Agenda item

To receive a verbal update from the Commissioner and the Chief Constable regarding approaches taken across the Hampshire policing area in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Further, to allow Members to ask questions of the Commissioner to enable the Panel to understand both the financial and wider impacts of delivering policing and community safety during this time, to support the Panel in its preparation for the scrutiny of the proposed budget and precept for 2021/22.

Members received an update from the Chief Constable regarding policing during the Covid-19 pandemic, along with other matters raised by Panel Members in advance of the meeting, to support preparations for the Panel’s scrutiny of the Commissioner’s proposed precept in January. It was heard that:

·         During the first national lockdown there had been a significant fall in the number of calls received into the Constabulary with a 25% reduction in calls to 999. During the same time a 700% uplift in online reporting of crimes had been observed. This shift to online reporting had enabled 101 waiting times to reduce and enabled the Constabulary to support more of its staff to work safely from home.

·         Neighbourhood Policing Teams had shifted to significant online presence, with reduction of face-to-face policing. The force had seen 2.5 million engagements per week through their Facebook channels, opening up a two-way flow of communication.

·         The drop in the night time economy had resulted in a reduction in the number serious violence and sexual offences occurring outside the home. However levels of domestic violence had increased both nationally and locally and there had been a 50% uplift in reports of child at risk referrals across the policing area since children had returned to school. Therefore an enhanced priority had been placed upon addressing home-based crime by the force.

·         Other crimes had returned to normally observed levels since the end of the lockdown period. Some road safety measures, such as SpeedWatch had been curtailed during lockdown, for both volunteer safety and because of reduced road use, but Members had heard that this had since been resumed. It was recognised that there would be lost income from the scale back in driver awareness training, however any revenues generated from this were re-invested in enhancing road safety measures and therefore this would not have a detrimental effect on the policing budget.

·         The force had received approximately 120-130 health calls per day in relation to health, wellbeing and Covid-19 concerns from local residents and had implemented specialist Covid cars to respond to such reports.

·         On the whole residents across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight had acted in compliance with the Covid-19 rules and requirements, which was regarded to be a successful outcome by all involved and had seen infection rates remaining low across the policing area.

·         The impact of the pandemic on the CJS was of significant concern. A royal commission had been announced by the government shortly before the outbreak of Covid-19 to look at the performance of the Criminal Justice System (CJS).

·         Locally, at the point when the pandemic hit there were 1000 defendants awaiting charging, which was considered to be at normal levels, and volumes had been maintained at these levels despite the challenges presented by Covid-19. It was considered that this was in part due to the well-established and robustly managed out-of-court disposal service, funded by the Commissioner. However pressures were being felt elsewhere and an example was given of the rise from 2,500 to 5,000 defendants who had been charged but were awaiting trial or sentencing since the outbreak of the pandemic. The Constabulary were working closely with all partners including courts, probation, the prison service and victims and witness support services to seek to address the pressures on the system. Additionally it was heard that the force had supported the courts by facilitating remote remand during lockdown, however the impact on trial dates had been significant, increasing from weeks and months to timeframes of over a year in some cases.

·         The impact on victims and witnesses, as well as on defendants, of delayed hearing was recognised to be significant and more resource was being moved into the victim and witness care teams within the Constabulary to support increased workload for officers, who were now managing over 200 cases, rather than the usual levels of approximately 100.

·         Ensuring the safety and wellbeing of officers and staff during the pandemic was paramount. The force had a dedicated team to support staff wellbeing and had assisted with home working arrangements as well as supporting mental health wellbeing and risk assessments had been undertaken for staff identified to be at increased risk from the virus. As well as mental wellbeing the force had focussed upon physical wellbeing to deliver frontline fitness, and had supported staff with nutrition and healthy food offerings. Guidance and a pandemic toolkit had also been provided to managers. Members heard that levels of sickness and absence within Hampshire Constabulary had been amongst the lowest in the country.

·         There were approximately 5,000 paid staff and over 1,000 volunteers within the Constabulary. 10% of the paid staff had been enabled to work from home each day, with some departments able to work fully remotely and others unable to as their work was within the public domain. For those working from home laptops had been provided and those working on the frontline had received uniform bags, handmade by staff at ACRO, to enable them to store and clean unform safely.

·         The force had sufficient levels of good quality personal protective equipment (PPE) and the Chief Constable had recently received confirmation of additional funding from central government for the cost of PPE.

·         The force were focussed upon staying safe and maintaining public safety by avoiding spreading the disease when on duty. Other measures to enhance safety had been the use of single crewing (single officers using each card) and a specialist car to respond to reports of sudden Covid deaths. All 82 buildings used by the force had been Risk Assessed and considered as Covid secure. Internal communications had focussed on maintaining Covid-safe practices of work. There was a recognised fear from officers about being attacked or spat on whilst on duty. The Chief Constable had recently written to magistrates, thanking them for robustly and swiftly dealing with any incidents of emergency services workers being spat at whilst out serving communities.

·         Work enabling the uplift in officer numbers and digital and estates work programmes had continued and the Chief Constable was confident that these programmes were on track to deliver as forecasted. The uplift programme continue to be funded, as outlined within the budget and included allowance for all associated oncosts.

·         The volumes of recruitment had been far more significant than in many previous years, and the Chief Constable had recently welcomed a cohort of over 90 new officers into the force. The recruitment programme had enabled the force to expand its diversity profile, in-line with the ongoing objective to make the force representative of the communities it serves, and it was heard over 12% of new recruits had been from BAME groups.

·         It was expected that policing would deliver a balanced budget, with a forecasted £1m underspend against the budget by the end of the year, with Covid costs starting to trend down. It was anticipated that Covid costs for the Constabulary would amount to approximately £1.2 million by the end of the year.

·         It was also anticipated that there would be 99 officers over the budgeted establishment at the end of the year, due to reduced attrition levels in year, but this was expected to be smoothed out against future recruitment and retention plans.

·         Even with the additional officers, Hampshire Constabulary was still significantly underfunded through the national funding formula, which meant fewer officers on the ground and an inability to deliver all policing would like to for residents. The anticipated central funding for an uplift in staff numbers had not proceeded, however the force had been able to maintain PSCO levels.

·         ACRO (criminal records office), housed by Hampshire Constabulary, saw a significant drop in income as a result of the reduction in international travel. When the pandemic struck ACRO offered to administer all fixed penalty notices for healthcare breaches, including devising a new system which didn’t exist and the huge amount of work and effort involved in delivering this was recognised by the Chief Constable. It was heard that ACRO’s financial position for the year was being reviewed, however that there would not be an impact on the force’s budget as they held their own set of reserves.

·         The Constabulary’s medium term financial strategy (MTFS) was being developed alongside that of the Commissioner and would include £7m of mandatory costs. The precept position was as yet unknown, but it was expected that council tax revenues would fall as a result of the pandemic.

·         The force strategy had remained place, with updates introduced to reflect the Commissioners updated Police and Crime Plan to 2022.

The Chairman thanked the Chief Constable for her time in attending the meeting and for providing an update to Members.

A list of questions raised by Members to be addressed to the PCC was read aloud by the Chairman. It was heard that a response to the questions would be provided in writing, following the meeting, in the Commissioner’s absence.

The Chair paused the meeting for a 10 minute comfort break, suspending the meeting from 11:30 to 11:40.