Agenda and minutes

To elect the Chairman of the Panel for the Municipal Year 2021/22.

That Councillor Merilyn Davies be elected as Chair of the Thames Valley Police and Crime Panel for the 2021/22 Municipal Year.

To appoint a Vice-Chairman of the Panel for the 2021/22 Municipal Year.

That Councillor Barrie Patman be appointed Vice-Chair of the Thames Valley Police and Crime Panel for the 2021/22 Municipal Year.

Apologies for absence were submitted by Councillor Sam Casey-Rerhaye (South Oxfordshire District Council) (Councillor Cllr Maggie Filipova-Rivers substituted) and Councillor Claire Rowles (West Berkshire Council).

To agree the Minutes of the meeting held on 26 March 2021.

The Minutes of the meeting of the Panel held on 26 March 2021 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

The Police and Crime Panel is requested to offer comment on and endorse the draft the new Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner’s Police & Criminal Justice Plan.

A summary of the Plan and the full Plan are attached.

Matthew Barber, Thames Valley’s newly elected Police and Crime Commissioner attended the meeting to present his draft Police and Criminal Justice Plan 2021-2025.

The Panel was informed that the Chief Constable and PCC staff had been briefed on the content prior to a draft of the Plan being circulated for comment to over 120 key stakeholders, which included MPs, Council Leaders and Chief Executives, NHS partners, criminal justice agencies and to Members of the Police and Crime Panel. As a result of these consultations, modifications had been made to the draft plan before its submission to the Panel.

The Panel was informed that the Police and Criminal Justice Plan had been titled that way to demonstrate the significant role that the PCC had in the wider criminal justice system.

The PCC reported that his plan had five main Strategic Priorities which would be developed further during his term of office. The five Strategic Priorities were:

·       Strong Local Policing

·       Fighting Serious Organised Crime

·       Fighting Cyber-Crime and Fraud

·       Improving the Criminal Justice System

·       Tackling Illegal Encampments

Strong Local Policing – This would be recruiting more police officers, supporting neighbourhood policing and focussing on driving down the crimes which matter most to the public.

Fighting Serious Organised Crime – Cracking down on the threat from “county lines” drugs gangs to protect children from exploitation and abuse.

Fighting Cybercrime and Fraud – Crime was changing and there would be investments in technology and resources the police need to protect the public online.

Improving the Criminal Justice System – Supporting victims of crime, bringing more criminals to justice and reducing reoffending.

Tackling Illegal Encampments – Ensuring a fair but firm response to illegal encampments and reducing the effect on communities.

Reference was made to the other strategies which would be developed which included: - police officer and staff recruitment and retention; Community Safety Partnership funding; improving contact management; specialist capabilities; Police Officer welfare; Emergency Services Collaboration; fly-tipping and environmental crime and Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR).

Performance against the Plan and other areas of work would be monitored at fortnightly Liaison meetings with the Chief Constable and at public bi-monthly Performance and Accountability meetings.

Members Questions

(1)  What criminality data has the PCC got to justify having Tackling Illegal Encampments as a Strategic Priority in his Plan, rather than Rural Crime and what are Thames Valley Police going to do in relation to this, particularly when it is the responsibility of local authorities to deal with illegal encampments.

[The PCC acknowledged that having Tackling Illegal Encampments as one of his Strategic Priorities was perhaps controversial. Rural Crime was important; however, this was captured by the Strong Local Policing Strategic Priority. Rural areas needed strong neighbourhood policing as did urban areas.

Rural Crime was not a separate Strategic Priority as the PCC was developing a Plan for the whole of the Thames Valley. There were challenges regarding data, with disparities between what is held by command and control and crimes reported in relation to illegal encampments.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 23/21

The Police and Crime Panel is asked to receive and review the PCC’s Annual Report 2020/21.

Consideration was given to the previous PCC’s Annual Report for 2020/21 and reflects the work undertaken in meeting the following strategic priorities and Key Aims contained in the PCC’s Police and Crime Plan for 2017-2021:-

·       Vulnerability

·       Prevention and early intervention

·       Reducing re-offending

·       Serious organised crime and terrorism

·       Police ethics and reform

The report provided details of the progress made against the strategic priorities which were achieved during an unprecedented year because of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Reference was made to the 32.6% Rape charge increase which was contrary to the national headlines of Rape convictions. The PCC was asked what Thames Valley Police was doing differently to achieve these results.

The PCC recognised that this figure was still too low but acknowledged this was to do with the work of the CPS. This was possibly an anomaly as there was still lots of work to do in this respect. 

The PCC referred to the work of officers in the PCC Office who had put the report together and the Panel placed on record their thanks to officers of the PCC, together with the previous PCC, Anthony Stansfeld, for the work during his term of office.    

RESOLVED – That the previous PCC’s Annual Report for 2020/21 be received and noted.

The PCC has provided a report informing the Panel of the work and funding which is provided to Community Safety Partnerships in the Thames Valley.

The Panel was provided with a report which outlined details of the funding provided by the PCC to local authority Community Safety Partnerships in the Thames Valley.

The PCC had a community safety budget of £3 million, of which £2.7 million was allocated to county and unitary councils in the Thames Valley area in the form of grants, and £0.3 million is retained by the Office of the PCC (OPCC) to fund Force-wide initiatives.

The PCC was asked about the £144,000 funding to CSPs which had been unallocated and whether this funding could have been provided elsewhere to deliver other community safety initiatives. The PCC replied that a review would be taking place into the funding of CSPs as the funding formula was outdated. CSPs would be asked for clearer plans on what their spend would be and funding would be released quarterly upon delivering part of their plan.

