Agenda and minutes

The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting.

There were no named substitutes.

Apologies were received from Councillors Martin Allen, Joanne Beecham, Kelly Middleton, Richard Overton and Vivienne Parry.

Councillor Tracey Onslow declared an interest in that she had previously served as Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner.

Members of the public wishing to take part should notify the Assistant Director for Legal and Governance in writing or by e-mail indicating both the nature and content of their proposed participation no later than 9.00am on the working day before the meeting (in this case 16 November 2023).  Further details are available on the Council's website.  Enquiries can also be made through the telephone number/e-mail address listed in this agenda and on the website.

None.

The Panel received an update on the activity undertaken by the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) in support of his Safer West Mercia Plan and an update on police performance.

The PCC introduced the Panel to the Acting Chief Constable (ACC) who was attending to support the PCC in relation to operational detail.  He went on to highlight the following main points:

·       The PCC had been successful in a funding bid to NHS England & Improvement for £650k to deliver a Complex Care Pathfinder for victims of sexual violence.  The service was likely to start in the new year and would provide a step change in the support provided to victims and survivors.

·       As part of the fifth round of the Government’s Safer Streets initiative, the PCC had successfully bid for just under £1 million to fund a range of projects to tackle violence against women and girls (VAWG), anti-social behaviour (ASB) and Neighbourhood Crime.

·       Members were reminded about the PCC’s £150k Road Safety West Mercia grant round which had invited applications to fund safety interventions that would reduce harm on West Mercia’s roads.  The deadline had now passed and the PCC informed the Panel that he was not confident that he had received a good range of applications.  He went on to ask Members from highways authorities (ie Unitary Councils and Worcestershire County Council) raised the issue in their authorities to encourage engagement.

·       With reference to criminal justice, the PCC reported that he was not confident that the Local Criminal Justice Board and the Victims’ Board were working effectively.  He would give further details in future performance reports.

·       With reference to Reforming West Mercia and the number of police officers, the uplift target had been achieved in September which enabled the full establishment of the five Neighbourhood Crime Fighting Teams.  Ten Community Safety Engagement officers were also now in post.

·       Challenges remained in relation to the Firearms Licensing Unit (FLU) and waiting times for new certificates which had not improved as anticipated.  The significantly higher number of license holders in West Mercia meant a larger number of renewals, resulting in unreasonably long delays for new licence applications.  It was important to note that the focus on public safety was non-negotiable.  The FLU’s capacity would be significantly expanded and it was anticipated that this would lead to improved wait times in the next 2 quarters.  There would also be further investment in 2024/25.

Members of the Panel were invited to ask questions and the following main points were raised:

·       A Member of the Panel welcomed the additional resources for work relating to domestic abuse and was pleased to see that the DRIVE programme was now working with 43 of the highest risk perpetrators.  The PCC reminded the Panel that Worcestershire had led the way in relation to DRIVE, and the programme now operated across the West Mercia region.

·       In relation to court backlogs, the PCC reported that the criminal justice system was hesitant about sharing data on this and, as  ...  view the full minutes text for item 498.

The Panel considered the latest update on the key performance indicators (KPIs) agreed as part of the budget setting process for 2023/24.

Members were invited to ask questions and the following main points were raised:

·         With reference to reducing the carbon footprint associated with policing, a Member asked when a meaningful indicator would be available.  In response, Members were informed that positive progress was being made (for example the rollout of LED lights and the electrification of vehicles) and work continued on how this progress could be quantified and what a baseline figure would look like.

·         The PCC asked the Panel to note an error in the report.  On page 18, the update in relation to domestic abuse should refer to a 10% reduction since April 2023 (rather than a 9% increase).

·         The PCC reported that, based on Q2 figures, the current year budget was in line with expectations and was not forecast to show an overspend.  The budget for 2024/25 was currently being put together and a briefing for Panel Members would be held at the beginning of December.

The Panel reviewed its work programme and the following main points were made:

·         It was suggested that an update on the Criminal Justice System should be added to a future agenda.

·         A visit to the West Mercia police headquarters at Hindlip Hall (including a tour of the estate) would be arranged for the new year.

·         In the light of court backlogs and the delay in cases moving through the court system, the possibility of inviting a representative of the Ministry of Justice to attend a future Panel meeting was discussed.  A Member suggested that the Local Criminal Justice Board would be a useful starting point as it held the courts to account and reported to the PCC.

·         It was suggested that an item on the cultural audit of the organisation should be added to a forthcoming agenda.

·         It was suggested that an update on various initiatives in relation to the harassment of women and girls should be added to a future agenda.

Membership of the budget sub-group was confirmed.  It was also confirmed that:

·         A budget briefing would be held via Teams on 5 December at 10am.

·         The Panel’s next meeting would be held on 19 January at 11am.