Agenda item

Members to receive an update of May 2022 reports to the OPCC Corporate Governance Board and overview of Leicestershire Police performance.

Members will be asked to comment on and note the contents of the report.

Members received an update on the May 2022 reports to the OPCC Corporate Governance Board and overview of Leicestershire Police performance. Members were asked to comment on and note the contents of the report.

The Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) presented the report. It was noted that the next meeting of the LLRPCP would receive reports in the form usually sent to the Corporate Governance Board. Reports would include a paper on the ‘Mini Police’ (cadets of junior school age children), a report on the rape investigatory figures, a piece on the policing of local and national elections, a piece on the policing of Remembrance Sunday. At the request of the Chair, draft reports would be provided to Members earlier than scheduled for the next agenda to allow more time for reading due to the number of reports expected.

A concern was raised that if reports were written by the police for the OPCC, how it added to Members’ ability to hold the PCC or OPCC to account. The PCC stated that a report would be requested on a subject matter brought up by members of the public or OPCC that required detail and a response on a particular subject. The reports were then reviewed and scrutinised by the Corporate Governance Board. The purpose of bringing the reports as appendices to the LLRPCP were to allow Members of the Panel to review the reports to ensure the PCC was challenging the force in the right areas. The PCC stated he would take up subjects of interest on behalf of Members should they so wish. It was further noted that the Police and Crime Plan gave further opportunity to hold the PCC to account.

With reference to the Section 3(ii) Violence Against Women and Girls overview, a Member drew comparison with simultaneous, unusual anti-social behaviour particularly relating to male teenagers against young females. He referred to a recent documentary on TV with a female presenter reporting on disturbing behaviours in the metaverse, and it was questioned if there was a connection with copycat behaviour in the virtual world manifested in the real world that had led to an increase in sexual offences amongst women and young females, with data showing increases both locally and nationally. The PCC was asked if he could take the issue back to be looked into further.

With reference to Section 4 Finance, it was appreciated that the PCC may have inherited the current budget, but with regards to pay inflation and backdated pay to police officers, a future report was requested to identify how the increase would be paid for. The PCC informed the meeting that indications from Government was it would fund around half of the pay increase, with the other half to be found locally.

Members noted in the report at section 6(i) that by 2023 60% of uniformed officers would have less than four years of service, therefore the workforce would have collectively less experience. It was also noted that there had been a reduction of 100 officers in planned recruitment of 257 officers, though Council Tax had been increased to pay for extra officers, and it was asked how succession planning had been impacted. The PCC stated that over the past few years there had been a rigorous programme of talent spotting, training and accelerated promotion. The meeting was assured there would be no gaps in the service and senior officers will have undertaken training for the position they were in. He added that by not including the 100 officers in the recruitment, with non-pay inflation and pay increases almost certainly there would have been the difficult decision to reduce the number of officers. The PCC concluded that he had adopted a cautious approach to finances and had taken the view not to have a £14million gap and had taken the decision not to recruit extra police officers and had moved the Council Tax monies for the 100 officers to reserves earmarked for spending on the pay award as a specific commitment.

Members were asked to send further questions on the budget to the OPCC for a written response.

It was asked if ‘Questions to the PCC’ and ‘Announcements from the PCC’ could be placed on the agenda as standing items. The Chair would consider the request at an agenda setting meeting in consultation with the Vice-Chairman, OPCC and Monitoring Officer.

The Chair reported that the Working Party looking at Section 106 would report to the Board on findings and possible recommendations when work was completed. She added she was pleased to see the PCC was looking at a more straightforward funding formula for applications of Section 106 and CIL payments from Police contributions towards developments going forwards. It was noted the PCC had requested more time to go through last minute detail in reports which would hopefully be provided at the next meeting of LLR PCP in September 2022.

RESOLVED:

1.    That the contents of the report be noted.