Agenda item

To discuss development of the Police and Crime Plan and pass any comments to the Working Group to address.

49. The Panel considered the Report by the Police and Crime Commissioner

which set out the Police and Crime Plan 2017-21.

50. The Chief Executive of the OSPCC took the Panel through the Report. He

explained that the Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner (PCC) had a statutory duty

to set the police and crime objectives for their area through a Police & Crime Plan.

The prescribed content of the Plan was set out in Chapter 3 – Section 7(1) of the

Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 (PRSRA).

51. The current Plan was approved by the Sussex Police & Crime Panel on 11

January 2013 and had been refreshed annually in accordance with Section 5(9)

PRSRA. This Plan also remained valid until 31 March 2017.

Unconfirmed minutes – subject to amendment/confirmation at the next meeting of

the Police and Crime Panel

52. Work on the Police & Crime Plan 2017/21 had begun and would include

shaping, developing and designing community safety priorities which reflected

accurately the expectations of the public. The Plan was intended to cover the

(second) four-year term of office of the PCC and would again be refreshed annually.

He added that a reference group had been set up, which would meet before the

Panel’s working group.

53. The Panel raised the following issues and questions of the Commissioner:

• The Chief Executive Officer confirmed that he would circulate the

presentation given to the Working Group to all Panel members.

• The Panel asked if the objectives were unique to Sussex. The Commissioner

confirmed that they were, as they were part of her manifesto, informed from

talking to local residents. She advised the Panel on what the objectives

covered.

• The Panel raised concerns regarding the objective “Strengthening local

policing”, as residents may feel that changes to the neighbourhood policing

model contradicted this statement, since it sounded as though this meant

more local policing. The Commissioner advised that she would ensure that

stakeholders and the public understood the term.

• The Panel questioned recent concerns highlighted by the Youth

Commissioner, specifically young people being victims rather than

perpetrators of crime. The Commissioner advised that Sussex Police

continued to work with young people in this area.

• The Panel asked whether more information could be put into the Plan. The

Commissioner reminded the Panel that this was a strategic document and

that it was for the Chief Constable to ensure its delivery.

• The Commissioner confirmed that “access to justice” meant ensuring new

technologies were embraced to help officers and victims of crime access

courts and the justice system more easily.

• The Panel were concerned that the reduction in neighbourhood policing would

impact on the elderly population, and that while credit card fraud was

typically addressed by the credit card companies, this was not the case for

the banking industry in respect of bank fraud. The Commissioner explained

that fraud covered a multitude of issues.

• Concerning the precept, the Commissioner advised that the Chief Constable

would need to show a clear business case for any increase.

• The Chairman confirmed that all comments under this item would be

included on the Working Group agenda at its next meeting.

54. Resolved – that the Panel:

1. Notes the Development of the Police and Crime Plan 2017-21.