The rights of members of the public to attend meetings of the Authority and its committees

General

All formal meetings of the Authority and its committees and sub-committees are open to the public to observe the proceedings. Meetings are almost always held at the MPA’s offices at 10 Dean Farrar Street, SW1. Agendas for meetings are published on the MPA website and copies are available at the meeting.

However, there are occasions when members need to consider confidential, or ‘exempt’ information. When this is the case, the confidential items will be placed at the end of the agenda and members of the public will be asked to leave at that point. The MPA tries to keep as much business on the public part of the agenda as possible. Where this is not possible, the confidentiality of the information has to be justified by reference to the Access to Information legislation.

The MPA offices have access for wheelchair users through the main entrance in Dean Farrar Street. If you require help to access the building, please telephone (in advance) the Administration Team on 020 7202 0202.

Questions

Members of the public can put a written question to the full Authority meetings (but not committee meetings) on any issue for which the MPA is responsible. This question will be placed on the agenda for the next meeting of the full Authority (which meets monthly) and you can attend to ask the question if you wish. Questions should be put in writing to the Clerk to the Authority to be received by the MPA not less than 10 working days before the meeting. This is to allow time for an answer to be prepared. Attached is an extract from the Authority’s Standing Orders which sets out the rules on questions.

Clerk to the Authority
Metropolitan Police Authority
10 Dean Farrar Street
London, SW1H 0NY

Petitions

2.6.1 Any person may present a petition to the full Authority, providing it:

contains a minimum of 100 signatures from people who live or work in the Metropolitan Police District; and
is relevant to the Authority's business, functions or responsibilities.

2.6.2 The Chief Executive of the Authority will, in discussion with the Chair of the Authority, have the discretion to refuse a petition. In this event, the Chief Executive shall respond in writing to the person presenting the petition outlining the reason(s) for this decision. This letter will be copied to all members, before the Authority meeting, and the Chief Executive’s decision reported to the meeting as part of the regular report on action taken under delegated authority. Without fettering that discretion, reasons why a petition may not be accepted include that it refers to the Authority’s roles:

as an employer;
as discipline authority under the Police (Senior Officers) (Discipline) Regulations;
under the Police Pensions Regulations;
in respect of requests for financial assistance to officers under Section 88 of the Police Act 1996.

2.6.3 Someone wishing to present a petition must inform the Chief Executive of this, in writing, at least ten working days before the meeting and, as a minimum, inform the Chief Executive of the text of the petition and the number of signatories. The petition must be made available to officers of the Authority prior to the meeting. The Chief Executive will not agree to the presentation of a petition unless satisfied on 2.6.1 and 2.6.2 above.

2.6.4 The presentation of a petition will be limited to not more than five minutes. Wherever possible, the Chief Executive will respond to the petition, orally or in writing, at the meeting and seek the Authority's approval to this response Following the Chief Executive’s response, the person presenting the petition may speak further for no more than three minutes. Members may also comment on or discuss the issues raised by the question and answer.

2.6.5 Petitions will be presented in the order in which the Chief Executive received notice, and there will be a maximum of three petitions received at any one meeting of the Authority.

Extract from Standing Orders on questions from the public at full Authority meetings

2.7.1 Members of the public may ask questions of the Authority which are relevant to its business, functions or responsibilities. The Clerk must receive the question in writing not less than ten working days before a meeting of the Authority.

2.7.2 A person may not ask more that three questions in a rolling 12 month period.

2.7.3 The Clerk of the Authority will, in discussion with the Chair of the Authority, have the discretion to refuse a question. In this event, the Clerk shall respond in writing to the questioner outlining the reason(s) for this decision. This letter will be copied to all members, before the Authority meeting, and the Clerk’s decision reported to the meeting as part of the regular report on action taken under delegated authority. Without fettering that discretion, reasons why a question may not be accepted include the following:

The reasons set out in 2.6.2 above
The question cannot be answered satisfactorily without the disclosure of exempt information (as defined in the Access to Information legislation)
In the Clerk's opinion, the question has already been answered by another means and contains no issues of wider public interest that require a public answer
The question actually contains a number of different questions, in which case the Clerk will ask for an amended question to be submitted
The question is similar to, or on a similar theme to, a question asked by someone else in the preceding three months

2.7.4 Any question(s) shall be included on the agenda for the meeting, in the order of receipt, as the next item of business after the approval of the minutes of the last meeting, and must be addressed to the Chair. The Chair will then invite the Clerk to respond, orally or in writing, on behalf of the Authority. Following the Clerk’s response, the person asking the question may speak further for no more than three minutes. Members may also comment on or discuss the issues raised by the question and answer.

2.7.5 The person asking the question can attend the meeting to put the question. If they are not present, the answer as reported to the Authority shall be sent to them following the meeting. If the person asking the question needs some clarification in relation to the answer, this will be given by the Clerk or appropriate officer, in person or in writing, within ten working days of clarification being sought.

2.7.6 The Chair may use discretion to limit the number of questions asked by members of the public in order to avoid the business of the Authority being disrupted. In any event, no more than 30 minutes will be allowed for public questions and answers. Any questions that remain unanswered within the timescale shall receive written responses only.

Extract from MPA Standing Orders about the presentation of petitions

2.6 Presentation of petitions to the full Authority

2.6.1 Any person who lives or works in the Metropolitan Police District may present a petition to the full Authority, providing it:

contains a minimum of 100 signatures
is relevant to the Authority's business, functions or responsibilities

2.6.2 However, petitions relating to the following roles of the Authority will not be accepted:

as an employer
as discipline authority under the Police (Senior Officers) (Discipline) Regulations
under the Police Pensions Regulations; and
in respect of requests for financial assistance to officers under Section 88 of the Police Act 1996.

2.6.3 Someone wishing to present a petition must inform the Clerk of this, in writing, at least ten working days before the meeting and, as a minimum, inform the Clerk of the text of the petition and the number of signatories. The Clerk will not agree to the presentation of a petition unless satisfied on 2.6.1 and 2.6.2 above.

2.6.4 The presentation of a petition will be limited to not more than five minutes. Wherever possible, the Clerk will respond to the petition, orally or in writing, at the meeting and seek the Authority's approval to this response.

2.6.5 Petitions will be presented in the order in which the Clerk received notice, and there will be a maximum of three petitions received at any one meeting of the Authority.