Agenda item

To receive a presentation from Richard Bradley from the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner on the role, responsibility and action plan of the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner.

92.1           The Chair introduced Richard Bradley, Deputy Chief Executive of the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, and indicated that he would be giving a presentation on the role, responsibility and action plan of the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner.

92.2           The following key points were made during the presentation:

·           The Police and Crime Commissioner – Martin Surl – elected November 2012, re-elected May 2016, Independent.  Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner – Chris Brierley – appointed October 2016 to support the Police and Crime Commissioner.

·           Main Responsibilities – Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011: secure an efficient and effective police force for the area; appoint the Chief Constable, hold to account for running the force and dismiss them if necessary; set the police and crime objectives for the area through a Police and Crime Plan; set the force budget and determine the precept; contribute to the national and international policing capabilities set out by the Home Secretary; bring together community safety and criminal justice partners to make sure local priorities are joined up.

·           The Role – Cutting crime; improving outcomes for local people; working in partnership with local leaders for community safety, youth, justice, health and safeguarding/civil contingencies; award grants for community safety objectives; pool funding with local partners.

·           Future Responsibilities for the Police and Crime Commissioner – Fire and Rescue; Criminal Justice (courts, youth justice, victim and witnesses, offender management, oversight of Crown Prosecution Service).

·           Police and Crime Plan – ‘Less crime, more peace and good order’; accessibility and accountability; older but not overlooked; young people becoming adults; safe days and nights for all; safe and social driving; safer cyber.

·           Police and Crime Plan 2017-21 Approach – e.g. Neighbourhood Policing, Community Safety Review, Restorative Gloucestershire, Rural Policing, Home Secretary Directives, information sharing, strength-based working.

·           Funding – Priority Leads - £1.5M over four years; Community Fund - £1.1M annual fund, more than 350 projects being funded within Gloucestershire, each one must meet one or more of the six priorities, look for projects that are sustainable and had match funding; Ministry of Justice funding - £750,000 annual fund for victims and restorative justice; Speed Enforcement Camera System (SPECs) fund; High Sheriff’s fund.

·           Accessibility and Accountability – e.g. Restorative Gloucestershire, Gloucestershire Constabulary, Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service, Gloucestershire Constabulary 101.

·           Older But Not Overlooked – e.g. Barnwood Trust, Gloucestershire Age UK, Cheltenham Polish Tenants and Residents Association, Small Sparks Grants, World Jungle, You’re Welcome Keep Safe Scheme, Gloucestershire Deaf Association.

·           Young People Becoming Adults – e.g. Gay-Glos, The Door Youth Project, Prince’s Trust, Young Gloucestershire.

·           Safer Days and Nights – e.g. University of Gloucestershire, Student Community Patrol, Hello Gloucester, Street Pastors, Cheltenham Safe, Hollie Gazzard Trust.

·           Safe and Social Driving – e.g. Gloucestershire Rural Community Council, Road Safety Gloucestershire, Gloucestershire Group Advanced Motorists, Pathfinder, Special Constabulary.

·           Safer Cyber – e.g. Everyman Theatre, Gloucestershire Business Show, Think U Know, Circles South West.

·             Victim Capacity – e.g. Safe at Home, Stroud Beresford Group, Hope House Sexual Assault Referral Centre, Gloucestershire Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre, Victim Support.

92.3           A Member questioned whether there were any groups for organised crime and drugs.  The Deputy Chief Executive of the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner advised that a joint policing panel on organised crime had been set-up in 2016 and each of the local authorities in the county had been invited to send a representative to the first group; it was noted that the Head of Community Services was the Tewkesbury Borough Council representative.  The main focus was on crimes associated with the dangerous drug network, for instance, “cuckooing”, which involved a drug dealer befriending a vulnerable individual who lived alone; like a cuckoo, the dealer moved in, took over the property and turned it into a drugs den.  It was noted that there had been at least two incidents in the county which had resulted in homicide.  The community safety structure had an important role to play in this regard as it presented a real opportunity for the Police to work with partners, Officers and Councillors who represented the areas where these crimes were being committed and who could share intelligence in order to be more effective.  In response to a query regarding reporting, the Head of Community Services indicated that the sensitive nature of the information shared at the organised crime panel meetings made it difficult to do this in the public domain; however, he undertook to provide something which would give Members assurance that it was being adequately addressed.

