Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Anna Richardson - Co-Opted Independent Member, Cllr Daniel Cave – Wiltshire Council, Cllr Tony Pickernell - Wiltshire Council and Cllr Rich Rogers- Wiltshire Council.

 

 

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 16 September 2021

Decision

 

The minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 16 September 2021 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman

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.

 

Paul Summers – Wiltshire Neighbourhood watch Association

 

The following Question had been emailed to the OPCC for follow up:

 

Following Wiltshire Police recently receiving a ‘Good’ efficiency inspection rating, the admission that it had ‘taken its eye off the ball’ in relation to the 44% increase in burglaries across the Force area over the past three years, served as a brave admission and one that rightly merits scrutiny.

 

In reviewing the strategic police response to the serious crime of burglary, can the PCC advise what steps have now been taken by Wiltshire Police which will reassure public confidence in relation to the ability of Wiltshire Police to respond appropriately to such serious criminal activity?

 

Philip Wilkinson – Police and Crime Commissioner & Kieran Kilgallen – Chief Executive, OPCC

 

Philip Wilkinson – Police and Crime Commissioner outlined the performance highlights for Quarter 2 – 2021/22.

 

Points made included:

 

That Wiltshire Police were reporting the lowest for recorded crimes per 1000 residents for the 12 months to Sep-21 within our most similar group (MSG) and nationally. The force was considered by HMIC to be ‘better than peers’.

That 52.17 crimes were reported for every 1000 residents in the county of Wiltshire, significantly below the MSG average of 66.12.

That Wiltshire Police reported a -4.9% reduction in the volume of crime for the 12 months to Sep-21 compared to the previous 12 months, 4.6 percentage points lower than the average national decrease.

That the average reported national decrease was -0.3%; South West Region reports an average reduction of -2.3%; MSG reports an average reduction of -2.9%.

That the number of forces reporting an increase in their reported crime had risen from 8 to14 nationally within the same time period.

 

That Wiltshire’s crime volume was demonstrating a long term stable trend with the most recent months experiencing expected seasonal increases. During Quarter 2 2021/22 crime volume had been below the forecast when using pre-covid volumes. This enabled the force to understand where they were expected to be by removing the exceptional activity as a result of the covid-19 pandemic and the related lockdown periods

During Quarter 1 and Quarter 2 2021-22, expected seasonal highs in reported crime had been consistently below where they were forecasted to be. Meaning

that the expected seasonal high this year had not been quite as elevated as expected when comparing to our pre-covid baseline.

The rolling 12 month forecast was stable. Although Wiltshire continued to report year on year decreases in reported crime volumes, the value of that percentage was becoming less significant than reported in previous quarters during the height of the pandemic. Wiltshire should expect to see these year on year reductions become smaller as time goes on, with the potential to report small increases. This was due to the most recent 12 months of ‘back to normal’ volumes being compared to the previous 12 months that contains exceptionally low numbers reported through the pandemic.

 

Year on year the force continued to report reductions in the following crime groups; Shoplifting, theft offences, residential burglary, burglary
business and community, criminal damage, vehicle offences, bicycle theft and theft from a person In terms of increase, Wiltshire continued to report an increase in violence without injury, stalking and harassment, other sexual offences, public orders offences and robbery.

 

It was noted that this would be the last meeting that the Performance Statistics would be presented in this format, a new “slimmed” format would be delivered at the March 2022 meeting.

 

The Chairman advised that he and the Panel would look forward to the new format.

 

Decision

 

The report was noted by the Police and Crime Panel

 

The Chairman thanked the Commissioner for his presentation.

A report summarising the 1^st stage findings and next steps for further work in January 2022

 

 

Naji Darwish gave a brief summary of the engagement activities to inform the development of the Police and Crime Plan 2022-25, including findings so far.

 

The report was contained in the agenda pack.

 

Key findings:

 

·         81.9% of respondents were aged 40+

 

·         47% of people felt a little or much less safe than 2 years ago, with 48% reporting no change with females more likely to report feeling less safe than male in the last two years (51.8% Females, 44.4% males) 

 

·         70% of people felt safe during the day in their community

 

·         36% of people felt unsafe at night in their community, with 39% feeling very or quite safe

 

·         71% of people felt confident they could contact the police

 

·         47% of people did not feel confident to contact their local CPT

 

·         62% felt the police treated them with respect when contacted

 

·        44.5% supported an increase in council tax to support delivery of local policing. Of the people supportive on an increase, 38% said they would support an increase of £1.25, 37% an increase of £3 a month, and 25% said £5 per month.  

 

 

The Panel members felt that the consultation had received good engagement, but that Wiltshire Police needed to be using social media more to engage with as many people as possible.

 

Decision

 

That the Police and Crime Panel noted the update on engagement activities to inform the Police and Crime Plan 2022-25 and that the Panel members noted the findings from work completed to date

 

The Chairman thanked Naji Darwish for his summary.

