MQT answers Dec 16
The College of Policing Authorised Professional Practice document on Public Order: Policing Football
Question No: 2016/4841
Andrew Dismore
The College of Policing Authorised Professional Practice document on Public Order: Policing Football sates that there are four key documents required for football policing operations:
1) A Statement of intent, outlining the agreed division of responsibilities between the police and the football club and signed by both of them on annual basis
2) A public order command structure
3) A charging agreement signed by the club and police
4) An information sharing agreement between the police and the club
In relation to each Premier League and Championship football club in London, which of these documents has been completed; when was the document in question last reviewed; and in cases where no such document or documents exist, the reasons why, and what is being done to compete the required documentation?
Written response from the Mayor
Please see Appendix 4841.
All clubs have a statement of intent and information sharing agreement, which has been reviewed this year. All clubs have a special police service (SPS) agreement except for West Ham due to issues around Airwave (police radio) coverage in the stadium.
In the case of all London Stadia an SPS is the agreement for chargeable services as set out in the APP. The SPS for West Ham is currently agreed on a match-by-match basis. All clubs have a public order command structure. These are also provided in the attached document.
| Team | Statement of Intent | Last Reviewed | Information Sharing Agreement | Last Reviewed | Special Police Service Agreement | Last Reviewed | Command Structure Gold/Silver* |
| Arsenal | Yes | 07.07.2016 | Yes | 06.07.2016 | Yes | 17.07.2015 | Bx1 |
| Barnet | Yes | 07.07.2016 | Yes | 06.07.2016 | Yes | 23.07.2015 | Bx2 |
| Brentford | Yes | 06.07.2016 | Yes | 06.07.2016 | Yes | 17.07.2015 | Bx3 |
| Bromley | Yes | 06.07.2016 | Yes | 06.07.2016 | Yes | 23.07.2015 | Bx17 |
| Charlton | Yes | 08.07.2016 | Yes | 08.07.2016 | Yes | 23.07.2015 | Bx4 |
| Chelsea | Yes | 12.07.2016 | Yes | 27.07.2016 | Yes | 17.07.2015 | Bx5 |
| Crystal Palace | Yes | 07.07.2016 | Yes | 07.07.2016 | Yes | 23.07.2015 | Bx6 |
| Dagenham | Yes | 12.07.2016 | Yes | 12.07.2016 | Yes | 23.07.2015 | Bx7 |
| Fulham | Yes | 07.07.2016 | Yes | 07.07.2016 | Yes | 23.07.2015 | Bx8 |
| Leyton Orient | Yes | 07.07.2016 | Yes | 07.07.2016 | Yes | 23.07.2015 | Bx9 |
| Millwall | Yes | 07.07.2016 | Yes | 07.07.2016 | Yes | 23.07.2015 | Bx10 |
| QPR | Yes | 07.07.2016 | Yes | 13.07.2106 | Yes | 23.07.2015 | Bx11 |
| Sutton United | Yes | 07.07.2016 | Yes | 07.07.2016 | Yes | 30.08.2016 | Bx16 |
| Tottenham | Yes | 07.07.2016 | Yes | 07.07.2016 | Yes | 17.07.2015 | Bx12 |
| West Ham | Yes | 07.07.2016 | Yes | 07.07.2016 | No | N/A ** | Bx14 |
| AFC Wimbledon | Yes | 07.07.2016 | Yes | 13.07.2016 | Yes | 22.07.2015 | Bx15 |
| Wembley | Yes | 07.07.2016 | Yes | 07.07.2016 | Yes | 14.09.2016 | Bx13 |
* There are dedicated match commanders (bronze) in place for every match who are occupationally competent and qualified. They are part of a wider command structure with Gold and Silver command across London on every match day.
** The issues around Police radio (Airwave) coverage in the Olympic Stadium are well documented. Negotiations are about to start around the SPS so that the MPS is ready when the full in-building Airwave solution is installed in February. The SPS is agreed on a match-by-match basis for current matches.
*** Please note these dates are review dates, as per the question, not dates when these documents were signed.
Children in custody
Question No: 2016/4842
Andrew Dismore
For the last 12 months, please state how many children under:
12
13
14
15
16
Have been held in police custody for:
Over 4 hours
Over 8 hours
Overnight
Over a weekend
Written response from the Mayor
Officers are drafting a response which will be sent shortly.
Business rates [1]
Question No: 2016/4843
Andrew Dismore
Further to Question No: 2016/4367
In the light of estimated uplifts of nearly 30% in business rates what steps are you taking to encourage London businesses to check their new values?
