Agendas, Meetings and Minutes - Agenda item

Agenda item

Police & Crime Plan Activity and Performance Monitoring Report (October 2017- December 2017)

Minutes:

The Panel was invited to consider the Police & Crime Plan Activity and Performance Monitoring Report (October-December 2017) and determine whether it would wish to carry out any further scrutiny or make any comments.

 

In presenting the report, the PCC and the Deputy PCC highlighted:

 

·       Perpetrator Programme, where preparatory work was underway to enable the Drive perpetrator programme to be implemented in Worcestershire.  Worcestershire had been chosen as the project location as it had the highest number of cases referred into Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC).

·       Missing Persons – The number of missing persons had seen a 9% reduction across West Mercia.  Whilst there was usually a seasonal reduction in the autumn there had been a marked decrease of 21% in Telford and Wrekin in the last quarter due to a refreshed focus on missing people as part of Operation Vesta. 

·       The PCC had reviewed his monthly Holding To Account (HTA) sessions with the Chief Constable and had revised them align with the Safer West Mercia Plan for 2018 and would hold:

 

Ø  Four performance sessions

Ø  Five thematic sessions

Ø  Two public sessions 

Ø  One consolidation session

 

During the discussion, the following points were made:

 

·       Colour copies of the Performance Summary Report which was normally attached as an appendix (in colour) would in future only be made available on request, but would be referenced by a web link in the covering report. It was confirmed however that the covering report would include the summary page of performance and commentary

·       Some feedback was provided by a Panel Member about the Rural and Business Crime Officers, which it was thought was inspirational and positive and would greatly benefit the rural communities

·       In the last two months of 2017 HMICFRS published two force-specific inspection reports as part of its rolling PEEL inspection programme:

Ø   PEEL Efficiency (including leadership) where West Mercia was graded ‘good’ in the three areas of focus for this year’s inspection and received an overall grading of ‘good’; the same as last year.  There were no recommendations made but there were two areas for improvement.

·          The force should ensure that it had effective systems and processes in place that enable it to understand how efficiently its investigative model supports the transfer of investigations.

·          The force should conduct a leadership skills audit that would allow it to understand leadership capacity and capability

Ø   PEEL Legitimacy (including leadership) where West Mercia was graded ‘requires improvement’ in the three areas of focus for this year’s inspection and received an overall grading of ‘requires improvement’; the force was graded ‘good’ last year.  There were no recommendations made but there were eight areas for improvement which were:

 

·         The force should ensure that all relevant officers had received sufficient, suitable training to enable them to use powers of arrest only when necessary.

·         The force should improve its process for regularly and frequently scrutinising a broad range of data and information, including from body-worn video, to understand its use of force and improve how its workforce treats people with fairness and respect. It should also evaluate how stop and search activity reflected its priorities, to provide further reassurance to communities that its use of stop and search is fair and effective.

·         The force should review the accuracy and timeliness of the information it included on its website about chief officers’ pay, rewards and business interests.

·         The force should review how it promoted access to the complaints system, including the support it is able to offer people who may need additional assistance and those in communities that have less trust and confidence in the police. It should also improve how it keeps complainants, witnesses and those subject to allegations updated about the progress of investigations.

·         The force should ensure that it had effective systems and processes in place that enable it to understand the underlying causes of threats to its workforce’s wellbeing, and take action to mitigate them.

·         The force should ensure that its supervisors could recognise warning signs, intervene early and provide support to officers and staff who may be experiencing problems affecting their wellbeing.

·         The force should ensure that it has effective systems, processes and guidance in place to manage individual performance and identify the most talented individuals within its workforce.

 

The Report was noted.

 

Supporting documents: