To receive an update from the Council’s representative on matters considered at the last meeting. 

78.1          Members received an update from the Council’s representative on the Gloucestershire Police and Crime Panel on matters discussed at the last meeting of the Panel held on 4 February 2019.

78.2          Members were advised that the meeting had a reduced Agenda with focus on a presentation regarding the Police and Crime Commissioner’s priority of Safe and Social Driving and the proposed Police precept for 2019/20.  In addition, an update had been given on the tri-force work between Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and Avon and Somerset; unfortunately, it had now been decided that there would no longer be a tri-force command for firearms officers.  This service - along with the roads policing and dogs’ sections which were also no longer tri-force services - would now return to their respective forces. 

78.3           In terms of work currently being recommissioned by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, it was noted that a new contract for victim services would be granted in April 2020.  All community rehabilitation companies would have their contracts terminated at the end of 2020 and the new service would be regionally organised to provide greater local provision, oversight and accountability. 

78.4          With regard to the Police precept, the Council’s representative advised that the most important information to note was the agreed 10.6% increase – the equivalent of £24 for a Band D tax payer; this would raise an extra £4.1M which the Chief Constable would invest in providing at least 80 additional officers and staff.  The Police and Crime Commissioner’s staff would increase by four - an Independent Appeals Officer, a Research and Information Officer, a Commissioning and Contracts Officer and a Road Safety Co-Ordinator - at a cost of £100,000, with the Road Safety Co-Ordinator being shared with the County Council.  The Commissioner’s fund of just over £1M would continue.  The Chief Constable had stated that the £4.1M would be invested in extra officers and staff to: improve contact with the Police; improve emergency response; provide more officers for roads policing; help combat serious and organised crime; meet the increasing demands in child and adult safeguarding; support detectives in investigation teams; and support prosecutions.  The Panel had unanimously approved the precept increase but had made an additional comment to support moves to request that the government seek financial contributions from large IT/social media companies whose platforms contributed to the increased amount, and complexity, of crime.

78.5          A Member expressed his disappointment that the tri-forces had failed as, generally, sharing services made a positive difference in his experience.  He went on to question what was happening with the consultation from the Police and Crime Commissioner regarding the proposed change to the governance of the Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service.  The Council’s representative explained that he had reported Tewkesbury Borough Council’s response and encouraged fellow colleagues on the Police and Crime Panel to ensure that other local authorities had done the same; whilst there had been a long Police and Crime Panel session regarding the Police and Crime Commissioner’s intentions, the decision as to whether the report would be submitted was entirely down to the Police and Crime Commissioner.  Another Member indicated that West Mercia and Warwickshire forces were also separating, and he questioned if this was a directive from somewhere.  The Council’s representative advised that he did not think that was the case, rather the tri-forces had not been working as envisaged.

78.6           The Chair thanked the Council’s representative for his report and indicated that it would be circulated following the meeting along with the presentation on Safe and Social Driving.  It was

RESOLVED          That the Gloucestershire Police and Crime Panel Update be NOTED.