Your response being:
Officers are drafting a response which will be sent shortly.
Will you now give a substantive reply?
Written response from the Mayor
Please see my response to MQ 2016/4367.
Buses on Oxford Street
Question No: 2016/4844
Andrew Dismore
If the Elizabeth Line, when open, is being used as an excuse to cut bus routes that use Oxford St, will bus passengers be able to travel on the Elizabeth Line for free for the length of Oxford St, to pick up another bus at the other end of Oxford Street?
Written response from the Mayor
Officers are drafting a response which will be sent shortly.
Homophobia in the police
Question No: 2016/4845
Andrew Dismore
What are you doing to tackle homophobia in the police?
Written response from the Mayor
Officers are drafting a response which will be sent shortly.
profits made by London Overground services
Question No: 2016/4846
Andrew Dismore
Do you agree with the research recently published by rail union RMT, that profits made by London Overground services could have been used to cut fares for passengers by 5% a year, but will instead be used to subsidise rail services in Germany under the seven year £1.5bn Transport for London contract agreed by former London Mayor Boris Johnson with German state owned Arriva for the operation of London Overground services?
Written response from the Mayor
TfL manages the London Overground under a concession, setting fares and service levels. It pays the operator a fixed fee, and any return they make depends upon them managing their costs and providing excellent service. In the contract with Arriva Rail London, TfL has included new incentives to further improve services. These include financial penalties where incidents impact London Overground services, as well as reducing the rail industry standard measurement for punctuality.
Under the new concession, customers on some routes will benefit from extended operating hours, and new services will be introduced on some routes on Boxing Day. Arriva Rail London will also be expected to deliver even more improvements in performance levels.
Business rates [2]
Question No: 2016/4847
Andrew Dismore
Further to Question No: 2016/4368
What are you doing to remind businesses that face swingeing increases in business rates to go to the VOA website https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/valuation-office-agency/ to check the basis of their new rateable value, as they have only until 30 November 2016 to challenge it?
Your response being:
Officers are drafting a response which will be sent shortly.
Will you now give a substantive reply?
Written response from the Mayor
Please see my response to MQ 2016/4368.
London Chamber of Commerce & Industry Report, ‘Permits, Points And Visas’ [1]
Question No: 2016/4848
Andrew Dismore
Do you agree with the recommendation of the recent London Chamber of Commerce & Industry Report, ‘Permits, Points And Visas’, that you as the Mayor of London should champion a single-issue ‘London Work Visa’ granting ‘indefinite leave to remain’ to reassure current EU national employees and their London employers?
Written response from the Mayor
I welcome the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s report. I recognise that the long term status of EU nationals is a concern for employers and, of course, to EU nationals themselves. I have already made representations to the government that EU nationals living in London need to be assured of their long term leave to remain in the UK as a priority. However, I view this as a national policy decision and not restricted to those in employment – it will need to cover a broader range of statuses and the process kept as simple as possible to ensure compliance.
London Chamber of Commerce & Industry Report, ‘Permits, Points And Visas’ [2]
Question No: 2016/4849
Andrew Dismore
Do you agree with the recommendation of the recent London Chamber of Commerce & Industry Report, ‘Permits, Points And Visas’, that the Government should consider ‘Targeted Migration Area’ designation for the London Region within the UK Immigration system to manage London’s significant skills and labour requirements?
Written response from the Mayor
I welcome the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s report. The recommendation for the London Region to be a ‘Targeted Migration Area’ recognises two important issues: that London must remain open to skilled and experienced people from around the world; and the need for UKVI to be able to draw on expert advice and data covering the London region to inform migration policy and practice. I welcome these two insights which will be vital to ensure London continues to meet its significant skills and labour requirements – this is critical to the capital and the UK’s future economic prosperity.
London Chamber of Commerce & Industry Report, ‘Permits, Points And Visas’ (3)
Question No: 2016/4850
Andrew Dismore
Do you agree with the recommendation of the recent London Chamber of Commerce & Industry Report, ‘Permits, Points And Visas’, that the Government should task the Migration Advisory Committee with maintaining a separate ‘Shortage Occupation List for London’ (as Scotland has) to attract the skills and talent necessary to ensure the long-term sustainability of the capital’s economy?
Written response from the Mayor
I welcome the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s report. The recommendation for the Migration Advisory Committee to maintain a separate ‘Shortage Occupation List for London’ recognises the particular skills and talent needs of the capital. The government must ensure that a future immigration system continues to attract talent and meet the skills needs of key London sectors where EU nationals currently play an important role. These include hospitality and construction where typical salaries will often be below the Tier 2 threshold, along with digital and creative job roles where the culture of shorter-term, freelance-based work may not currently fit the employer-sponsored route.
