A maximum of 45 minutes will be allowed for questions from the public to
the Police and Crime Commissioner and the Panel.
Better responses can be provided when we receive advance notice of
questions. Therefore it would be helpful if questions could be submitted by
noon on 27 June to allow substantive answers to be provided. If you intend
asking a question of the Commissioner or the Panel under this section of the
agenda please can you contact Rachel Allan prior to the meeting by calling
0330 22 28966 or email pcp@westsussex.gov.uk.
The questioner will be able to ask his/her question at the meeting, to which
the Commissioner will provide a verbal response. On hearing the response,
the questioner will have the opportunity to ask a supplementary question
(one further question, which must be on the same subject as the original
question). Supplementary questions, due to their nature, need not be
submitted in advance. Members of the Panel may be allowed to pose followup
questions, at the discretion of the Chairman. In the event that the
questioner is unable to attend the Chairman can ask the question on their
behalf.
Questions can be posed to the Commissioner or to the Panel.
Questions to the Commissioner:
• Should relate to the role of the Commissioner, (strategic/policy
issues), and not to operational matters or to individual grievances.
• Must not be defamatory, frivolous, vexatious or offensive
• Must not require the disclosure of confidential information
Questions to the Panel:
• Should relate to the role of the Panel (which is to hold the PCC to
account).
• Must not be defamatory, frivolous, vexatious or offensive
• Must not require the disclosure of confidential information
Minutes:
Public Question Time
11. The Chairman introduced the public question time which was an opportunity for members of the public to ask questions of the Panel and the Commissioner. No members of the public attended to ask a question.
12. The Chairman received a question in advance of the meeting to Mr Carrick of Peacehaven. He stated that he was a resident and home owner in Peacehaven and noted that he paid approximately 11% of his council tax for the Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner, which could equate in total across Peacehaven, Telscombe and East Saltdean to in excess of £1.5 million. However as there were no PCSOs and the nearest full time Police Station would be in Lewes, he asked how Sussex Police could justify this charge as value for money and what steps would they take to provide a proper service to the public to obviate drugs, petty crime and vandalism, which was on the increase. The Commissioner thanked Mr Carrick for his question, and advised that a recent inspection by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC), her office had been rated as one of the most cost efficient in the country, as well as having the forth lowest precept in the country. She added that she regularly challenged the Chief Constable through her monthly PAM meetings, and had also held numerous public engagement events throughout Sussex. She further advised that the new PCSO model would be rolled our today, which would lead to better flexibility, more enhanced powers and better resilience for the public.
13. In
relation to the above question, the Panel raised the following
issues to the Commissioner:
·
Concerns were raised by many Panel members to the changes in
reduction of PCSOs across Sussex, specifically the loss of local
knowledge and the complete loss in some areas of PCSOs as they
would be based in larger towns. The Commissioner
explained that PCSOs would be provided with better technology which
would allow
them to be more responsive and flexible in order to service the
greatest
need. She added that the new teams would also build a local
knowledge of areas throughout Sussex.
·
Panel members requested that the changes to PCSOs were reviewed at
an appropriate time to ensure that the public was receiving a
satisfactory services. The Commissioner assured the
Panel that she would continue to hold Chief Constable to account
and review any changes as necessary.
·
Concerns were also raised regarding the recruitment of PCSOs as
there were a number of vacancies across Sussex. The
Commissioner advised the Panel that there had been a recruitment
process, and that many new PCSOs were currently in
training.
· Members of the Panel felt that communication in some areas of Sussex in regard to the PCSOs changes had not been sufficient. The Commissioner set out the communication that had taken place in specific areas, and the range of local engagement events that had occurred. She advised that there was a new community messaging service available and added that members can contact her office if they required further information.
· The Panel queried the Commissioner’s election promise towards more funding for neighbourhood policing. The Commissioner assured the Panel this was one of her main priorities.
· The Panel questioned the Commissioner on estates management plan. The Commissioner advised that she would ensure that estates would be managed and assessed where required, and that new technology would be embraced to ensure coverage across Sussex.
· The Panel raised concerns over hate crime reporting levels. The Commissioner advised that it was difficult to get people to report hate crime, and she had recently funded a new hate crime app where the public could easily report hate crime to a third party. She added that the status of a reported crime could be tracked online.
· Members of the Panel questioned what data and analysis would be used to ensure the new model of neighbourhood policing was effective. The Commissioner assured members that she had access t all police data, and that would also take public opinion into account.