Metropolitan Police Authority holds last meeting

The Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) has held its last meeting.

The authority is being disbanded as part of government plans for elected police commissioners. It will be replaced by the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (MOPC).

The change means the mayor will now be accountable for the police's performance, however the commissioner will still be in charge of operations.

The MOPC will take control of Scotland Yard's finances and employment.

It will be monitored by the London Assembly.

The MPA has 112 established posts. There have been no compulsory redundancies however 10 people will be leaving voluntarily.

'Reorganise and refocus'

The change is part of the police reform and social responsibility bill which aims to give people a say in how they are policed.

London is the first police body to launch as it already has a directly elected mayor. The rest of the country will follow later on in the year after local elections are held.

The leadership of the MPA has changed in recent years after the law was changed in 2008 to allow the mayor to be the head.

In 2010, current mayor Boris Johnson said he was stepping down as chair to "reorganise and refocus his team" on to other projects.

When he was elected, Mr Johnson said he would personally take charge of the police to tackle crime in the capital, but his time was marked by a series of controversies.

In October 2008, the previous Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair announced he was stepping down from his post, citing of a lack of support from the mayor as a reason.

Mr Johnson was also accused of abusing his position after admitting he contacted Tory shadow immigration minister Damian Green after his arrest on suspicion of leaking sensitive Home Office documents.