London Chamber of Commerce & Industry Report, ‘Permits, Points And Visas’ (4)
Question No: 2016/4851
Andrew Dismore
Do you agree with the recommendation of the recent London Chamber of Commerce & Industry Report, ‘Permits, Points And Visas’, that you as the Mayor of London should explore the potential for a dedicated ‘Capital Work Permits system’ to provide controlled access for future migrant workers and meet London employers’ need for skilled labour?
Written response from the Mayor
I welcome the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s report. The recommendation to explore the potential for a dedicated ‘Capital Work Permits system’ recognises the critical importance of skills and talent from around the world to London. This, in turn, has driven innovation and economic growth, not just in the capital but across the UK. Any future immigration system will need to ensure employers can access the talent and skills they need. However, it must be a mixed system of direct employer sponsorship and other routes to attract the brightest and the best from across the world.
London Chamber of Commerce & Industry Report, ‘Permits, Points And Visas’ (5)
Question No: 2016/4852
Andrew Dismore
Do you agree with the recommendation of the recent London Chamber of Commerce & Industry Report, ‘Permits, Points And Visas’, that the capital’s established business organisations (e.g.: LBAC) and you as Mayor of London together should seek UKVI licensing as the Work Permit Sponsorship body for the London Region?
Written response from the Mayor
I welcome the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s report as a valuable contribution to how London remains open to talent across the world. The recommendation that the capital’s established business organisations and I seek UKVI licensing as the Work Permit Sponsorship body for the Region recognises the central importance of immigration to London. As the report notes, non-UK migrant employees currently constitute 25% of the capital’s workforce, make an estimated £44bn GVA contribution and pay an estimated £13bn in direct tax revenues in the past year. Ultimately, it is the job of the Government to deliver a flexible UK work visa system which enables London’s businesses to access the best talent the world has to offer. If they fail to do so then we must call on them to look at other options which protect London’s competitiveness.
Green Belt and covenants [2]
Question No: 2016/4853
Andrew Dismore
Further to Question No: 2016/4375
As paragraph 87 of the National Planning Policy Framework states that “As with previous Green Belt policy, inappropriate development is, by definition, harmful to the Green Belt and should not be approved except in very special circumstances”, do you agree that a London Borough should not be considering a course of action that ignores or destroys a protective covenant, when the land was originally procured to stop such developments happening; and that such covenants should be considered as added protection to the definition in the NPPF?
Your response being:
Officers are drafting a response which will be sent shortly.
Will you now give a substantive reply?
Written response from the Mayor
I have restated my manifesto commitment to protecting the Green Belt in responding to a number of Mayoral Questions.
Land use designations/protections are made through a borough’s local plan. A protective (restrictive) covenant on the use of land is a private arrangement between land owners and is not a planning consideration, and should not be taken into account by a decision maker in the determination of a planning application.
The NPPF affords the highest category of protection to land in the Green Belt. A protective covenant cannot add to this.
Impact of HS2 on Euston
Question No: 2016/4854
Andrew Dismore
Further to Question No: 2016/4380
In August you wrote a very welcome letter to the Secretary of State for Transport about the impact of HS2 on Euston setting out your concerns on behalf of residents after you met with local representatives. Details of this appeared in the Evening Standard last month. Have you received a reply yet; and if so, will you publish it; and if not what are you doing to press for a reply?
Your response being:
Officers are drafting a response which will be sent shortly.
Will you now give a substantive reply?
Written response from the Mayor
Please see my response to MQ 2016/4380.
CS11 [1]
Question No: 2016/4855
Andrew Dismore
Further to Question No: 2016/4391
TfL have had no stakeholder meetings in Camden Town concerning CS11 even though the proposals have an impact there as well as in Swiss Cottage, as there is an issue about diversionary traffic heading onto residential streets to the east of Regents Park when Albany Street and Prince Albert Road become the main alternative route to the outer circle for traffic in peak hours (because of the shutting of gates into the park for CS11). These two roads are also affected by HS2 major utility works and are the primary HGV routes for their lorry holding area in the zoo car park, which will then journey to the main site compound and work sites on Hampstead Road, bringing under present plans one HGV every three minutes for ten hours a day on Albany Street for several years. Will you now arrange for a stakeholder consultation meeting in Camden Town over CS11 as soon as possible?
Your response being:
Officers are drafting a response which will be sent shortly.
Will you now give a substantive reply?
