Agenda item

To receive an update from the Police and Crime Commissioner detailing delivery against his Police and Crime Plan.

Members received a presentation setting out an update on development of and  delivery against the Police and Crime Plan. Members heard:

·         Resultant from the extension to his term as PCC, the Commissioner had refreshed his Police and Crime Plan delivery to 2022. The revised plan was published online and titled “Building a bridge to our safer futures” reflecting the Commissioners commitment to creating a more just and inclusive society.

·         Four clear priorities remained core to the extended plan, with an extension to the fourth priority to focus on delivery of a just society and continued inclusion of reducing offending and the criminal justice elements of the Commissioner’s role.

·         The Commissioner and his team, in delivering victim priorities, had focussed on supporting partners to provide services to victims through the Covid-19 pandemic and supporting local community initiatives, including the use of volunteers.

·         Increased isolation, driven by the lockdown measures implemented to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic had raised concerns nationally about a potential increase in domestic abuse. Across the Hampshire policing area significant efforts had been made to raise awareness of support service available to victims and a commitment from policing that reports of abuse would be prioritised accordingly.

·         The Commissioner had instructed his team to identify new partners to support delivery of the diversity elements of the plan, and had already seen engagement from those who had previously not demonstrated an interest in working with the PCC in this area.

·         During the pandemic there had been a significant increase in digital engagement with policing, with low level crime increasingly being reported online and reducing traffic to 101. The PCC had also recently recruited a new member of staff to meet the demand on delivery of the cyber ambassadors programme.

·         Engagement with the community was key. The Commissioner was keen that learnings from positive policing engagement through the pandemic would be taken forward for the future.

·         The Commissioner also recognised 11,000 plus hours had been dedicated by volunteers of the special constabulary and their contributions had made a significant impact in keeping residents safe during the pandemic. Going forward the Commissioner was keen to look at how volunteers could be engaged throughout the policing service for the benefit of local communities.

·         Hampshire Constabulary were a leading force nationally in the use of, and positive outcomes from, out of court disposals.

In response to questions, the Panel heard:

·         The £500k funding made available by the Commissioner to support the Covid-19 response was earmarked to be drawn from reserves to deliver immediate action as needed, with an expectation that some of the monies required would be recoverable through central government funding.

·         A decision to spend £680K for estate needs to support officers recruited through the uplift was as anticipated, with a further £450K required for the estate management programme. In part this was resultant from a re-valuation of the estate, following the outbreak of Covid-19, and necessary adjustments to the contributions anticipated from the future sale of unoccupied elements of the estate. Additionally costs were to be met to enable the estate to be Covid-secure and fit for purpose for the future.

·         The Commissioner had financially supported the local response to the Covid-19 pandemic, e.g. provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), however had challenged demand for funding at a national level to ensure any spend would deliver value for money and meet the needs of the Hampshire Policing Area.

·         Delivery of the uplift of officer numbers to the policing establishment was expected to be delivered as outlined within the precept proposal by April 2021.

·         The Contact Management Platform (CMP) was performing well and within the tolerance levels designed within the system. Members were provided with data demonstrating the improvement in 999 and 101 response rates since the implementation of the system. Further, it was highlighted that satisfaction levels from responses to online reports of crime had been high, despite a very significant increase in online reporting.

·         The Commissioner welcomed Members feedback on any local policing concerns or tensions, which could then be raised with the Chief Constable as appropriate.

·         The Commissioner’s team would reply to a comment raised by a member of the public through Twitter in response to discussion at the meeting.

RESOLVED:

That the Panel notes the update against the Police and Crime Plan.

The Chair paused the meeting for a 10 minute comfort break, suspending the meeting from 11:50 to 12:00.

Councillor James Radley left the meeting at this point.