Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Wilkinson, OBE to provide an update.
Minutes:
Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Philip Wilkinson, OBE, MPhil, congratulated the Chairman on his re-election and stated that he felt reassured that their positive working relationship would continue. The PCC was pleased to report that Wiltshire Police had come out of the ENGAGE process, so was no longer in special measures. He explained that he had given a briefing to the oversight group from His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS), who had been reassured that the foundations for improvement were in place.
Cllr Ross Henning arrived at 10:39am.
The PCC took the opportunity to praise Chief Constable Catherine Roper and her senior leadership team for their work in restructuring and driving improvement in the force. The importance of drawing on the diverse experiences of staff in senior leadership positions was emphasised, including the new Assistant Chief Constable for Local Policing and Specialist Operations, Ian Saunders, who had experience of policing in Northern Ireland and the Chief of Corporate Services, John Derryman, a former Head of Corporate Risk at HSBC.
However, the PCC noted that progress had been faster in some areas than others and that he was closely analysing data to avoid any flatlining of performance. He emphasised the importance of instilling a meritocratic culture, particularly in middle management, and expressed his confidence that the Chief Constable was implementing the necessary policies and procedures.
During the discussion, points included:
· The Panel thanked the PCC for his update and welcomed the news that Wiltshire Police had come out of the ENGAGE process.
· In response to a question about who had replaced John Derryman in coordinating Community Speed Watch (CSW) teams now he had changed role, it was explained that Perry Payne was heading up a multi-agency group called Wiltshire and Swindon Road Safety Partnership. In addition, a member of staff, Colin, from the PCC’s office was also helping to coordinate CSW teams.
· When asked about how he was tackling his key areas of focus, the PCC explained that his office had procedures to hold the Chief Constable and her team to account, including a formal monthly executive leadership meeting and informal fortnightly meetings. The PCC used these meetings to press the Chief Constable on how she was driving forward improvement in areas such as middle management.
· The Panel noted that they would welcome timescales for when improvements would be achieved so that they were better able to hold the PCC to account. They would adopt a critical approach to ensuring that the PCC delivered against his strategic objectives.
· The PCC explained that it was his goal to make Wiltshire Police an outstanding police force within two to three years. He was aiming for a process of continual improvement, so it was not possible to set a precise target date for becoming an outstanding force. The PCC noted that Wiltshire Police were ranked as the third worst performing force in the country three years ago and that they were now mid-range in terms of performance. He highlighted that getting out of special measures was a starting point towards further improvement.
· The Panel stressed the need not to over celebrate Wiltshire Police coming out of special measures, although some members did emphasise the importance of recognising achievement to congratulate officers and to drive standards throughout the organisation.
· When pressed further on when an improvement in culture would be delivered, the Chief Executive Officer of the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Office (OPCC) Naji Darwish, highlighted that the Chief Constable had published a three-year strategic plan about tactical delivery for the PCC to scrutinise. He stated that appropriate governance arrangements were in place to ensure that the Chief Constable was held to account in implementing the plan. It was also highlighted that the Chief Constable intended to attend the Panel’s meeting on 14 November.