Agenda and minutes

Members and officers must declare any pecuniary or personal interest in any business on the agenda. They should also make declarations at any stage such an interest becomes apparent during the meeting. Consideration should be given to leaving the meeting if the nature of the interest warrants it. If in doubt contact Democratic Services, West Sussex County Council before the meeting.

70.      In accordance with the code of conduct members of the Panel declared personal interests contained in the table below.

To confirm the minutes of the previous meeting on 11 October 2013

71.     In a correction to the minutes it was noted that Liz Wakefield provided apologies to the previous meeting of the Panel.

72.    Resolved – That, subject to the correction above, the minutes of the meeting of the Sussex Police and Crime Panel held on 11 October 2013 be confirmed as a correct record.

73.     Mark Streater, OPCC, clarified detail contained in the minutes of the previous meeting and explained that the role of CSPs under the Safer in Sussex Community Fund was to support local organisations applying to the Fund.

Items not on the agenda which the Chairman of the meeting is of the opinion should be considered as a matter of urgency.

There were no urgent matters.

     The Police and Crime Commissioner will update the Panel on the proposed precept and draft budget for 2014/15. The Panel is asked to consider the proposed precept and make recommendations.

The Police and Crime Commissioner is currently proposing a precept increase of 3.6%, or the maximum permissible under the Central Government referendum principles, whichever is lower.

 Under Schedule 5 of The Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 the    Panel is responsible for reviewing the Commissioner’s proposed precept and making reports and recommendations. If the Panel do not accept the proposed precept the power of veto is provided under this schedule. The power of veto over the proposed precept which can only be exercised with two thirds majority, at least, of the current Panel membership, i.e. 14 members or more, voting in favour of a veto.

In the event of a veto the Commissioner must produce a revised precept by 15 February. A provisional meeting date of Friday 21 February has been arrangement for the Panel to meet to consider a revised precept and make reports to the Commissioner. The Panel does not have the power of veto over the revised precept.

74.       The Panel considered a report by the Police and Crime Commissioner which outlined the budget. The Panel received the draft budget which was introduced by John Eagles, OPCC and Mark Baker, Sussex Police.

75.      The Panel raised the following points:

·         The level of reserves and what fiduciary duty existed to maintain a certain level of reserves. This was not prescribed but it was felt to be prudent to maintain reserves of 4-5%.

·         The reduction in the level of funding from central government. The second Comprehensive Spending Review had reduced the level of funding to the Police and the top slicing of the central grant for police reforms had been greater than expected.

·         The budget listed cyber crime as an investment area but the Police and Crime Plan had not been updated to include detail on this priority. More information was requested on cyber crime investment and what outcomes were sought. Cyber crime represented a very serious threat to the Sussex community and Sussex Police was currently producing proposals to address cyber crime in Sussex. Forces across the country were in a similar position and work was being undertaken to understand how local arrangements to address this priority area would coordinate with the National Crime Agency and local organisations. The investment in the initiative would be split between the development of the framework to address cyber crime and the actual delivery of the function.

76.      Resolved – that the Panel notes the budget for  2014/15

Proposed Precept 2014/15

77.     The Panel considered a report by the Police and Crime Commissioner which set out the proposed precept for 2014/15. The Commissioner introduced the report and set out the investment priorities for the forthcoming year which would be achieved in full by a precept increase of 3.6%.

78.     The Panel provided the following comments during the debate:

·         Concern was expressed that an increase in the precept would impact upon residents already struggling with the effects of inflation. It was acknowledged that the public was generally supportive of funding the local police force but it was queried whether resources could be refocussed from other areas in support of priorities. The Commissioner acknowledged that the current financial situation was difficult and confirmed that during the consultation conducted on the proposed precept, 67% of people had responded favourably to an increase. The Commissioner outlined initiatives to make more efficient use of officer time including the training of Sexual Offences Liaison (SOLOs). The precept increase was required to fund the investment priorities immediately; if the funding of the priorities relied upon savings they would be delayed. The Commissioner emphasised the important of using investment to address the critical area of serious sexual crime.

·         The Panel accepted the priorities identified by the Commissioner for investment and wanted assurance that internal efficiencies had been fully realised before supporting the proposed precept. The Commissioner confirmed that the savings programme would realise significant efficiencies and that savings would be achieved in the future through on-going work with Surrey police force  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

i)              Police and Crime Plan Working Group – Final Report

The attached report sets out detail of the work of the Police and Crime Plan working group and recommendations arising from the two meetings of the group.

The Panel is asked to consider the report and incorporation of the Groups’ recommendations.

ii)             Police and Crime Plan 2014/15 Refresh

      The Police and Crime Commissioner will present an updated version of the Police and Crime Plan. The Panel is asked to review and make reports of recommendations on the refresh of the Police and Crime Plan, informed by any recommendations of the Working Group, agreed under item 5(i).

83.      The Panel received a report by the Clerk to the Panel regarding the work of the Police and Crime Plan Working Group to refresh the Police and Crime Plan for 2014/17. Ninesh Edwards introduced the report and explained that the Working Group had met twice: the first meeting considered the draft Plan and agreed recommendations; and the second meeting considered the updated version of the Plan.

84.      The Commissioner commented on the report to explain that Sussex Police were working in partnership with Surrey Police and that a potential merger was not part of the arrangement between the forces. The Panel confirmed that the working group had proposed a recommendation that the potential for the merger of the two forces be examined in greater detail in the future.

