Agenda item

Report of the Staffordshire Police Fire and Crime Commissioner.

The Police and Crime update report was presented by the Commissioner who explained the progress made against his strategic priorities.  He reminded Members that detailed performance management and action against targets was also considered at his public Performance meetings held with the Chief Constable.  Public Meetings - Staffordshire Commissioner (staffordshire-pfcc.gov.uk)  The next was due to be held on 4 October and members were invited to attend or watch on the webcast.

As a result of the Commissioners presentation and questions from the Panel, the following information was gained.  This was in addition to that provided in the written report:

• Regarding the new Local Policing Model; early indications showed that it had provided extra capacity to respond to and investigate crime and support victims. It was reported that officers felt that local knowledge was now being used more effectively.
• Extra investment in the Contact Centre included training more people to deal with calls.  It was hoped that this would help to reduce response times.  It was felt that the performance of the Contact Centre remained a priority. 
• The training of recruits was key to improvement.  However, it was found that as people become fully trained they were moving on to become Police Officers.  Whilst this was welcomed, it did affect contact centre performance.
• Local and responsive services were responding to calls at the same pace, despite a 20% increase in calls both locally and nationally against pre covid levels. 
• Members felt that better communication with the public was needed, particularly around expected contact or response times.
• £750,00 extra funding for Safer streets projects had been received for Stoke on Trent, Stafford, Newcastle and Burton areas.  The detail on how it could be used would be available soon.
• The Illegal trespass protocol was a partnership approach and involved developing a policy which was then subject to consultation.  This inevitably took time but this was progressing.
• Public ‘Bleed Kits’ were a response to knife crime.  There was a desire to expand this initiative and possibly attract government funding.
• There was a perception that Anti Social Behaviour (ASB) was increasing.  The Commissioner informed the Panel that ASB was actually reducing in Staffordshire overall, but it had increased in certain localised areas and on Public Open Space, but less so in Communities.  Again, this was an area of shared responsibility but when hot spots and causes had been identified, this could be addressed quite quickly.
• With regard to the inspection report, the Panel recognised that the Chief Constable had recently been appointed and had inherited the failings identified in the service. The action plan to address the issues was being monitored by the Commissioner.
• The Panel were concerned that whilst the Inspection report had raised a number of areas which needed improvement, these were areas which had been highlighted as areas of concern in the past and little improvement could be demonstrated. The Commissioner felt that there were a number of key themes which ran through the report which needed to be picked up, such as communication; capacity; leadership; and use of technology.  There had been a number of new officers over recent years and this was an opportunity to change culture; make improvement; and take ownership of the problems.

The Commissioner was thanked for his update report.  The Panel remained concerned that the issues raised in the HMICFRS Inspection report needed to be addressed and that the public should be able to access the information and gain reassurance that issues were being tackled.  Whilst it was acknowledged that performance against improvements would be measured and made public through the Performance meetings held with the Chief Constable, the Panel asked the Commissioner to attend a special meeting of the Panel to discuss in more detail.  The Chairman remined members that the County Councils Safeguarding Overview and Scrutiny (O&S) Committee covered Community Safety issues. He felt that to enable transparency and avoid duplication, it would be appropriate to invite the Safeguarding O&S Committee members to the Panel meeting to take part in the discussion.

Resolved-

a)   That the update report be noted.

b)  That the Commissioner be invited to a further meeting of the Panel to discuss the recent HMICFRS Inspection report. 

c)   That the Safeguarding Overview and Scrutiny Committee be invited to take part in the meeting.