Dear Member,

A meeting of the Northern Joint Police Board will take place in the Council Chamber, Council Headquarters, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness on Friday 14 September, 2007 at 10.30 a.m.

You are invited to attend the meeting and a note of the business to be considered is attached.

Yours faithfully,

Roslyn Pieroni
Clerk to the Board

Declarations of Interest – Members are asked to consider whether they have an interest to declare in relation to any item on the agenda for this meeting. Any Member making a declaration of interest should indicate whether it is a financial or non-financial interest and include some information on the nature of the interest. Advice may be sought from Officers prior to the meeting taking place.

1.           Apologies for Absence

2.           Presentation on the Public Performance Report 2006/07

The Chief Constable will present the Northern Constabulary Public Performance Report 2006/07.

Members have previously been circulated a copy of the Public Performance Report by the Chief Constable.  Any Member requiring an additional copy should contact the Clerk.  Public copies will also be available on-line from 14 September 2007 at www.northern.police.uk.

3.           Minutes – Previous Meeting

There are circulated for confirmation Minutes of Board Meeting of 15 June 2007.

Members are asked to note a correction to item 7(viii) of the draft Minutes, as previously circulated: this should include the Convener and Vice-Convener in the list of appointments to the Northern Joint Police Board and Police Staff Associations Liaison Group, as per the terms of the previously circulated Report No. POL25/07.

4.           Minutes – Audit Working Group

There are circulated for confirmation Minutes of the Audit Working Group of 30 August 2007 .

5.           Appointment of Monitoring Officer

Members are advised that, at its meeting held on 25 November 2004, the Board appointed Mr Alan Simpson, Head of Legal Services of the Highland Council, as the Board’s Monitoring Officer.  The Board at its meeting on 22 November 2006 agreed that, in view of the long term sickness of Mr Simpson, the then Director of Corporate Services, the Highland Council, be appointed Interim Monitoring Officer until further notice.  Following the retirement of Mr Simpson, Members are informed that Miss Leslie Johnstone has been confirmed as Acting Head of Legal Services, the Highland Council.

The Board is invited to appoint Miss Johnstone as Monitoring Officer to the Board, until further notice.

6.           Revenue Budget Monitoring Statement 2007/08 

There is circulated for noting Report No. pol-37-07 dated 7 September 2007 comprising a statement and commentary by the Chief Constable on Revenue Expenditure and Income for the period to 31 August 2007.

7.           Capital Expenditure Monitoring Statement 2007/08

There is circulated Report No. pol-38-07 dated 7 September 2007 comprising a statement and commentary by the Chief Constable on Capital Expenditure for the period to 31 August 2007.

The Board is invited to approve the amendments to the original 2007/2008 Capital Plan and note the current expenditure position.

7a.    Capital Expenditure Out-turn 2006/07

There is circulated for noting Report No. pol-38a-07 dated 10 September 2007 presenting the capital expenditure out-turn for 2006/07.

8.           Estate Management Programme

There is circulated Report No. pol-39-07 dated 3 September 2007 by the Chief Constable presenting a comprehensive progress report on Northern Constabulary’s Housing Management Review initiated by the Chief Constable in 2004/05, together with a summary on progress of Capital Projects.

The Board is invited to:

i.             approve in principle the transfer of the Islands’ Housing Stock to local Registered Social Landlords;

ii.           appoint the Convener and Vice-Convener and a representative from each of Orkney and Shetland to the Housing Management Team;

iii.         note the progress on Capital Works; and

iv.         approve a Joint Review of outsourced Estate Management Services with the Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service.

9.           Procurement Report

There is circulated for noting Report No. pol-40-07 dated June 2007 by the Chief Constable providing Members with an update on recent procurement activity.

10.      Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC): Northern Constabulary Primary Report 2005 – Update on Action Plan

There is circulated for noting Report No. pol-41-07  dated 3 September 2007 by the Chief Constable providing Members with an update on progress made against the HMIC recommendations/areas of concern from the HMIC Primary Inspection 2005.

11.      Northern Constabulary Gender Equality Scheme

There is circulated Report No. pol-42-07 by the Chief Constable presenting Northern Constabulary’s first Disability Equality Scheme.

The Board is invited to endorse the First Northern Constabulary Gender Equality Scheme and to adopt the Equal Pay Statement contained at Appendix 2 as the Board’s Statement also, to be appended to the Board’s Gender Equality Scheme.

12.      Management of Major Events

At its meeting held on 15 June 2007, the Board noted that a report on the recovery of costs for the provision of policing services at major events would be submitted to the next meeting of the Board to be held on 14 September 2007.

In this connection, there is circulated for noting Report No. pol-43-07 dated 5 September 2007 by the Chief Constable outlining the position of the Force in the management of major events.

13.      Chief Constable’s Periodic Report 

There is circulated for noting Report No. POL44/07 by the Chief Constable comprising his Periodic Report and covering the following issues:-

i.             Crime and Road Accident Statistics (circulated in a separate booklet);
ii.           Crime Situation;
iii.          Update from Operational Support Service Unit; and
iv.         Mountain Rescues

14.      Letters of Appreciation

There will be tabled for noting 44 letters of appreciation received by the Chief Constable for the period from 1 May to 31 July 2007.  There is also circulated Report No. pol-45-07 by the Chief Constable illustrating letters of appreciation.

15.      Complaints against the Police

There is circulated Report No. pol-46-07  dated 7 August 2007 by the Chief Constable regarding complaints against Police Officers from 1 May to 31 July 2007.

It is recommended that the Complaints Book specifying complaints against Northern Constabulary, which will be available for inspection by members prior to the meeting, be declared exempt by virtue of Paragraph 1 of Part I of Schedule 7A of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973.

16.      Recently Executed Deeds

Members are asked to note the following deed recently executed on behalf of the Board:-

·        Disposition by Northern Joint Police Board in favour of Caledonia Construction Limited of 34 Durness Street, Thurso