Agenda item

The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Communities which briefed Members on the draft Police and Crime Plan for Cheshire 2013, Making Cheshire an even safer place to live

The Board was advised that Under the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011, Police &Crime Commissioners had to produce a Police & Crime Plan for their area for the term in which they would be in office.  Following the Police and Crime Commissioner elections in November 2012, the draft Police and Crime Plan had been developed for Cheshire and it set out the Commissioner’s objectives during his period of office for consultation.

The Board was further advised that the development of the Plan had taken into account a range of information regarding local and national priorities through a stakeholder analysis. The stakeholder analysis had brought together information from a number of sources in order to meet the statutory requirements for producing the plan.  

It was reported that information regarding financial and other resources and crime and disorder reduction grants had not yet been included, as the police grant announcement had only been made by the Home Office on 19 December 2012. Actions would also be included under each of the Commissioner’s objectives identified within the Police and Crime Plan. These actions were currently under development and would be included in the final version of the police and crime plan.

          Furthermore, it was reported that the PCC set out five key objectives within the draft Police and Crime Plan and for each of these objectives a number of performance measures were proposed in order to monitor progress. Details on the background information which had led to the objectives were set out in Appendix 1 to the report.

        It was also reported that consultation on the Police & Crime Plan was required under section 14(3) of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011. The closing date for comments on the draft Police and Crime Plan was the 25th January 2013.

        Furthermore, it was highlighted that there were some areas that Members may wish to highlight in their response, in particular, that there should be more focus upon domestic violence, prolific and persistent offenders and integrated offender management.  Halton repeat domestic violence offenders were of particular concern and in 2011 Members had agreed more investment in the domestic violence service.

        Following the consultation, an updated Police and Crime Plan would be presented to the Police & Crime Panel in February who would report / make recommendation(s) to the Commissioner.  The Commissioner was scheduled to consider the Panel’s report / recommendations at the Decision Meeting on 26 February 2013 and must provide the Panel with the response.

It was also reported that during March 2013, arrangements would then be made for an executive summary to be produced and for the Plan to be published and disseminated.

Members of the Board were encouraged to send any comments to Mike Andrews by no later than 21 January 2013.

In respect of establishing a Sentencing Unit within the PCC Office to help improve the confidence that communities have in every step of the criminal justice system, it was highlighted that witnesses very often felt vulnerable.  It was suggested some of the local sentences could be reviewed alongside the feedback that had been received from people and this could be utilised to increase some of the sentences. 

The Board noted the excellent service provided by Halton’s Victim Support Unit.  In addition, the Board requested that information on the PCC’s staffing duties and funding and on how perpetrators received mental health support in pre court, court and prison be circulated to all Members of the Board.

RESOLVED: That the report and comments raised be noted.