Agenda item

Report by the Police and Crime Commissioner

The Police and Crime Panel is required to review the Commissioner’s annual

report. The Commissioner will outline the  annual report and the

appendix which includes the financial outturn report for the year ended 31

March 2014.

The Panel is asked to review, put questions to the Commissioner and make

recommendations on the annual report if necessary. All recommendations

agreed by the Panel will be published in a report from the Chairman to the

Commissioner.

18.    The Panel considered the Commissioner’s Annual Report which provided details of the work of the Commissioner during 2013/14. The Commissioner introduced the report and highlighted: collaborative work with Surrey Police; the Estates Strategy; the Safer in Sussex Community Fund; the precept increase; the recruitment of additional officers; and the establishment of a Youth Commission.

19.    The Panel raised the following issues with the Commissioner:

·         The Commissioner was asked how she had publicised the Youth Commissioner in local authority areas. The Commissioner reported that the Commission was producing very positive outcomes and that it had been publicised to schools and existing Youth Councils and Youth Cabinets in Sussex.

·         The Panel asked if serving PCSO’s would be given the opportunity to apply for newly created positions produced as a result of the Commissioner’s recruitment drive. It was confirmed that PCSOs could apply for the roles and would need to pass through the selection process.

·         Details were requested of how the Safer in Sussex Community Fund was impacting on crime and disorder and methods to evaluate the effectiveness of the Fund. Street Games in Hastings was highlighted as a successful project that had produced a positive reduction in criminal activity in the area. Reassurance was requested that the funding would continue to be provided in future years. Work was on-going with the allocation of funding and a measurement of the impact of funding initiatives would be undertaken. Assurance was sought from applicants that the projects accorded with the priorities contained in the Police and Crime Plan. The Commissioner confirmed that the funding would continue.

·         The Panel queried the collaboration that had been undertaken with Surrey Police. Residents in the North of the County close to the border with Kent often contracted Kent Police in preference to Sussex Police. It was felt that efforts to collaborate with the Kent force should be as proactive as collaboration activities with Surrey Police. The Commissioner confirmed that operation collaboration occurred with all neighbouring forces. The five South East forces coordinated in the policing of borders to address organised crime. The work undertaken with Surrey Police was an operation and organisational collaboration.

·         The Panel asked whether the framework to assess the success of CSPs had been effectively applied during this year. The objective of the framework has been to ensure that partnerships were effective and that worked collaboratively. The framework required CSps to align with the priories in the Police and Crime Plan and coordinate funding pots.

·         The examples of the Estates Strategy outlined in the Annual Plan referred to accommodation in West Sussex. The Commissioner was asked for examples from East Sussex. The co-location of Sussex Police in Hove Town Hall was welcomed and further information was sought on other large accommodation at Sussex House and Johns Street. Examples in East Sussex included in Eastbourne, where the Police Station had been moved into council offices, and in Newhaven, where accommodation had been shared with the East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service. At Johns Street there was an investment programme to refurbish the building that was currently in progress; Sussex House was a leased property from Brighton and Hove City Council and discussions were on-going. Officers from Sussex House would be transferred to Johns Street and Sussex HQ.

·         Concern was expressed that a £400,000 underspend from the Sussex Safer Roads Partnership was reported in the outturn position from the last year but serious problems with speeding in rural areas of Sussex remained. The work of local Speed Watch organisations was highlighted; the reported underspend could be utilised by established and new groups. The Commissioner was supportive of the Community Speed Watch groups and encouraged more communities to be involved in local campaigns. The Commissioner raised the performance of the Roads Policing Unit during regular meetings with the Chief Constable.  

·         The recruitment exercise undertaken by the Commissioner to increase police visibility was queried particularly where vacancies on Neighbourhood Policing Teams existed. Such issues were present in Horsham and in Adur DC. Concern was expressed that neighbourhood policing teams were being involved in police response situations which detracted from the role of community policing. The Commissioner reported that the recruitment exercise was making good progress and a response regarding the number of officers around Horsham would be requested from Sussex Police. The issue regarding neighbourhood policing teams and involvement in response situations would be raised with the Chief Constable.

20.    Eileen Lintill left the meeting at 11.19 a.m. and re-joined the meeting at 11.23 a.m.

·         The Commissioner was asked about her commitment to victim support and building trust between victims and the criminal justice system. It was noted that a low level of reporting existed in rural areas. The Panel highlighted the significant work undertaken by voluntary organisations within victim support and the importance of their involvement in plans for the future provision of victim support. The responsibility for victim services passed to the Commissioner next year. Work had been undertaken with other areas and PCCs to commission the best services. A number of local areas in the South East had collaborated to commission victim services and would be going out to tender shortly reporting in rural areas was a challenge particularly amongst young people.

·         The Panel also requested a rolling update on the allocation of funding under the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA). The Commissioner confirmed that part of the Safer in Sussex Fund was provided through POCA and a breakdown was provided on the Commissioner’s website.

·         The Panel queried the reported increase in Hate Crime and asked if this was the result of greater levels of reporting. A breakdown of the increase across the five stands of hate crime was requested. The increase demonstrated an increase in the level of reporting which was welcomed. A breakdown would be provided.

·         Recent press reports of absconded prisoners from Ford Prison were raised and if any details or figures concerning the issue could be circulated o reassure residents that the issue was not as serious as portrayed in the media. Furthermore it was asked if the Chief Constable was consulted about the type or prisoner located within Sussex prisons. The Assistant Chief Constable had met with the Governor of Ford Prison along with a representative of the Ministry of Justice. There would be a response from the Chief Constable to the query concerning prisoners allocated to Sussex Prisons. The issues affecting Ford Prison would be raised at the Sussex Criminal Justice Board which contained representation from the Sussex Prisons.

·         The impact of Heritable Bank and the lack of investments due to risk aversion following the 2008 financial crisis.

21.   It was requested that rather than merely note the Commissioner’s Annual Report the Panel should support or acknowledge and accept the report.

22.   Resolved – that the Panel notes and accepts the Commissioner’s Annual Report and agrees to write to the Commissioner to outline the comments made.

23.    Sarah Osborne and Rosalyn St Pierre left the meeting at 11:4 a.m.