analysis
• Role profile review
• Employee information review
• Skills audit of staff
• Mandatory training review
• PDR learning needs analysis

SCT considered the proposals and support for the paper received from the Police Federation. The proposals were agreed with the following conditions:-

• Instead of the Special Constabulary being used as a pilot, a group of regular officers be used instead. This was because there was a range of proposals for development of the Special Constabulary under consideration at the present, which would not allow them capacity to run the pilot. A decision as to the alternative pilot site be taken at the next Ops Commanders meeting.
[Secretary's note : Item placed on Ops Commanders meeting 26/5/09]

• Ch Supt Redhall be mandated to issue immediate instructions that the requirement for 3 pieces of evidence per behavioural areas is overly bureaucratic and that this requirement should be withdrawn with immediate effect.
[Secretary's note : E-mail sent to Personnel Managers 6.5.09 as above]

Discussion / Information Items

122. Review of Council Tax Changes

DF Hiller outlined that this paper had been prepared by Treasurer of the Police Authority and was a sub-set of work he was carrying out nationally.

Paper noted and received.

Audit Reports

DF Hiller outlined that the below three reports would be presented to the Audit Committee of the Police Authority.
123 Specialist Crime Services

Received and noted.

124 Facilities Management

Received and noted

125 Financial Systems

Received and noted.

Papers to Review

126. Police Authority - Community Affairs Committee 15 May 2009

126.1 Review of Headquarters PPU

Approved, subject to slight amendment

126.2 Communications Call Handling Performance 2008/09

Approved.

126.3 CSD Re-Structure

Considerable amendments needed

126.4 Update on Policing Pledge

Approved.

Standing Items

127. Notification to Police Authority

No issues

128. Notification to Force

PDR process - ACC Whyman to progress

129. Any Other Business

DCC Dyson asked colleagues to ensure that SCT papers are submitted by the deadline (12 noon the previous Thursday) to allow time for them to be thoroughly read and for any issues to be resolved prior to the SCT meeting. Recently a number of papers had not been submitted until late on the Friday afternoon, giving no opportunity for them to be read/commented on.