Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from: Cllr Junab Ali – Swindon Borough Council, Maime Beasant – Co-opted Independent member and Cllr John Smale – Wiltshire Council.

There were no declarations of interest.

There were no Chairman’s Announcements.

The Panel welcomes contributions from members of the public.

Statements

If you wish to make a statement at this meeting on any item on this agenda, please register to do so at least 10 minutes prior to the meeting. Speakers are permitted to speak for up to 3 minutes on any agenda item. Please contact the officer named on the first page of the agenda for any further clarification.

Questions

Members of the public are able to ask questions in relation to the responsibilities and functions of the Panel at each meeting. Those wishing to ask questions are required to give notice of any such questions in writing to the Head of Democratic Services at Wiltshire Council no later than 5.00 pm on 3 clear wkg days before meeting. Please contact the officer named on the first page of the agenda for further advice. Questions may be asked without notice if the Chairman decides that the matter is urgent.

There was no public participation.

Clive Barker to present the PCC’s Draft Budget Settlement for 2019/20,

including the Medium Term Financial Strategy

To include initial statement on proposals for the policing element of the Council Tax precept for 2019-20

The Commissioner introduced his draft budget settlement 2019-20 and outlined how he was consulting on two options:

          Option A: An increase of £24 per band D property; and

          Option B: No increase

He reported that:

·         In November 2018, the initial Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) was produced and reviewed at my Monitoring Board. The MTFS looked at the estimated financial position of the PCC over the next 4 years and the impact this had on my ability to commission services.

·         On the 13 December 2018 the provisional settlement was received. This was different than originally forecast. It allowed PCCs to increase their precept by up to £24 per Band D property and provides a 2.1% increase in the main central grants. The Government had listened to the concerns raised by the Commissioner, by this Panel and by many other PCCs. With these changes a revised MTFS had been drafted and was included as an appendix to this report.

Clive Barker, Chief Financial Officer, explained the detail of the budget proposals and the Medium Term Financial Strategy and answered questions.

The chairman thanked Clive Barker for a comprehensive and professional paper and presentation.

Following further discussion of the Commissioner’s proposals a vote on the proposed police precept for the year 2019-20 was taken.

Decision

·    That the Wiltshire Police and Crime Panel supported the Commissioner’s approach to the consultation on the two options and, in principle supported Option A – To increase council tax by £24 per annum (13.2%)

The Chairman thanked the Commissioner for his report.

Verbal update

The CPT resourcing report which the Panel receives with the Quarterly Performance Monitoring Report was intended to provide the Panel with a way of monitoring the continuity of CPT resources. However, confusion over the way deployability was calculated together with presentational shortcomings meant that this was still a work in progress.

Report if available and/or verbal update

It was agreed that a report would come to the next meeting.

Cllr Jonathon Seed raised the following question:

Salisbury City Council Application for Community Safety Accreditation Scheme powers

Salisbury City Council contracts two “stewards” from a Company called “Venture Security” to provide a level of support to the public, City Council and police around anti-social behaviour, street drinking and aggressive begging while generally keeping watch over the “estate” and City Centre. They work closely with Wiltshire Council Housing and Rough Sleeping teams and keep a day to day eye on the health and well-being of some of the city less fortunate.

To assist further in their duties and to provide more support to the police SCC have been asking for Community Safety Accreditation Scheme powers (CSAS) for a considerable time, and while all concerned have said this would be a very positive step forward 

I would like to ask the Commissioner to look into when or if Salisbury CSAS powers will be signed off.

To note the forward work plan.

The Forward Work Plan was noted.

To note the future meeting dates below:

·         Thursday 7 February 2019 – Monkton Park, Chippenham

·         Thursday 28 March 2019 – Corn Exchange, Devizes

·         Thursday 6 June 2019 – County Hall, Trowbridge

·         Thursday 5 September 2019 – City Hall, Salisbury

·         Thursday 19 December 2019 - Swindon Borough Council Offices

Future meeting dates were:

·         Thursday 7 February 2019 – Monkton Park, Chippenham

·         Thursday 28 March 2019 – Corn Exchange, Devizes

·         Thursday 6 June 2019 – County Hall, Trowbridge

·         Thursday 5 September 2019 – City Hall, Salisbury

·         Thursday 19 December 2019 - Swindon Borough Council Offices