Agenda item

Report attached.

The Police and Crime Commissioner introduced the report. He stated that since the report had been produced, the progression of the COVID-19 virus had triggered postponement of the UK local elections, including the ballot for Police and Crime Commissioners, which were due to be held on 7 May 2020. He advised that the elections were likely to be rescheduled for May 2021 and that it was anticipated that the terms of Police and Crime Commissioners in England and Wales would be extended by 12 months.

The Police and Crime Commissioner stated that the existing Police and Crime Plan covered the period up to 2021 which provided scope for the anticipated additional 12 months in office and mitigated the necessity of urgently producing an updated plan. He observed that the scheduled pre-election purdah period would also be deferred to 2021.

The Police and Crime Commissioner reported that a plan to address the implications of COVID-19 had been instigated by Public Health at Warwickshire County Council (WCC). He stated that, to date, there had been seven reported cases of the virus in Warwickshire resulting in two fatalities. The Commissioner added that he would monitor the response of Warwickshire Police to the pandemic and hold the Chief Constable to account to ensure that the Force acted effectively.

The Police and Crime Commissioner advised that contingency measures to improve resilience had been enacted within the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) and Police Force. He drew attention to the threat posed by the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus but stated that, at present, both organisations were operating at full strength.

The Police and Crime Commissioner reported that, following the termination of the Strategic Alliance with West Mercia Police, progress had been made to determine the quantum of the financial settlement. The Commissioner stated that the 2020/21 Budget had been predicated upon the assumption of no settlement with West Mercia Police and that recent progress had contributed to a clearer outlook for reserve strategy planning.

In respect of the transition of services following termination of the Alliance, the Police and Crime Commissioner reported that in October 2019, 18 services had transferred to the independent Warwickshire Police Force. He advised that a further 17 services would come under independent control by the end of March 2020. The remaining four services (ICT, Forensics, Transactional Services and File Storage) would be subject to a Section 22 Agreement with West Mercia Police to enable continued joint service provision for a period of 12 months or longer, if necessary.

In the longer-term, the Police and Crime Commissioner advised that ICT provision would be operated in partnership with West Midlands Police, primarily in the area of data storage. Transactional Services, including Payroll, would also form part of a collaborative agreement with West Midlands Police, alongside provision of Forensic Services and dog kennelling. The Commissioner reported that West Midlands Police was highly regarded and that the partnership arrangement offered good value for efficient services.   

The Police and Crime Commissioner reported that approximately 1004 officers were currently employed by the Force and expressed confidence in the stability of officer provision in the County. He advised that guidance was anticipated in respect of the governmental pledge to recruit 20,000 new police officers nationwide. He stated that, at present, a total number of 1100 to 1200 officers was a realistic aspiration for the Force dependent upon other factors.

The Police and Crime Commissioner reported that the introduction of a monthly ‘Performance Accountability Meeting’ (PAM) with the Chief Constable had proved to be beneficial. He advised that formal minutes were produced for these meetings and highlighted the improved openness and transparency afforded by this arrangement.

The Police and Crime Commissioner reported that resources to address rural crime in the County would be doubled during the forthcoming financial year as outlined in his precept increase proposal. 

The Police and Crime Commissioner underlined his commitment to providing support for the victims of crime. He advised that the process of allocating grant funding to organisations that provided victim support was underway. This was a competitive process and the Commissioner stated that he would seek to prioritise continuity whilst evaluating the individual merits of applications.

In respect of the Road Safety Fund, the Police and Crime Commissioner advised that several promising applications for funding had been received. He stated that some co-commissioning with the Warwickshire County Council Road Safety Partnership was under consideration.

The Police and Crime Commissioner reported that, under the provisions of the Basic Statutory model of the Police (Complaints and Misconduct) Regulations 2020, responsibility for the resolution of appeals would rest in his control. This had previously been undertaken by the Chief Constable. He advised that, given the relatively low number of appeals in the County, a collaborative approach with other police forces for administration of the appeal process had been coordinated as a cost-effective solution. The merits of this approach would be monitored on an on-going basis.

The Police and Crime Commissioner reported that on 18 February 2020, he had voluntarily spent a night in custody at Leamington Spa Police Station to develop his awareness of the custody process and the conditions experienced by detainees. He commented that the exercise had been a worthwhile learning experience and had also raised money for charitable causes.

The Police and Crime Commissioner advised that the Public Priorities Survey was underway. He reported that this was a joint enterprise with Warwickshire Police arising from a recommendation from Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC). The survey would seek an opinion from a representative sample of the community in respect of priorities for policing, criminal justice matters and preferred areas for attention from the Police. The initial phase was conducted by means of a telephone survey which reached out to 750 people within the County (comprising 150 people from each Borough and District). The Commissioner stated that a professional survey and marketing company had been commissioned to conduct the survey and analyse the findings. The second phase, conducted on-line, was in progress. The Commissioner expressed his interest in the outcome of the survey and indicated that he would report back to the Panel once the results had been collated.