Written response from the Mayor
Officers are drafting a response which will be sent shortly.
CS11 [2]
Question No: 2016/4856
Andrew Dismore
I am informed in the context of CS11, TfL does not count individual petition signatories in the overall figures of supporters or opponents of a scheme as part of its consultation because TfL say they ‘need to be certain that all respondents have had the opportunity to read and understand the detail of TfL’s consultation documents, which can be difficult to verify in the case of petition signatories.’ How do TfL ‘make themselves certain’ of this in respect of other responses?
Written response from the Mayor
Officers are drafting a response which will be sent shortly.
Thameslink rail devolution
Question No: 2016/4857
Andrew Dismore
You have spoken a lot about rail devolution of Southern Rail. What are you saying about Thameslink rail devolution?
Written response from the Mayor
I am very disappointed the Secretary of State for Transport has reneged on the Government’s promise to devolve suburban rail services to TfL, despite cross-party support from Assembly Members, MPs, councils inside and outside of London, and businesses and their representatives.
The only proven way of improving services for passengers is giving control of suburban rail lines to TfL. TfL’s Business Case makes this clear. It is a fact that TfL lines have more frequent trains, fewer delays and cancellations and more staff at stations and customers will benefit from my decision to freeze all TfL fares. I will keep pushing the government to deliver the rail devolution it has promised and that is needed.
Thameslink provides an important service relied on by many Londoners, which is why I will continue to press the Government to address the very serious failings of Govia Thameslink Railway, the Thameslink operator.
In the longer term, I am fully supportive of the multi-billion pound Thameslink Programme which will result in new trains, more frequent services, expanded stations and additional destinations.
children being issued with penalty fares
Question No: 2016/4858
Andrew Dismore
Do you share the concern at the number of children being issued with penalty fares by TfL inspectors because they have forgotten their Oyster ZIP cards on bus journeys to and from school? Of course, inspectors have an important job to do ensuring that fare evasion is tackled as the costs of such evasion are borne by those who do pay, but for a child on their way to or from school within the Oyster ZIP card bus area there cannot be any question of a revenue loss to TfL given that the Oyster ZIP card provides for free bus travel and a child in school uniform is clearly resident in the London area and is prima facie entitled to such free travel. Nevertheless, given that children cannot be expected to have the same responsibility as adults and are prone to misplacing things, do you agree that it appears draconian for TfL to levy the same penalties on children for not having a valid Oyster card with them as it does for adults? Is this not especially so given that there is now no mechanism by which children can pay by other means if they suddenly find they have lost their Oyster ZIP card ,whereas a high proportion of adults will have a cashless payment card they can use which cannot be assumed for children?
Written response from the Mayor
Officers are drafting a response which will be sent shortly.
Credit card readers be situated in taxis
Question No: 2016/4859
Andrew Dismore
Are you prepared to ask Transport for London not to insist that the credit card readers be situated in the passenger compartment of taxis? A taxi driver who drives for Dial-A-Cab who have had card readers in the drivers compartment since 2011 with no problems at all, has suggested to me that requiring the readers to be in the passenger compartment could endanger drivers if they have to leave the safety of the front cab as a result?
Written response from the Mayor
From 1 January 2017, all licensed taxis must have a TfL-approved card payment device fitted in the passenger compartment. It is important that the device is fitted in this position so that passengers are able to stay in control of their card details at all times. This approach was approved by the TfL Board earlier this year after the public consultation found that the majority of taxi customers believe these devices should be fixed in one position.
TfL has been working closely with Dial a Cab (DAC) and has approved their card payment system, so that their card payment devices can be installed within the passenger compartment of taxis. DAC is currently in the process of installing their payment devices across the DAC fleet in time for 1 January 2017.
TfL will monitor the use of card payment devices in taxis in the light of any safety concerns felt by either passengers or drivers.
TfL or I would not expect a driver to leave their cab should a problem with the payment machine arise, if they did not feel safe to do so. In these cases, an alternative means of payment should be agreed with the passenger, and the driver should contact the provider of the card payment system in order to rectify any issue. If a passenger refuses to pay and an alternative agreement cannot be reached, this should be treated like any other instance where a passenger refuses to pay a fare.
Bus waiting times
Question No: 2016/4860
Andrew Dismore
Do you agree that an important way of reducing traffic, congestion and air pollution in outer London is to encourage bus use? That being the case, do you agree that having long waits for a bus act as a deterrence to consistent use, and that increasing the frequency of services would encourage more people to use them regularly?
Written response from the Mayor
I absolutely agree that increasing bus use is an important way to reduce road traffic congestion and air pollution in London.
