This resource is from the Committees section. This is report 15 of the 25 October 2007 meeting of the MPA Committee and provides members with an update of the work of the joint Counter Terrorist Unit (CTU) Oversight Group and ongoing work to establish a governance framework for national counter terrorist policing in England and Wales.

Sections available here:

• Governance and Accountability of Counter Terrorist Policing – Update
  • Summary
  • A. Recommendation
  • B. Supporting information
  • C. Race and equality impact
  • D. Financial implications
  • E. Background papers
  • F. Contact details

Governance and Accountability of Counter Terrorist Policing – Update

Report: 15
Date: 25 October 2007
By: Chief Executive

Summary

This report provides members with an update of the work of the joint Counter Terrorist Unit (CTU) Oversight Group and ongoing work to establish a governance framework for national counter terrorist policing in England and Wales.

A. Recommendation

That members note this report.

B. Supporting information

1. The joint CTU Oversight Group, chaired by Len Duvall, continues to meet regularly. Since the last update to the Authority in May the group has met a further three times.

2. The work programme includes continued oversight of ACPOTAM business development processes and resource allocation, the development of a draft oversight framework and alignment with Home Office CT Capabilities Board to establish a coordinated approach to policing CT oversight.

3. The Group whilst still in its early stages is driving forward a governance framework for counter terrorism and working effectively with the APA, ACPOTAM and the Home Office. The MPA hosted a seminar for all police authorities on community engagement to counter terrorism in July, during which there was strong support for a national CT oversight and engagement guidance for all police authorities. As a consequence officers of the CTU Oversight Group have produced a draft oversight framework, which is attached at Appendix 1, and this will form the basis for a national guidance from the APA.

The Group is also working to progress the wider role of police authorities in the ‘PREVENT’ strand of the Governments counter terrorist strategy, ‘CONTEST’. ‘PREVENT’ is currently undergoing a refresh after clear direction from the Prime Minister to raise it’s profile under and the Home Office have been invited to give a special lunchtime presentation to Members and officers, a date will be circulated in due course.

C. Race and equality impact

The equality and diversity impact of CT policing have been set out in previous papers. The oversight framework sets out clear obligations upon police authorities to ensure that counter terrorist policing is compliant with all aspects of race and diversity legislation and adopt a positive approach to community engagement.

D. Financial implications

The oversight of CT resource and budget allocation remains a critical aspect of police authority scrutiny. Recently pressure from the CTU group and the APA established some clarity around the relationship between ACPOTAM, police authorities, police forces and the Home Office in relation to the distribution of CTU resources. Individual budget monitoring remains the responsibility of individual police authorities, the oversight template works to promote this effort to mainstream CT into the day-to-day business management of police authorities.

E. Background papers

None.

F. Contact details

Report authors: Sally Benton

For information contact:

MPA general: 020 7202 0202
Media enquiries: 020 7202 0217/18

 The following is available as a PDF document:

• Appendix 1
  Counter Terrorism Oversight Framework - Benchmarking Assessment: Template for Police Authority Oversight of Police Force CT Activity

Portable Document Format (PDF) files require Adobe Acrobat Reader, available as a free download from Adobe.