Agenda item

The Chairman explained that the purpose of this item was to provide members of the Police and Crime Panel with an opportunity to hear from the new Police and Crime Commissioner for West Mercia, and to put any relevant questions to him. The item would provide the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) with an opportunity to set out the aims and objectives of his term of office to the Police and Crime Panel, discuss any issues that arise and answer any relevant questions put to him by Panel members.

The Chairman congratulated the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) on his election and asked him to address the Panel.

The Police and Crime Commissioner thanked the Panel and explained how he wanted to build a healthy and constructive relationship with the Panel and that he would ensure his role and office supported the Panel in holding him to account in order to be a better Commissioner. The PCC also asked to place on record his respect and thanks for the previous PCC who served the role with distinction.

The PCC also paid tribute to David Shaw, Chief Constable who will be retiring. The PCC added that his leadership had ensured that he left behind an organisation of strength as well as a good legacy.

The PCC explained to the Panel that he had stood for election on a platform of providing a secure West Mercia, responding to the Community in the right time and that he would give the community the right resources and kept them safe. He added that he expected the Police to ensure organised, serious crime and terrorism was dealt with effectively and that the most vulnerable people were kept safe. All of these points he saw as non-negotiable.

The PCC explained that he also stood on a platform of reform; he felt that the available money could be spent more efficiently and that he would look to ensure that he delivered value for money for the taxpayer. The PCC also explained that he would be looking at delivering business process reform; this would involve review of Police equipment to ensure that appropriate resources were available to equip Officers on the front line and staff in offices with the right equipment.

The PCC referred to a 'reassured' West Mercia, explaining that although West Mercia was a safe area people didn't always feel safe. As PCC he would look to build confidence in communities to allow people to live their lives without fear of crime. In regards to victims the PCC added that he wanted to ensure that victims were supported, building on the work of his predecessor to ensure victims were able to get on with their lives.

The PCC referred to the size of the force area and explained how he would work hard to ensure he got around the area and made himself identifiable as PCC to the people of West Mercia. He added that he would appoint 4 community ambassadors to help him achieve his aims and work within each community area to deliver a safer West Mercia.

The Chairman invited Panel Members to put questions to the PCC, during which the following points were raised:

·         As far as the PCC was aware there were no plans to create a single command unit of Shropshire with Telford and Wrekin through changes to the management structure of West Mercia Police, adding that the management structure of the Police was a decision for the Chief Constable not the PCC. The PCC confirmed that the Chief Constable had reassured him that the Borough Commander post for Telford and Wrekin was not being deleted.

·         There were areas of keeping communities safe that would require funding activity that was focused on delivering outcomes, the PCC felt that commissioning would help achieve these outcomes in certain areas.

·         HMIC reports showed the West Mercia Force could make improvements in regards to stop and search. The PCC added that he wanted to see the right number of 'stop and search' activities in order for the Police to keep people safe and that when conducted such searches were done at the highest possible standard. An action plan was in place and the Force had been re-inspected on stop and search sine the HMIC report and now all requirements that had previously been outlined by HMIC were now being met.

·         Following EU referendum vote there would be impacts upon West Mercia Police and it was agreed a full report be brought to a future meeting of the Police and Crime Panel.

·         Any form of hate crime should not be tolerated, the EU referendum vote would not be tolerated as an excuse for hate crime.

·         The PCC viewed the role of PCC as a full time post, he would therefore be appointing a Deputy to assist and 4 area Ambassadors, and would not be seeking re-election in May 2017 to Worcestershire County Council.

·         The issue of 'fairer funding' was key to both the Panel and the PCC, the PCC would be seeking to argue for fairer funding for West Mercia.

·         The PCC would be aiming to deliver a sustainable budget position.

·         Communication between the Police and Communities was important, particularly in helping to improve public confidence in the Police so that Communities were more willing to report matters to the Police and expect that some form of action would take place.

·         The PCC would be looking to utilise improved and more modern forms of communication between the Police and the Public in order to improve engagement.

RESOLVED: that the Police and Crime Panel:

a)         Thank the Police and Crime Commissioner for setting out his aims and objectives and

b)         Receive a report on the implications for West Mercia Police of the EU Referendum result at a future meeting.