Agenda item

The Panel received an update on the approach for successfully delivering the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Police and Crime Plan 2021-24. 

The Panel made comment, asked questions, and received responses from the Commissioner and his staff regarding the draft Annual Report, these included: 

1.              Councillor Gilderdale asked about the work the Commissioner was involved in regarding hate crime. The Commissioner explained hate crime was a priority for the constabulary, there was a team that dealt with this issue and if a Panel Members wished to speak to him about this issue, he would be happy to have a conversation. 

2.              Councillor Gilderdale asked what could be done to help the safety of non-car users regarding road safety (electric bikes, scooters, mopeds). The Commissioner explained that road safety involved everyone that used the roads, not just car users. Regarding the tragic accident regarding the charging of an e-scooter battery, the fire service reacted quickly, sending out emails to parents via the schools and the Commissioner’s thoughts were with the family, community, police officers and fire fighters involved. 

3.              Edward Leigh stated the report gave a clear picture of how many projects the Commissioner’s small team was involved in, and it was gratifying to see how much progress had been made. Edward Leigh stated there did not seem to be a specific report on the actions regarding ways to improve 999 and 101 call handling and asked if this could be included in future reports. Edward also stated he had looked at the new OPCC website which was a huge improvement and now much easier to find content within the website. The Commissioner explained that the Improvement Plan around the Demand Hub had been published, this would be circulated to Panel Members. 

4.              Edward Leigh stated the report referred to the BCB (Business Coordination Board) Board papers from 18 May 2023 (community trigger update), but that agenda item paper has not been published. The Commissioner stated this would be investigated. 

5.              Edward Leigh stated he was concerned that after looking at the Constabulary’s Sustainability Strategy and noting that the Commissioner’s Office were not represented at the Combined Authority regarding the fleet strategy; asked why the Combined Authority would be acting on this issue when clearly the Police and Fire play a significant role. The Chief Executive (OPCC) stated this would be investigated and brought back to the Panel, but he suspected it was due to the fleet arrangements being carried out through a broad consortium within policing. 

6.              Councillor Barkham asked what influence the Commissioner could have on school curriculums, regarding adding elements of policing to education for young people to understand what the laws were and how they were expected to behave. The Commissioner explained that he spent a lot of time in schools, of all age levels. Commissioners were able to lobby and had political inroads into government. Good feedback had been received from the police officers that currently visit the schools. 

7.              Councillor Bradnam asked for clarification that the Victim and Witness Support Hub still supported victims that chose to withdraw their allegations. Nicky Edwards, OPCC confirmed that victims were able to access all the services, whether they had reported their allegations or not. If a victim withdrew from the process; none of the support is withdrawn, they can remain with the services as long as they feel necessary. Some of the services available: IDVAs (Independent Domestic Violence Advisor), Peterborough Women’s Aid, Cambridge Women’s Aid, Refuge, County Outreach Service, Peterborough – Lithuanian Support Worker, Countywide Specialist Worker for Male Victims of Domestic Abuse and Specialist Post for Minority Communities etc. Significant investment has meant that there are now the best support services available to victims. 

ACTION 

The Panel AGREED to NOTE the report. 

The Chair thanked the Commissioner, his staff, and the constabulary for organising the Panel visit to the Demand Hub Police Headquarters in Huntingdon the previous week. The Panel had learnt that regarding the volume of 999 calls, there had been two days in June where there had been more than 800 calls, when the expected amount was usually approximately 400. The Chair fully appreciated that monitoring 999/101 calls would remain an issue. 

(THE COMMISSIONER AND HIS STAFF LEFT THE MEETING)