Agenda item

This report provides an update on the meetings that have been held and what has been discussed in order to demonstrate that arrangements for good governance and scrutiny are in place.   

Witnesses:

Lisa Herrington, Chief Executive, Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC)

David Munro, Surrey Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC)

Ian Perkin, Treasurer, Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC)

Key points raised in the discussion:

1. A Member questioned how the reduction in the Levels of Victim Contact compliance was compatible with the new Victim and Witness Care Unit. The Chief Executive (OPCC) explained that the Victim Contact compliance was done by investigating officers separately to the Victim and Witness Care Unit which was a mandatory requirement as part of the Victims’ Code.
2. In response to a Member question concerning the lessened role of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in Surrey the PCC stated that the CPS was very under resourced. There was however a good relationship between Surrey Police and the local CPS in Kent, Surrey and Sussex as a result of ‘embedded officers’ which were police who sat with the local CPS for joint collaboration over cases.
3. The Vice-Chairman queried the amount of the 50% of all cash forfeitures recovered from the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) 2002 that went to Surrey Police and highlighted the error on page 68: that 18/75% should be 18.75 % of confiscation orders fulfilled by Surrey Police. The PCC stated that POCA was a success which brought in a large amount of money to the police with a recent successful bitcoin fraud crackdown.
4. In response to the Vice-Chairman’s query, the PCC would report at a later date with more detail on the issue of Surrey Fire and Rescue receiving hate crime reports.
5. In response to a Member’s concern over the lack of long-term success on Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) representation with the target of 9% being missed by half, the PCC remarked that Surrey Police had stepped up its positive action programme. This ensured that all candidates regardless of their background received the same access to training and mentoring through the selection process. Surrey Police needed to work with the BAME community to remove cultural disadvantages and it was also important to recruit more women and LGBT individuals.
6. In response to the Chairman’s query on stalking and harassment, the PCC explained it was a severely underreported crime now with its own ‘Niche flag’. That ‘compliance in crime data integrity’ meant that volumes were recorded, ensured through better categorisation and encouragement for victims to report it. 
7. The Chairman raised the issue of the Capital Programme and why Surrey Police only ‘appear’ to be getting this under control and whether the new finance tool called Host Analytics would resolve this. In response, the Treasurer (OPCC) stated that there was a caution of underspending within Surrey Police as past schemes did not take into consideration the additional costs from planning difficulties for example. Greater encouragement to use the funds available was necessary rather than a constant rolling over into the next year.

RESOLVED:

That the Police and Crime Panel noted the update on the PCC’s Performance Meetings.

Actions/Further information to be provided:

R45/19 - The PCC would report back to the Panel on the issue of Surrey Fire and Rescue taking in hate crime reports at a later date.