92.4           A Member queried whether there were enough resources to carry out all of the current work which had been highlighted as well as the potential increase associated with the new areas being allocated.  The Deputy Chief Executive of the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner indicated that the answer was probably no; he reiterated that a business case needed to be produced in respect of the Fire and Rescue Service and, if the outcome was a positive one, additional administrative resource would be needed. 

92.5           With regard to community safety, the Deputy Chief Executive of the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner showed a slide which set out the ‘Safer Gloucestershire’ model being worked to.  Local delivery was through a place-based multi-agency forum including community safety, health and wellbeing and social inclusion.  He explained that, under the current arrangements, representatives were attending different meetings where they often talked about the same individual and the new structure would merge these without losing the statutory element.  He also advised that the Community Safety Partnership was responsible for calling for, and managing, domestic homicide reviews, of which there had been two in Tewkesbury Borough.  Home Office guidance stated that these reviews should be completed within six months and, whilst the ones in Tewkesbury Borough had been timely, others within the county were taking a long time which was not effective or appropriate.  Nobody was currently holding this process to account and Safer Gloucestershire would now have that oversight.  In terms of timescales, he advised that a meeting was being held in May to find out what partners wanted Safer Gloucestershire to do.  The Chief Executive indicated that the review of the Tewkesbury Borough Community Partnership was not dependent upon this wider review and, now that the Head of Community Services was in post, work would commence to set-up the new local structure.

92.6           A Member raised concern that he had attended an event at his local village hall where the Police had been invited to speak but only a handful of people had turned up and he questioned what could be done to encourage people to engage with the Police.  The Deputy Chief Executive of the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner indicated that the communications team looked at different ways to connect with communities and used social media, such as Twitter and Facebook, as well as more traditional routes like newspapers and radio.  The Police had lost over 300 officers in the last four years through austerity measures and therefore it was not possible for them to attend every Parish Council meeting so it was important to make these connections in different ways which was a real challenge.  A Member indicated that, without regular meetings, he found it difficult to know what work was being targeted by the Police and how the community could help to move that forwards. The Deputy Chief Executive of the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner agreed and felt that information sharing was key; having the right people in the room to talk about individuals allowed a more complete picture to be built and the various partners could respond collectively.

92.7           A Member indicated that his area was a hotspot for fly-tipping.  ‘Stop and search’ events had previously been successful in terms of the information this had uncovered e.g. vehicles without waste carrier licences, vehicles using red diesel etc. and he queried whether there were plans to hold more of these in the future.   The Head of Community Services agreed that stop and search events could be really effective as they sent out a clear message about behaviour that would not be tolerated.  He had a great deal of experience of such interventions and intended to hold two or three each year.  He had not yet had an opportunity to speak to his Police colleagues but he provided assurance that he would do so at the appropriate time.

92.8           Another Member went on to query why the Police and Crime Commissioner had withdrawn his support for the Road Safety Partnership.  In response, the Deputy Chief Executive of the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner advised that drivers caught speeding may be offered the opportunity to pay to go on a speed awareness course, as an alternative to a fine and penalty points, based on the theory that it was better to educate than enforce.  It had become clear that some of the money collected from the scheme was used for administration rather than for education and therefore the Police and Crime Commissioner had made the decision to take a step back until this matter was resolved; legislation would make clear what the money could be used for.

92.9           The Chair thanked the Deputy Chief Executive of the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for his informative presentation and indicated that hard copies of the Police and Crime Plan would be available for Members following the meeting.  It was

RESOLVED          That the presentation from the Deputy Chief Executive of the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner be NOTED.