Working draft for early discussion and input from the panel & next steps to including review of performance and risk register governance

Philip Wilkinson – Police and Crime Commissioner outlined his draft plan.

 

Points made included:

 

Vision - To make Wiltshire a safer place to live and work

 

Mission - One crime is one crime too many, one victim is one victim too many 

 

Principles to deliver policing, justice and the Plan

 

·         Serving the public – services work for the public not themselves

 

·         Engagement – communities are part of the decisions and assessment of their services

 

·         Trust – policing and justice must have trust from all our communities

 

·         Excel at the basics – Focus on visibility, standards and accountability

 

 

Priorities

 

·         Priority 1 – A police service that meets the needs of its communities 

 

·         Priority 2 – Reduce violence and serious harm

 

·         Priority 3 - Tackle crimes that matter to local communities

 

·         Priority 4 - Improve the experience of victims and deliver justice 

 

 

Next Steps

 

Testing and redrafting the plan based on engagement

 

January

 

·         13 Jan PCP MTFS and Precept meeting

 

·         Precept survey

 

·         Area boards and Swindon Parish Councils

 

·         Focus groups for local communities and stakeholders

 

·         Facebook live sessions, Area board presentation

 

·         Young commissioners presentation on priorities

 

February

 

·         Redrafting the plan

 

·         Developing measures and delivery

 

·         3 Feb PCP on final precept recommendation

 

·         10 March Final plan presented to panel

 

 

Points made by the Panel included:

 

Good work on rural crime issues and Speedwatch issues throughout the county.

 

That parish councils needed reassuring that any potential investment in Community Speedwatch would be backed by Wiltshire Police, and that the data produced by the parish volunteer groups would be used to target drivers breaking speed limits.

 

Well done for the focus on speeding – local communities would appreciate this.

 

The need to re-invigorate Community Speedwatch teams – an idiots guide to Speedwatch would be appreciated to refresh the knowledge of volunteers.

 

 

That all residential roads and streets should have a 20mph speed limit in place.

 

The need for Salisbury to get a new Police station.

 

That there was a real need for a more comprehensive approach to road safety in general.

 

That residents living in areas of high deprivation didn’t see the point in engaging the Police when their voices weren’t heard.

 

The need for the plan to represent all communities, religions and groups.

 

That Wiltshire was a diverse area with different needs.

 

Issues with HGVs driving through communities – more joined up working with local authorities was needed.

 

Concerns that the under-performance of the court system may trip up some of the aims of the plan.

 

Drug dealing – good to see local drug dealers being targeted.

 

The need for Wiltshire Police to really push their pledge for Carbon Neutrality and to try and sync with Wiltshire Council and Swindon Borough Council, to achieve this goal before 2050.

 

The Chairman advised that it was heartening to hear all of the Panel members giving their views, and that the Commissioner would have the full support of the Police and Crime Panel to get things done.

 

Decision

 

That the Police and Crime Panel noted the Police  ...  view the full minutes text for item 29.

To note the forward work plan.

The Forward Work Plan was noted.

 

 

To note the future meeting dates below:

 

·         Thursday 13 January 2022 – Banqueting Hall, Salisbury Guildhall, Guildhall Square, Salisbury SP1 1JH

 

·         Thursday 3 February 2022 - Committee Room A&B, Monkton Park, Monkton Hill, Chippenham SN15 1ER

 

·         Thursday 10 March 2022 - Assembly Room, Town Hall, St.John's Street, Devizes SN10 1BN

 

·         Thursday 9 June 2022 - venue to be confirmed

 

·         Thursday 29 September 2022 - venue to be confirmed

 

·         Thursday 15 December 2022 - venue to be confirmed

 

 

The future meeting dates were noted.

 

It was hoped that a future meeting would be held at the Wiltshire Police Headquarters, Devizes at some point when the Covid restrictions had eased.

To consider passing the following resolution:
To agree that in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act
1972 to exclude the public from the meeting for the business specified in Items
Number 8 and 9 because it is likely that if members of the public were present
there would be disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in
paragraph 1 of Part I of Schedule 12A to the Act and the public interest in
withholding the information outweighs the public interest in disclosing the
information to the public.

 

Decision

 

That the Police and Crime Panel agreed that in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act1972 to exclude the public from the meeting for the business specified in Items Number 12 and 13 because it is likely that if members of the public were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in paragraph 1 of Part I of Schedule 12A to the Act and the public interest inwithholding the information outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information to the public

Part II

 

Item(s) during whose consideration it was recommended that the public should be excluded because of the likelihood that exempt information would be disclosed

 

Part II

 

Item(s) during whose consideration it was recommended that the public should be excluded because of the likelihood that exempt information would be disclosed