Agenda and minutes
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Contact: Victoria White or Andrew Baird
Media
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APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
The Chairman to report apologies for absence. Additional documents: Minutes: Apologies were received from Borough Councillor Victor Broad, Borough Councillor Colin Davis, Borough Councillor Terry Dicks, Independent Member Bryan Cross and Assistant Police and Crime Commissioner Shiraz Mirza,
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MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING
To approve the minutes of the meeting held on (9 September 2014) as a correct record. Additional documents: Minutes: It was noted by the Panel that there was an error on page 5, paragraph 3 of the minutes. Pending this correction, the minutes were agreed as an accurate record of the meeting.
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DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
To receive any declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests from Members of the Panel in respect of any item to be considered at the meeting. Additional documents: Minutes: None received |
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PUBLIC QUESTIONS
To receive any public questions.
Note: Written questions from the public can be submitted no later than seven days prior to the published date of the annual or any ordinary public meeting, for which the Commissioner will be invited to provide a written response by noon on the day before the meeting, which will be circulated to Panel Members and the questioner. Additional documents: Minutes: None received |
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COMPLAINTS RECEIVED SINCE THE LAST MEETING
To note complaints against the Police and Crime Commissioner and the Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner received since the last meeting of the Police and Crime Panel. Additional documents: Minutes: The Panel were informed that the outcome of a complaint considered by the Complaints Sub-Committee on 28 October 2014 could be found within the agenda pack.
RESOLVED: That,
1. The report be noted.
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RECOMMENDATIONS TRACKER AND FORWARD WORK PROGRAMME
To review the Recommendations Tracker and Forward Work Programme. Additional documents: Minutes: The Panel noted its Forward Work Programme and Recommendations Tracker. There were no further comments.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
None
ACTIONS/FURTHER INFORMATION TO BE PROVIDED:
None
PANEL NEXT STEPS:
None
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POLICE AND CRIME PLAN QUARTERLY UPDATE
The Police and Crime Panel for Surrey scrutinises the work of the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for Surrey, Kevin Hurley. The PCC published the Police and Crime Plan in March 2013 and issued some additional actions in March 2014. This report provides an update on progress against the plan since the last meeting of the Police and Crime Panel.
Additional documents: Minutes: · The Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) briefly highlighted some of the key points from the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner’s (OPCC) performance against the Police and Crime Plan. In particular, the Panel were advised that the numbers of theft and burglaries had fallen in the past quarter while a rise in the detection rates had also been recorded. The Panel’s attention was drawn to the finalisation of a contract signed in conjunction with Sussex and Thames Valley police forces for the provision of £1.8 million worth of support for victims; the implementation of the Joint Enforcement Team (JET) initiative in Spelthorne which launched in December 2014; as well as updating the Panel on discussions with the District and Borough Councils for the implementation of the Community Trigger programme for reviewing anti-social behaviour complaints.
· The Panel requested information on how much money was still available from the Community Safety Fund allocation. The Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner (DPCC) indicated that £240k of the Community Safety Fund has not yet been allocated.
· Panel members drew attention to crimes such as violence with injury which have risen over the past quarter and asked the Commissioner to explain why serious crimes of this nature have increased. Reference was also made to the HMIC PEEL Report which highlighted inefficiencies in the way that Surrey Police record crime. The PCC advised the Panel that the PEEL report was not up to date but rather was based on crime statistics from the past. Since these samples were taken by HMIC, it was indicated that efforts had been made to improve the way in which Surrey Police record crime. The DPCC responded to the query about violence with injury and stated that additional funding received from the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 had been distributed to each of the divisions to combat violent crime.
· The Panel requested information on the policing of the M25 and whether there is a specific strategy for dealing with travel disruption such as car crashes. The PCC confirmed that Surrey Police have a strategy for dealing with crashes which derives from the strategy developed by the British Transport Police and includes targets to get the M25 running normally again as soon as possible after a crash while also having access to the latest equipment in order to do this. The Panel was advised, however, that Surrey Police work in conjunction with the Highways Agency (HA) who have oversight of the condition of roads before they are re-opened. Subject to the same financial pressures that the rest of the public sector is currently experiencing, the PCC indicated that it sometimes takes longer than planned for the HA to assess the condition of the M25 following a crash. It was highlighted that both Surrey Police and the HA are acutely aware of the importance of the M25.