TfL sets the frequency of bus services based on passenger demand and location, with consideration of its resources. Around 80 per cent of bus passengers travel on high frequency routes, operating up to every 12 minutes. The remaining 20 per cent of bus passengers travel on low frequency routes of fewer than five buses per hour. Of course, I do not want Londoners waiting at bus stops for long periods of time unnecessarily and TfL has worked to ensure that its customers can access real-time travel information before arriving at the bus stop. TfL’s Journey Planner and the many travel apps that are powered by TfL data mean that customers can plan journeys in advance.
However, I am concerned about journey times and have asked TfL to put together a comprehensive plan to improve this as part of its plans to tackle congestion. TfL is already making timetabling changes, introducing new bus priority initiatives and adjusting traffic signal phasing to improve bus passenger journeys times. TfL also has a comprehensive plan to improve air quality, in advance of the Ultra Low Emission Zone, including Low Emission Bus Zones which will be supported by bus priority initiatives.
The Healthy Streets Approach that TfL and I have adopted puts public transport use alongside walking and cycling at the heart of our planning for London. Further details will be announced in the new year, and the approach will be a core feature of my Transport Strategy, which will be published in draft for consultation in the spring.
Outer London bus connectivity
Question No: 2016/4861
Andrew Dismore
How will you ensure that areas between tube stations have adequate and frequent bus services to keep residents connected?
Written response from the Mayor
TfL regularly monitors and reviews the bus network to maintain reliability and ensure that capacity and connectivity reflect changing patterns of usage. This includes providing services to and between Tube and rail stations.
My new Transport Strategy, to be published in draft for consultation in the spring, will provide details of my strategic approach to bus route planning. A key feature of this will be providing better bus connections in outer London, including between Tube stations and other transport hubs.
Bus countdown timers
Question No: 2016/4862
Andrew Dismore
How many countdown timers have been installed at bus stops due to section 106 payments? What are you doing to encourage more planning consents deliver more countdown timers?
Written response from the Mayor
Countdown signs have been installed at 69 bus shelters through section 106 payments to date.
TfL regularly meets with borough officers to discuss how best to encourage more digital streaming technology through third-party funding.
Bus stops for Finchley Memorial Hospital
Question No: 2016/4863
Andrew Dismore
The state of bus stops M and N for the 263 bus near Finchley Memorial Hospital are not in a good state, being muddy, uneven, poorly lit and with seating in a poor condition. Will you undertake to improve these bus stops, so they are in a fit state for those visiting a hospital?
Written response from the Mayor
Yes. TfL will work with the London Borough of Barnet to ensure the environment is improved.
A recent planning condition on a housing development within the grounds of Finchley Memorial Hospital will provide funds for the borough to improve the approach to the bus stops, which is currently via informal and unsurfaced tracks to the road from the hospital.
Extending the C11 bus to North Finchley
Question No: 2016/4864
Andrew Dismore
Will you consider extending the C11 bus to North Finchley from Archway, via Highgate and East Finchley? This would enable many more residents to access the Royal Free Hospital.
Written response from the Mayor
Extending route C11 would require over £1.5m a year of additional subsidy. Given the high levels of existing connectivity, TfL does not have plans to extend route C11 at this time.
Passengers wishing to travel to the Royal Free Hospital from North Finchley can take route 82 and route 268 interchanging at Golders Green, or route 263 and route C11 interchanging at Archway. These routes are all high frequency, providing good levels of connectivity to the hospital.
The steering group set up to review catchment areas surrounding London’s major hospitals expects to report back to me in early 2017 with its findings.
Long Lane, East Finchley
Question No: 2016/4865
Andrew Dismore
On a recent site visit with ward Councillors and officers from both Barnet Council and TfL, a plan of action was agreed to install a fence on Long Lane in East Finchley, adjacent to the North Circular. This is to enclose land owned by TfL which has been a source of dumping, burglaries of neighbouring properties and ASB. TfL has pulled the plug on the fence, citing budgetary reasons. What is the estimated cost of the wooden pale fence of 20 meters in length that would be required? (The materials at B&Q would cost no more than £600) Do you consider TfL’s estimate to be excessive? Will you now instruct TfL to do the right thing by the local residents, given the unacceptable impact this is having on their lives? If not, would you ask TfL to fund the materials and give permission to enable local DIY enthusiasts to do the job for you?
Written response from the Mayor
TfL will undertake these works by the end of January 2017. The total cost of installing the fence is just under £2,000 – this is for standard materials, labour and an element of design. This work will be carried out by approved contractors, meeting the safety standards required
TfL had initially planned to delay these works until the new financial year but it was agreed that any further delay to this scheme is unacceptable, given the discussions that have taken place with the London Borough of Barnet.
