Agenda item

To receive a quarterly update from the Police and Crime Commissioner detailing performance of and delivery against the Police and Crime Plan, with a spotlight on Youth Engagement and Equality and Diversity.

The Chairman invited Councillor Matthew Renyard, Chairman of the Policy and Performance Working Group, to give an update from the most recent meeting of the Working Group. It was heard that:

·         At the meeting, Members heard update from the Commissioner’s Team on Youth Offending, Youth Engagement and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. In particular, helpful discussion was noted in relation to disproportionality, the use of stop and search, the Commissioner’s oversight of force performance and the work of the Youth Offending Team.

·         The Working Group also received feedback from the Commissioner on progress made since the recommendations of the Panel’s proactive scrutiny review of Youth Offending were made in 2015. The Working Group was assured to hear of improved links with Community Safety Partnerships, performance management of all commissioned projects by the OPCC and greater consistency pan Hampshire and the Isle of Wight in the provision of support for children and young people to preventing criminalisation.

·         It was noted that Working Group had raised concerns with the Commissioner’s Team regarding the lack of detailed and quantitative data being provided to the Working Group to demonstrate and assure the Panel of progress being made.

Members received a presentation from the Commissioner outlining delivery against the Police and Crime Plan. Through the presentation and in response to Members questions it was heard that:

·         The Commissioner met frequently with the Chief Constable to hold them to account for operational policing delivery. The Commissioner shared with the Panel the framework used, demonstrating examples where objectives had been successfully completed, including in tackling unauthorised encampments and response to homicide and other  serious violent crime.

·         To support Members understanding of data being captured and monitored the OPCC, the Commissioner offered to provide a regular six-monthly briefing to the Panel.

·         The Commissioner’s Youth Commission gave young people a voice, an opportunity to challenge the Commissioner’s delivery and to contribute towards solutions and outcomes, including influencing the priorities of the Police and Crime Plan. Members heard that the Youth Commission enhanced young people’s trust and confidence in policing and the wider Criminal Justice System. A recently held conference had raised awareness of the achievements of the Youth Commission over the last year and the concerns expressed by young people through the Big Conversation work.

·         The Commissioner had a responsibly to support, challenge and enhance the criminal justice provision across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. Members heard that the Commissioner had captured action plans from partners across the Criminal Justice System and had sought to co-ordinate an approach to identify good practice and gaps in provision.

·         A Scrutiny Manager within the OPCC regularly reviewed how policing powers were used, with representatives of the OPCC also sitting on the Constabulary’s own scrutiny panels. Members heard that OPCC had powers of oversight to identify and address any disproportionate use of Stop and Search powers.

·         A suggestion raised by the Police and Performance Working Group regarding Adultification had been reported to the force.

·         The Constabulary had been accepted as an early-adopter of the National Race Action Plan and had put themselves forward as an ice-breaker force to trial a number of initiatives under the plan.

·         The Commissioner noted that the Chief Constable had taken a strong position on a positive police culture and made a commitment that any inappropriate actions undertaken by Police Officers and staff would not be covered up. Additional staff communications had recently been undertaken across the Constabulary to reinforce and offer reassurance that concerns could be reported anonymously, making clear that staff and officers would be fully supported to come forward to raise any concerns.

·         23 Police Officers were currently under investigation, facing allegations of sexual impropriety and/or domestic abuse were suspended on full pay from the Constabulary. The Commissioner had written to the Locally Qualified Chairs, asking them to bring such cases forward for hearing swiftly and for hearings to be held in public wherever possible to enhance transparency.  It was further heard that the Commissioner had provided funding for an additional Independent Domestic Violence Advisor (IDVA) and Independent Sexual Violence Advisor (ISVA) to support victims of sexual or domestic abuse, when required, where the perpetrator worked, either currently or previously, for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary.

RESOLVED:

That the update on the performance and delivery of the Police and Crime Plan is noted.