85.      Resolved – That the Panel agrees the recommendations of the Working Group set out below:

1.    That the Plan should seek to actively support residents wishing to volunteer to deliver appropriate services;

2.    The Plan should encourage the public to do more for themselves;

3.    Great cooperation should be sought with Surrey Police at a faster pace that has hitherto been the case (potentially including a merger) with a view to making greater savings, sooner;

4.    That the Panel, when scrutinising the draft 2014/17 Plan, recognises that the Group did not have the opportunity to scrutinise sections on:

·         Community Priority 4: Cyber Crime

·         Policing Budget and Precept;

5.       That the Commissioner refines the performance framework used to demonstrate achievement of the Police and Crime Plan 2014/17, so that it provides better evidence for the Plan’s successful delivery;

6.       That the Panel in future identifies themes arising from the Police and Crime Commissioner’s performance monitoring reports for detailed scrutiny by the Panel;

7.       That the Panel agrees for the working group to meet in support of future budget and Plan cycles, while continuing to report its work back to the Panel; and

8.       That the Panel agrees for the terms of reference for the Working Group to be broadened to include acting as a critical friend to the development of the policing budget and precept.

86.      The Panel considered a report by the Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner which provided details of the refreshed Police and Crime Plan. Mark Streater introduced the report and informed the Panel that the Plan would be circulated to the Chairmen of CSPs for their information.

87.      The Panel agreed the refreshed Police and Crime Plan and asked that the Chairman write to the Commissioner to outline its approval of the Plan.

88.     Resolved – That the Panel agrees the refreshed Police and Crime Plan and that the Chairman should write to the Commissioner to outline its approval of the Plan. 

The Chairman of the Victim Support Working Group will provide a verbal update on the work of the Group.

The Panel is asked to consider the information provided and raise any queries on the work of the Group.

89.       The Panel received and noted a verbal update on the first meeting of the working group from Dave Simmons, Chairman of the Victim Support Working Group. At the first meeting of the Group terms of reference had been agreed and the current situation regarding victim services in Sussex had been presented by the OPCC. A number of recommendations had been proposed by the working group which would be circulated o the Panel with the notes of the first meeting.

No complaints have been received since the last meeting of the Panel.

There are currently no complaints on hand awaiting final determination by the Panel or the Clerk to the Panel.

90.    The Panel received and noted the quarterly report by the Clerk to the Panel of complaints received by the Monitoring Office over the course of the last quarter. No complaints had been received over the last quarter.

Written questions may be submitted by members of the public up to two weeks in advance of a meeting for which the Panel Chairman and Commissioner will be invited to provide a response by noon of the day before the meeting.

91.    The Panel received and noted a written question prior to the meeting and the response provided by the Commissioner.

The Police and Crime Commissioner will provide a verbal update on the current situation regarding the retirement of the Chief Constable and arrangements to select a replacement.

The Panel is responsible for holding a public confirmation hearing to review and make reports on the proposed appointment of the Chief Constable including, if necessary, the use of the power of veto.

92.     The Panel received and noted an update from the Commissioner on the appointment of a Chief Constable. Following the announcement of Martin Richard’s retirement there would be a recruitment exercise for a new Chief Constable. From the 7 February Giles York would become the interim Chief Constable. The College of Policing was assisting with the process to appoint a new Chief Constable and it could be up to six months before the new post holder was in position.

The Panel is asked to raise any issues or queries concerning crime and policing in Sussex with the Commissioner.

93.    The following issues were raised by the Panel under Commissioner’s question time:

·         The Commissioner was asked to provide an update on the Safer Communities Fund. It was confirmed that 12 bids had been received to date and it was known that others would be forthcoming.

·         The Commissioner was asked how she was assured that the issue of the underreporting of crime was not occurring in Sussex, which had been an issue reported in the national press. The Commissioner confirmed that she was meeting with the Sussex Police’s Crime Registrar on a quarterly basis to ensure she was content that the force had a sufficiently robust approach to the recording of crime.

94.        Andy Smith left the meeting at 12:37 p.m.

The Chairman of the Hampshire Police and Crime Panel wrote to the Chairman recently to request that a member of his Panel be permitted to attend and observe a meeting of the Sussex Panel. The intention is to identify and elements of best practice that could be utilised in Hampshire.

The Chairman feels the arrangement has merit, and members of the Panel are asked to indicate if they would be prepared to attend a forth coming meeting of the Hampshire, Surrey and Kent PCPs, and report any identified elements of best practice back to the Panel.

In December the Chairman held a meeting with his counterpart in the Surrey PCP and discussed the potential for closer working arrangements  between the Panels and the desire to see closer integration between the Surrey and Sussex Forces.

95.    The Panel received an update eon a meeting that took place between the Chairmen of Surrey and Sussex PCPs. It was reported that a member of the Hampshire Panel would be attending a forthcoming meeting to observe the Sussex PCP. Volunteers from the Panel were sought to attend meeting in other areas to learn best practice from other Panels.

The next meeting of the Panel will take place on Friday 27 June 2014, 10:30 A.M. at County Hall, Lewes.

96.      The next meeting of the Panel would take place on 27 June 2014.

The meeting closed at 12:40 P.M.