Night tube and Swiss Cottage
Question No: 2016/4866
Andrew Dismore
Belsize Road is a residential street in Camden that leads to an entrance to Swiss Cottage underground station. Residents there have written to me to complain that since the start of the night tube there have been regular problems in the early morning hours with anti-social behaviour and severe littering problems. They also complain that the walled vent above the station is not maintained, gathering waste. Will you take action on these complaints?
Written response from the Mayor
I have asked TfL to inspect the vent above the station and take any action that is necessary.
TfL is working closely with the London Borough of Camden and the police, and where required will address anti-social behaviour and noise levels around Night Tube stations in the Borough.
DBS Checks [1]
Question No: 2016/4867
Andrew Dismore
How many Enhanced DBS Checks are outstanding with the Met?
Written response from the Mayor
Officers are drafting a response which will be sent shortly.
DBS Checks [2]
Question No: 2016/4868
Andrew Dismore
How many Enhanced DBS Checks were outstanding with the Met at this time last year and the previous year?
Written response from the Mayor
The MPS ‘Work in Progress’ (WiP) as at the 31/12/14 was 32,927 applications.
The MPS work in progress as at the 31/12/15 was 68,500 applications.
DBS Checks [3]
Question No: 2016/4869
Andrew Dismore
How many Enhanced DBS Checks have the Met processed this year?
Written response from the Mayor
In the financial year (April) to date (December) the MPS has returned 252,478 applications to the DBS.
DBS Checks [4]
Question No: 2016/4870
Andrew Dismore
How many Enhanced DBS Checks did the Met processed last year and the previous year?
Written response from the Mayor
In 2014/15 the MPS returned 258,187 applications to the DBS.
In 2015/16 the MPS returned 253,789 applications to the DBS.
DBS Checks [5]
Question No: 2016/4871
Andrew Dismore
What is the average length of time for the Met to compete an Enhanced DBS Check?
Written response from the Mayor
The average turnaround time for a DBS Enhanced Disclosure is now down to 26.96 days.
DBS Checks [6]
Question No: 2016/4872
Andrew Dismore
What was the average length of time for the Met to compete Enhanced DBS Checks at this time last year and the previous year?
Written response from the Mayor
The average turnaround time for December 2014 was 32.30 days
The average turnaround time for December 2015 was 67.96 days
DBS Checks [7]
Question No: 2016/4873
Andrew Dismore
As delays in completing Enhanced DBS Checks can result in people losing job offers, or being out of work for far longer, or charity volunteers losing interest as a result of the delays, what are you doing to speed up the process?
Written response from the Mayor
Officers are drafting a response which will be sent shortly.
Homophobic discrimination
Question No: 2016/4874
Andrew Dismore
David Cary secured an impressive victory in his 9 year legal battle against the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) in his claim arising from homophobic discrimination. What are the lessons the Met has learned from this case and what is it doing to implement them?
Written response from the Mayor
An Action Plan is in place to meet the recommendations following the ACAS review and EHRC investigation, in order to improve the way the MPS handle allegations of discrimination. The Directorate of Professional Standards in the MPS has set up a specific ‘discrimination team’ to ensure that discrimination matters are looked at with consistency and by people with the requisite skills / training.
My Deputy Mayor, Sophie Linden, and I will hold the Commissioner to account for the development of an inclusion and equality strategy and subsequently monitor its progress.
Met‘s public website
Question No: 2016/4875
Andrew Dismore
Part of the Met’s public website was disrupted as thousands of masked protesters converged on central London in early November for the Million Mask March organised by hacking group Anonymous. What was the cause of this and what is being done to prevent it in future?
Written response from the Mayor
Officers are drafting a response which will be sent shortly.
future role of SNBs and ward panels
Question No: 2016/4876
Andrew Dismore
How do you see the future role of SNBs and ward panels?
Written response from the Mayor
Officers are drafting a response which will be sent shortly.
SNB websites and publicity
Question No: 2016/4877
Andrew Dismore
Will MOPAC give consideration to funding and assistance for SNB websites and publicity for their public meetings; and if not, why not?
Written response from the Mayor
Officers are drafting a response which will be sent shortly.
Stop and search data and statistics
Question No: 2016/4878
Andrew Dismore
Stop and search data and statistics are not being provided to SNBs monthly as before, apparently due to a new system: when will this be introduced and when will the provision of such data be resumed?
