The Overview and Scrutiny Committee of Barking and Dagenham Council met on Tuesday 4 April 2023 to discuss the Metropolitan Police Service's Turnaround Plan 2023-25 and the Baroness Casey Review Final Report, as well as the development of the Council's Corporate Plan 2023-27. Key discussions included the Metropolitan Police's commitment to improving public trust, reducing crime, and upholding high standards, alongside the Council's strategic priorities for the coming years.

Metropolitan Police Service Turnaround Plan and Baroness Casey Review

The meeting began with a presentation from Chief Superintendent Stuart Bell, Borough Commander for the East Area BCU of the Metropolitan Police, regarding the Metropolitan Police Service Turnaround Plan 2023-25 and the Baroness Casey Review Final Report.

Chief Superintendent Bell acknowledged the findings of the Baroness Casey Review, which was commissioned in response to the murder of Sarah Everard by a serving police officer. He stated that the Metropolitan Police accepted the report's findings, which highlighted significant failings in the organisation's culture, standards, and practices, including issues of racism, misogyny, and homophobia. The review also pointed to a decline in public trust and confidence in the police.

The Turnaround Plan aims to address these issues through nine key priorities, focusing on strengthening neighbourhood policing, improving public protection and safeguarding, providing better service to victims, taking a proactive approach to crime reduction, raising standards, supporting frontline officers, investing in people through modernised learning and leadership development, becoming data-driven, and innovating operational efficiency.

Councillors raised concerns about historical issues of profiling and discrimination against the BAME community, the need for better communication and partnership working between the police and the local authority, and the impact of police cuts on neighbourhood policing. They also highlighted the importance of supporting police officers' mental health and the need for greater transparency and accountability.

Chief Superintendent Bell assured the committee that efforts were underway to strengthen relationships with councillors and communities, improve communication, and increase the visibility of neighbourhood policing. He acknowledged the challenges in recruitment and retention and the need to make policing an attractive profession. The committee requested an update on the recruitment of Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) in six months' time.

Development of the Corporate Plan 2023-27

Alex Powell, Director of Strategy, presented an update on the development of the Council's Corporate Plan 2023-27. He explained that the plan aims to translate the long-term vision of the Borough Manifesto into medium-term priorities and programmes of activity, addressing challenges such as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis.

The new Corporate Plan will focus on seven key priorities: supporting residents during the cost-of-living crisis, ensuring residents are safe and protected, enabling residents to live healthier and more independent lives, promoting education, skills, and employment, fostering inclusive growth and regeneration, creating safer, cleaner, and greener neighbourhoods, and ensuring residents have good housing and avoid homelessness.

Councillors emphasised the importance of better relationships between officers and councillors, the need for officers to work more holistically and collaboratively across departments, and the necessity of clear performance indicators (KPIs) to measure progress. They also raised concerns about the interpretation of GDPR, which they felt sometimes prevented councillors from accessing necessary information, and the need for more social housing.

Mr. Powell agreed that a culture change was needed to break down silos and empower staff. He assured the committee that a new performance framework was being developed to provide greater transparency and that service plans would include considerations for equalities, diversity, fairness, and inclusion. The plan also aims to ensure strategic directors have the capacity for long-term thinking and risk management.

The committee also agreed to the updated Work Programme for the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.