In response to a question about achievements and performance of CSPs in relation to the funding allocated, the PCC reported that part of the review would be looking at the allocation of funding more strategically. An example was given of CSPs providing funding for domestic abuse whereas the PCC received significant funding from the Ministry of Justice for domestic abuse which ended up with duplication. Performance information to justify the funding would be worked into the process.

RESOLVED - That the report be noted.

The Panel is asked to receive and comment on the Police and Crime Panel’s Annual Report for 2020/21.

The Panel’s Annual Report for 2020/21 was submitted and Members placed on record their appreciation of the work of Councillor Kieron Mallon, the previous Chairman of the Panel.

RESOLVED - That the Annual Report be adopted and published and that Panel Members submit the Annual Report to their respective local authorities for information.

The report of the Scrutiny Officer of the Panel requests the following:

·       Members note the Rules of Procedure and Panel Arrangements,

·       Reconfirming the decision that future meetings of the Panel take place at Buckinghamshire Council’s Gateway House in Aylesbury,

·       Agree a protocol for the Informal Resolution Procedure on complaints made against the Police and Crime Commissioner and his officers,

·       Consider the memberships of the Panel’s Complaints Sub Committee and Budget Task and Finish Group,

·       That the established Sub-Committee and Task Group be agreed with no changes to their terms of reference for the following year (subject to any legislative changes).

·       Notes the arrangements regarding the two newly appointed Co-Opted Members of Buckinghamshire Council.

For the first meeting of the Municipal Year, the Police and Crime Panel reviews its Rules of Procedure and Panel Arrangements. Consideration of the Rules of Procedure and Panel Arrangements also reminds Panel Members, particularly new Members, of the role and functions of the Panel.

The report also requested consideration of an updated Complaints Handling Procedure as it applied to the Panel’s Complaints Sub-Committee which considers Non-Criminal Complaints against the Police and Crime Commissioner and his Deputy, where one is appointed.

Appointments were required to the Panel’s Complaints Sub-Committee, its Budget Task and Finish Group and other Task and Finish Groups if established.  

The Panel were reminded that in accordance with the Panel Arrangements (paragraph 3.15), Co-opted Members were subject to interview before confirming their appointment.

For this Municipal Year, two of the newly appointed Co-opted Members from Buckinghamshire Council were not existing Members of the Panel, so their appointments were subject to these rules. Informal interviews had taken place, but the appointments had to be confirmed by all Panel Members before they were officially appointed.

Discussion took place on the process for the four Co-Opted Members from Buckinghamshire Council. The Panel was reminded that a decision was taken at the Panel meeting in November 2019 which updated the Rules of Procedure to include the appointment of four Co-Opted Members from Buckinghamshire Council due to local government reorganisation in Buckinghamshire.

The four Co-Opted members were in addition to the one Member nomination to the Panel from Buckinghamshire Council. The changes were required in order to satisfy the requirements of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 and produce a balanced panel.

The representative from Milton Keynes Council expressed concern at these arrangements and referred to the changing populations around Thames Valley, particularly in relation to Milton Keynes (population 250,000) who had one Member representative on the Panel and Buckinghamshire (population 535,000), who had one Member representative and four Co-Opted Member representatives.

It was agreed that a Task and Finish Group be set up to examine the representation on the Panel, in accordance with the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011, and after consultation with the Home Office.

RESOLVED – (1) That the Panel’s Rules of Procedure and Panel Arrangements (Appendices 1 and 2) be noted.

(2) That the Panel reconfirms the decision to hold future meetings of the Panel at Buckinghamshire Council’s Gateway House in Aylesbury.

(3) That approval be given to the Protocol for the Informal Resolution Procedure regarding Complaints made against the Police and Crime Commissioner and his Deputy, where one is appointed (Appendix 3).

(4) That approval of the memberships of the Panel’s Complaints Sub-Committee and the Budget Task and Finish Group be delegated to the Chair in consultation with the Panel’s Scrutiny Officer.

[Subsequent to the meeting the memberships were agreed as follows:

Complaints Sub-Committee(7) – Cllr Bains, Cllr Culverhouse, Cllr Davies, Liz Jones, Cllr McHugh, Phillip Morrice and Cllr Webber.

Budget Task and Finish Group (5)– Cllr Bradburn, Cllr McHugh, Cllr  ...  view the full minutes text for item 27/21

To agree a protocol between the Thames Valley Police and Crime Panel and the Police and Crime Commissioner for Thames Valley aims to provide clarity of role and expectations of the Panel and the Commissioner for the benefit of all involved in the process of policing and crime accountability.

The Panel was informed that the aim of the Protocol was to provide clarity of the roles and expectations of the Panel and the Commissioner for the benefit of all involved in the process of policing and crime accountability.

The Protocol was agreed by both the Panel and the Police and Crime Commissioner.

To receive updates from the Chairman of the Panel and from the PCC.

The PCC informed the Panel that his Office was recruiting new members of his team to vacancies which exist. A Head of Victims Services, a Head of Partnerships and Community Safety and a Corporate Accountant to replace Judi Banks who was leaving after 17 years’ service in the Office of the PCC and the former Police Authority.

For Panel Members to put forward items for the Work Programme including ideas for themed meetings.

Discussion took place on the Panel’s work programme for the forthcoming Municipal Year and Members were asked to send in their views and ideas to the Panel’s Scrutiny Officer.

Reference was made for the need for performance data to be reported to the Panel to measure the PCC’s performance in relation to his Strategic Priorities