Written response from the Mayor
Officers are drafting a response which will be sent shortly.
Barnet Community Transport’s Rolling Base
Question No: 2016/4879
Andrew Dismore
Are you aware of the excellent and cost effective youth engagement work carried out by Barnet Community Transport’s Rolling Base, currently funded by MOPAC?
Written response from the Mayor
Officers are drafting a response which will be sent shortly.
Merger of borough BCUs
Question No: 2016/4880
Andrew Dismore
The Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime is quoted as saying, in respect of the decision to pilot the merger of borough BCUs:
“Further (my emphasis) evaluation and consultation will follow, after which and alongside our new Police and Crime Plan, decisions will be taken on the best way to deliver our commitment to real neighbourhood policing.”
What evaluation, and what consultation and with whom, was carried out before the decision to pilot the merger in Barnet and Islington?
Written response from the Mayor
Officers are drafting a response which will be sent shortly.
fraud and other cyber crime
Question No: 2016/4881
Andrew Dismore
What steps are being taken to record and collate statistics of the extent of fraud and other cyber crime on a borough level and publish such data?
Written response from the Mayor
Since April 2013, fraud offences have been recorded by Action Fraud (the national fraud and cyber-crime reporting centre) rather than by police forces.
The Home Office publishes a number of quarterly fraud reports using data provided by Action Fraud and other organisations that compile fraud data such as Cifas and Financial Fraud Action UK. These data are normally provided on a national basis however some data is available at London level. Each of these organisations from time to time publish reports relating to data that they hold.
New questions on fraud and computer misuse were added to the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) in October 2015 and were initially included as experimental statistics. They were fully incorporated in September 2016.
No data are reported on a borough level in London.
Sexual misconduct inquiries into police
Question No: 2016/4882
Andrew Dismore
Further to Question No: 2016/4395
‘The Times’ has established that there are at least 156 live sexual misconduct inquiries into police in England, Wales and Scotland. The figure includes complaints made by colleagues as well as reports by victims and witnesses, although the majority of cases are in the latter category. The true figure is likely to be higher since only a quarter of 44 forces would acknowledge live cases. How many of these are in the Met.?
Your response being:
Officers are drafting a response which will be sent shortly.
Will you now give a substantive reply?
Written response from the Mayor
Officers are drafting a response which will be sent shortly.
West Ham and security at the Olympic Stadium
Question No: 2016/4883
Andrew Dismore
Further to Question No: 2016/4402
How much has been, or is expected to be, refunded by West Ham to the Met with respect to policing their home games at the Olympic Stadium since the start of the football season; and what has been the total policing cost of these games?
Your response being:
Officers are drafting a response which will be sent shortly.
Will you now give a substantive reply?
Written response from the Mayor
Please see my response to MQ 2016/4402.
Senior officers’ perquisites
Question No: 2016/4884
Andrew Dismore
And Further to Question No: 2016/3913
And Further to Question No: 2016/3416
‘What was the cost of perquisites awarded to officers of the rank of commander and above in the last financial year; what perquisites are senior officers entitled to or to claim for; what are the criteria applied to qualify for perquisites; and what was the highest value of perquisites received by a single officer?’
Your response being:
‘Officers are drafting a response which will be sent shortly’.
Will you now give a substantive reply?
Your similar response being:
‘Officers are drafting a response which will be sent shortly’.
As this question has been outstanding for some time now, will you now give a substantive reply?
Your response this time being:
‘Please see my response to MQ 2016/3416.’
Which of course was a circular response going back to a previous holding reply, this being:
“Officers are drafting a response which will be sent shortly”
As this is now the 4th time I have asked this question, going back well into the Summer, can you explain why it is taking so long to answer? Doesn’t the Met know what perquisites senior officers have been receiving and what their cost and value is? If they don’t, don’t you think they should? Is the delay because the answer will be potentially embarrassing to the Met at a time of severe cuts in the police budget and they think that if they obfuscate long enough, I will lose interest in the answer, when the delay only increases it? And will you at long last now give a substantive reply?
Written response from the Mayor
Please see my response to MQ 2016/3416. This answers the original question.
http://questions.london.gov.uk/QuestionSearch/searchclient/questions/question_289762
Community Safety Fund
Question No: 2016/4885
Andrew Dismore
Of the London Fire Brigade’s £1 million Community Safety Fund, how much has been allocated borough by borough, to each borough?
Written response from the Mayor
The closing date for bids to the Community Safety Investment Fund was 30 November 2016. Bids were received from within each of London’s 33 boroughs (both local authorities and other local organisations). London Fire Brigade officers are currently processing them which means it is not possible at this stage to provide a complete breakdown of the funding allocation.