The Police and Crime Commissioner directed the Panel to his report which included a list of events and forums he had attended since his last report, as well as a list of formal decisions reached during this timeframe.

In response to Bob Malloy, the Police and Crime Commissioner confirmed that detailed planning work by the Force in response to the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus was underway and that he would be taking a close interest. He advised that home working was likely to be a viable option for support staff within the organisation, for example Policy Officers, and that of the approximate 2000 people employed by Warwickshire Police, 700 to 800 occupied staff roles. The Commissioner stated that there was an obvious need for police officers to be present at briefings and attend incidents across the County. He added that the Chief Constable would be planning for the likelihood of officers being affected by the virus, but that it was his expectation that all incidents would be responded to with a ‘business as usual’ stance adopted by the Force if possible.

In response to Councillor Whalley-Hoggins, the Police and Crime Commissioner advised that a separate COVID-19 emergency reserve of £0.5million had been set aside, and a general reserve of £5million could be accessed in response to the outbreak of the virus if necessary. He added that the anticipated settlement with West Mercia would provide additional funds which could improve the financial outlook. He advised that Warwickshire Police would be working in partnership with Public Health England, WCC, the District and Borough Councils, and Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service as part of the Local Resilience Forum. Sara Ansell (Chief Finance Officer) added that, in the event of an emergency, an application for a special grant could be made; in this eventuality the Force would need to fund the first one percent of the net budget requirement which would be a viable proposition.

Councillor Whalley-Hoggins highlighted the potential challenges associated with social distancing and self-isolation. She drew attention to statistics which indicated a rise in instances of domestic violence during Christmas holidays when households were isolated from the wider community for a prolonged period. The Police and Crime Commissioner commented that this was an area of concern that he would raise with the Chief Constable. He reiterated that it was forecast that the Force would continue to attend all incidents including reports of domestic abuse.

In response to Councillor Davison, the Police and Crime Commissioner advised that measures to limit the likelihood of transmission of the COVID-19 virus would be enacted by Warwickshire Police. He commented that splitting teams was a recognised means of approaching this issue, including implementation of procedures to prevent senior officers being present in the same room. He recognised that this would be challenging in some instances, as police officers would continue to attend briefings and make use of police cars. However, he indicated that he would scrutinise the Chief Constable’s proposals closely in respect of resilience planning and modularisation.

Councillor Davison observed that published figures showed a decline in levels of public confidence and trust in policing. He suggested that, in response to the outbreak of COVID-19, it was possible that the Police would need to call upon Warwickshire residents to adopt some extreme changes in lifestyle and behaviour. He asked the Police and Crime Commissioner if diminished levels of trust could act as an obstacle to this process and whether measures could be enacted to improve the outlook for public engagement in the coming weeks and months.

The Police and Crime Commissioner commented that there was an awareness of the challenges ahead within the organisation. He added that Warwickshire Police would be working closely with partner agencies including the Local Resilience Forum to identify a proportionate response to the stresses emerging from the outbreak of the virus.

In response to Andy Davis, the Police and Crime Commissioner stated that the existing Police and Crime Plan would remain in operation until 2021 and that the next plan would be produced by the successful candidate in the May 2021 election. Neil Hewison (Chief Executive, Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner) commented that a team away day had been scheduled prior to deferment of the election to consider arrangements for the next Police and Crime Plan. He added that the postponed election would mean that the successful candidate would have a restricted timescale to prepare the next plan and so the OPCC would take action to improve the likelihood of a positive outcome; the Public Priorities Survey would contribute to this process.

Councillor Poole congratulated the Police and Crime Commissioner on his progress in strengthening the Rural Crime Team. He commented that farmers and rural residents would feel more secure as an outcome. The Commissioner stated that he had engaged with the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) when preparing his plans and indicated that the augmented Rural Crime Team would seek to address issues affecting the wider rural community such as fly-tipping and Post Office break-ins alongside recognised problems affecting farmers such as sheep slaughtering.

The Chair noted that the Public Priorities Survey was due to close on 20 March 2020 which constituted a relatively brief timeframe for responses to be received. He observed that the Panel had considered the consultation for the proposed precept increase to be limited in its duration.

Neil Tipton (Head of Media and Communications, Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner) stated that the anticipated pre-election purdah period had impacted upon scheduling arrangements for the survey. In view of the rescheduling of the election, he advised that it could be possible to make some adjustments. In response to the Chair, Neil Tipton reported that the survey had been widely publicised, advertised on social media and prominently displayed on the website of the OPCC.