· Panel members also drew attention to travel disruption caused by crashes on smaller roads in Surrey and suggested that it can often take the Police a ... view the full minutes text for item 7/14 |
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BUDGET QUARTERLY UPDATE
To consider the budget update of Surrey Police and the Office of the Surrey Police and Crime Commissioner. Additional documents: Minutes: · The Panel asked whether a virement was possible for any excess funds from the PCC budget to the Surrey Police budget. The PCC stipulated that it wasn’t possible to transfer funds between the PCC and Surrey Police budgets but indicated that the PCC provides a much better service for Surrey Police than the Police Authority had previously done. PCC staff are required to execute policy and fulfil various functions to assist the Police. The PCC stated that he would circulate a staff diagram to the Panel for their reference.
· Members drew attention to the training budget and asked the PCC why much of the training budget had still not been used. The PCC indicated that no training opportunities had arisen which he thought would be beneficial for either him or the DPCC to attend but highlighted that this money would be put back into the OPCC and would be allocated towards training for staff. The Assistant Police and Crime Commissioner for victims (APCC) advised the Panel that many of the events and conferences attended by members of the OPCC were in fact training of sorts for the PCC and his staff but that the money paid to attend these events was not listed as such in the budget.
· The Panel expressed reservations about the manner in which the PCC has been pushing for a referendum on raising the precept in Surrey and stated that people should not be scared into voting for a raise in the precept, especially given the PEEL report which suggests Surrey Police is well placed to deal with the pressures of austerity in comparison to other forces. The PCC advised the Panel that a decision on whether or not to move forward with a referendum on raising the precept still hadn’t been made but reiterated that Surrey Police will face a significant funding gap over the next few years and that, without additional funding, frontline services would need to be cut in order to balance the budget. The PCC advised the Panel that, as an elected official, he feels it is his duty to inform the public of the issues and their options for maintaining frontline services although the PCC agreed to look at the language used when discussing the precept with the public.
· Members asked why the costs of insuring Surrey Police had increased so significantly. The TCFO advised that Surrey Police is an insurance collective with a number of other forces in the region to share costs but unfortunately, insurance claims against the Police means that insurance premiums have been steadily increasing. The Panel were advised that a breakdown of the insurance costs paid by Surrey Police would be circulated to Members for their reference.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
1. To note and comment on the financial performance of the OPCC at Month 7 for the Financial Year 2014/15. 2. To note and comment on the Surrey Police Group Financial Report for Month 7 (October) 2014/15. RESOLVED: That the Panel, 1. Note and comment on the financial ... view the full minutes text for item 8/14 |
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VICTIM SERVICES COMMISSIONING UPDATE
To provide a verbal update on the commissioning of services for victims in Surrey. Additional documents: Minutes: · The APCC provided a broad overview of the background to the change in the commissioning of victims’ services and highlighted the approach taken by the OPCC to develop services for victims that work for the County. The Panel were advised that generalist victims’ services have been commissioned in concert with other police forces in the region to provide economies of scale and which had allowed for the allocation of greater funding to put towards commissioning specialist victims’ services. It was highlighted that Central Government had caused some problems due to the fact that they had held onto the commissioning of services for witnesses as well as funding the creation of a centre for victims of sexual offences in Surrey and Sussex at Croydon, which has undercut some of the work already done by the OPCC.
· Members asked how this would impact the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre in Guildford. The APCC indicated that the centre in Croydon would not be adequate to cover all of Surrey and Sussex and that it would work in tandem with other services available in the County.
· The Policy Officer (Victims) (PO) highlighted that Surrey has emerged as one of the leaders in the commissioning of victims’ services through informed discussions with partners and a focus on outcomes. The OPCC has successfully provided grants for the provision of victims’ services across a broad range of areas. The Panel were advised that the OPCC had focused on using services that already existed in Surrey while also ensuring that the application process was not overly-bureaucratic so as not to discourage applications for funding. The PO further highlighted that Surrey OPCC had been called on to give evidence to an all-party parliamentary group enquiry on methods for commissioning victims’ services and were now passing on advice and best practice to OPCCs across the country.
