Principles for Territorial Policing Independent
Advisory Groups 2018 (vl.O)
These principles have been arrived at after discussion with the Territorial Policing {TP) Independent Advisory Group (IAG) Chairs. These will be used to prepare Terms of Reference for IAGs which will represent a minimum standard of engagement between the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) and IAGs.
Community engagement
1. The IAG will be treated as a key stakeholder in local change decisions and important incidents.
2. IAG members may suggest to the MPS lead that a Gold Group is needed as they consider an incident to be "critical" from a community confidence perspective.
3. The MPS lead will proactively ask for the IAGs help in understanding communities. This may include involvement in understanding the community impact of operations, activity etc. as part of the planning team.
4. The MPS lead will communicate the main issues facing the borough to the IAG so that they can help.
IAG constitution
5. Membership of the IAG is a matter for the IAG.
6. The IAG will be drawn from the local community; over a wide geography consideration will be given to how to reasonably represent all communities.
7. IAG members should live, work, be educated or have a su bstant ial connection to the Borough. However membership is at the discretion of the IAG Chair.
8. The IAG is not party political.
9. The MPS lead will support the IAG chair in enabling the IAG to be fit for purpose.
10. IAG chairs will be vetted and sign the Official Secrets Act. If there are issues with this a risk assessment will be carried out by the MPS. In either case, a confidentiality agreement and information sharing agreement should be signed by the chair and all members.
11. There will be official communication links between IAG groups, central reference and consultative groups.
12. An IAG member may be asked to leave the Group based upon a simple vote of members present at a Group meeting including any proxy votes, and the Chair having the casting vote.
General
13. Every Borough (where Borough follows current MPS boundaries) should have an IAG.
14. The IAG must be in genuine partnership with the MPS, and a reasonable representation of all sections of the community should be attempted.
15. The importance of IAGs will be communicated within the MPS (officers, MPS leadership, probationers and as a part of the induction process for new officers).
16. It is not currently envisaged that Borough IAGs will merge (in line with the new MPS BCU structure) because it is believed that IAGs are more effective if they are local.
17. The MPS representative with IAG should be a Chief Superintendent or a Superintendent with responsibility for the Borough (referred to herein as "MPS lead").
18. Effective engagement with the IAG should be contained within the objectives of the MPS lead.
19. Generally, the IAG chair is the chair for the meeting with the MPS; however the meeting and agenda will be viewed as being in partnership with the MPS lead.
20. An induction pack will be created to welcome new IAG members. This should explain jargon. This will be along the lines of "we can help you with...you can help us with...." Each IAG can add a prologue to represent local ways of working.
21. Terms of agreement will be reached and these will clearly differentiate other groups that exist for other purposes e.g. Safer Neighbourhood Boards.
22. IAG members are private independent members of the Group (and should not be influenced by other groups e.g. Safer Neighbourhood Boards or others.)
23. The Terms of Reference will also deal with the situation where there is a difficulty between the IAG and the MPS and there will be a named point of escalation.
Borough/BCU engagement
24. The MPS lead will meet with the IAG at least every quarter.
25. IAG Chair and MPS lead should meet more frequently.
26. Minutes of IAG meetings may be taken (the MPS lead may request confidential matters are not recorded).
27. Decisions arising from IAG meetings and advice given will be recorded.
28. Decisions and advice from IAG meetings may be sent centrally in order that information from across the MPS can be collated and knowledge shared. Where there is feedback to Chairs from the MPS this should be published quarterly.
29. The MPS lead will advise on decisions made including where IAG advice is not followed at IAG meetings.
30. The IAG chair should be treated by the MPS lead as a trusted partner (Nolan principles for Public Life will be adhered to - Selflessness, Integrity, Objectivity, Accountability, Openness, Honesty and Leadership).
31. It should be accepted by all that there will be different views, and the IAG itself may not speak with one voice, but each view is the perspective of an individual and a potential window to the views of communities.