However, the total number of bids received is broken down by borough in the following table, which includes joint bids across boroughs. Officers will be reporting on the Community Safety Fund to LFEPA in the New Year which will provide a complete breakdown of the final funding allocation by borough.
| All of London | 1 |
| Barking & Dagenham | 8 |
| Barnet | 2 |
| Bexley | 1 |
| Brent & Ealing | 1 |
| Bromley | 1 |
| Camden | 5 |
| City | 3 |
| Croydon | 3 |
| Croydon & Lambeth | 1 |
| Ealing | 1 |
| Enfield | 2 |
| Greenwich | 3 |
| Hackney | 2 |
| Hammersmith & Fulham | 8 |
| Haringey | 2 |
| Harrow | 6 |
| Havering | 3 |
| Hillingdon | 1 |
| Hounslow | 1 |
| Islington | 3 |
| Kensington & Chelsea | 5 |
| Kingston-upon-Thames | 1 |
| Lambeth | 3 |
| Lewisham | 4 |
| Lewisham, Croydon & Bexley | 1 |
| Merton | 1 |
| Newham | 4 |
| Redbridge | 3 |
| Richmond | 3 |
| Southwark | 3 |
| Southwark, Bromley, Bexley & Greenwich | 1 |
| Sutton | 12 |
| Tower Hamlets | 4 |
| Waltham Forest | 4 |
| Wandsworth | 4 |
| Westminster | 3 |
| Grand Total | 114 |
Barnet Diving [1]
Question No: 2016/4886
Andrew Dismore
Do you agree with me that if Merton Council can save their diving facilities, so can Barnet? Will you ask your team to advise Barnet Council on where they can secure funding to keep a diving pool at Copthall?
Written response from the Mayor
I am passionate about making our city a more active place and believe that sport has the ability to change lives, build stronger communities and improve the health and wellbeing of all Londoners.
This application is currently under review by GLA officers and will be considered at the next planning meeting on 19 December 2016. Following the council’s planning committee, I will be referred the application for a final determination. In order not to fetter the decision, I am unable to comment on the application in detail at this time.
In general terms however, I recognise the importance of providing sustainable sports facilities across London and would encourage all London boroughs to make decisions about their sports facilities based on robust evidence about need and viability. This can be done by working with London Sport, Sport England and other stakeholders, including the sport’s governing body to identify investment opportunities and how such funding aligns with the long-terms plans for their sport.
Barnet Diving [2]
Question No: 2016/4887
Andrew Dismore
How can Londoners take your commitment to the legacy of the London Olympics seriously if there is a loss of Olympic sports provision in London during your term of office, such as the diving facilities at Barnet Copthall?
Written response from the Mayor
Please see my response to MQ 2016 /4886.
Barnet Diving [3]
Question No: 2016/4888
Andrew Dismore
What discussions have you had with Barnet Council and what discussions have you had with your own team about preserving diving facilities at Copthall? Have you formally written to or spoken to anyone from Barnet Council to urge them to retain the facilities?
Written response from the Mayor
Barnet Council consulted me on this application on 9 November 2016. GLA Officers are currently reviewing the application, which will then be considered by me at my regular planning meeting. This report will comprise the Stage 1 consultation response for Barnet Council.
Following its planning committee, the Council will then be required to refer the application back to me for final determination, known as Stage 2.
In order not to fetter my decision making, it is important that I should not comment on the application in further detail at this time.
Archway Gyratory [1]
Question No: 2016/4889
Andrew Dismore
Do you agree that a good definition of Consultation might be:
“let people know what they are proposing and why, give them a chance to comment, and conscientiously take into account their responses with an open mind before deciding whether or not to do what was proposed.”
That being the case, what was the point of the public consultation on the proposals for the Archway Gyratory scheme, if TfL have decided to ignore what the public say? Of the 818 respondents, 75% disagreed with the proposal. How is this “conscientiously taking into account responses with an open mind before deciding whether or not to do what was proposed”?
Written response from the Mayor
Officers are drafting a response which will be sent shortly.
Archway Gyratory [2]
Question No: 2016/4890
Andrew Dismore
TfL’s proposals for the Archway Gyratory include the removal of bus stops D and E. These stops together are an important interchange for passengers travelling in from Central London to outer London. To separate them will lead to more buses being missed and more pedestrian movement. Given that this scheme is opposed by 75% of consultation respondents, will you do the sensible thing and abandon this plan?
Written response from the Mayor
Officers are drafting a response which will be sent shortly.