· The PO also indicated that the OPCC would ensure that services are being provided effectively and would work to identify emerging areas where victims’ services will be required in the future. Providing support for victims of child sexual exploitation was flagged as an area that is currently being researched which will then be pulled together into a needs assessment. Discussions were also taking place to bring together services for victims of sexual violence in Surrey.
· The Panel asked how it was decided to prioritise victims and ensure that support is given to those most in need first. The PO advised that there is a lot of literature available on informing how to prioritise the provision of services to victims which exists in conjunction with the Victims’ Code. It was further highlighted that, in conjunction with a number of other forces, a needs assessment had been commissioned from the University of Portsmouth which would also provide insights into which victims are most in need of support services.
· Panel members also asked what protocols were in place to measure successful outcomes in supporting victims of crime. The PO highlighted that since many of the funding ... view the full minutes text for item 9/14 |
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DEPUTY AND ASSISTANT POLICE AND CRIME COMMISSIONERS' OBJECTIVES AND PERFORMANCE REVIEW
The report sets out details of the work that Jeff Harris, Shiraz Mirza and Jane Anderson have been undertaking and the outcomes they have achieved since the meeting of the Police and Crime Panel on 10 June 2014 Additional documents: Minutes: · The DPCC drew Panel members’ attention to the Community Safety Partnerships (CSP) funding and stated that there was still money available for this fund. Members were asked to make their colleagues in the District and Borough Councils aware that there was still funding available and to put applications in for the CSP if they were aware of a project that could be funded through this scheme.
· Discussions also took place around the Junior Citizens initiative which has been successful in a number of Districts and Boroughs. It was agreed that further discussions will take place at another time to discuss introducing the Junior Citizens programme to the Districts and Boroughs which have not yet adopted the initiative.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
1. To note the report
RESOLVED:
1. To note the report
ACTIONS/ FURTHER INFORMATION TO BE PROVIDED:
1. A meeting to be arranged between the representative on the Panel from Mole Valley District Council and the DPCC to discuss the Junior Citizens initiative. PANEL NEXT STEPS:
None
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The Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey, Kevin Hurley, holds bi-monthly management meetings with the Chief Constable, Lynne Owens and appropriate members of her senior team. Additional documents: Minutes: · Panel members reiterated their concerns with the poor performance of the 101 service and asked if the PCC had discussed this with the Chief Constable. The PCC confirmed that he has brought this up with the Chief Constable on numerous occasions to make the case for improving the 101 service and that he would send some information through to the Panel on this. The DPCC advised the Panel vacancies in the 101 service were being filled and training being provided to staff which should improve the service.
· The Panel asked whether Surrey Police are losing staff to Sussex Police. The PCC indicated that Surrey Police lose staff to all forces in the region due to the prohibitively high cost of living in Surrey and this includes loss of staff to Sussex Police. It was further advised that recruitment and training is a huge drain on the resources of the force due to the number of police staff that are lost to other forces or which leave the Police force entirely.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
1. To note the report. RESOLVED:
1. To note the report. ACTIONS/ FURTHER INFORMATION TO BE PROVIDED:
1. The OPCC to circulate further information on discussions between the PCC and Chief Constable in respect to the improvement of the 101 service. PANEL NEXT STEPS:
None
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VERBAL UPDATE ON ONGOING INVESTIGATIONS INCLUDING DEEPCUT
Verbal Strategic update on ongoing investigations including Deepcut. Additional documents: Minutes: The PCC indicated that there was nothing significant to report to the Panel at this stage.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
None
RESOLVED:
None
ACTIONS/ FURTHER INFORMATION TO BE PROVIDED:
None
PANEL NEXT STEPS:
None
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DATE OF NEXT MEETING
The next meeting of the Police and Crime Panel will be held on Thursday 5 February 2015. Additional documents: Minutes: It was noted that the date of the next meeting of the Police and Crime Panel would be on 5 February 2015.
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