Meeting documents

Cllr Hayes declared an interest as a trustee for a charity providing services for victims of modern slavery.

To agree the Minutes of the Meeting held on 2 February 2018.

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 2 February 2018 were agreed as a correct record.

Anyone who works or lives in the Thames Valley can ask a question at meetings of the Police and Crime Panel, at which a 20 minute session will be designated for hearing from the public.

If you’d like to participate, please read the Public Question Time Scheme and submit your questions by email to contact@thamesvalleypcp.org.uk at least three working days in advance of the meeting.

http://www.southbucks.gov.uk/article/5242/Public-questions-at-Panel-meetings

There were no public questions.

To question the Police and Crime Commissioner on the recent ‘inadequate’ rating from HMICFRS on crime data integrity. The Deputy Chief Constable will be present for this item.

Full report

https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmicfrs/publications/thames-valley-police-crime-data-integrity-inspection-2017/

The Chairman welcomed the Deputy Chief Constable who was attending the meeting for this item to give a presentation on crime data integrity. The PCC introduced the item reporting that he had made some comments about the format of the inspection and was disappointed with the inadequate rating, particularly bearing in mind that they had been graded outstanding for efficiency and good for effectiveness. He felt that this latest rating did not tie up with the other reports.

The Deputy Chief Constable gave his presentation and made the following points:-

History of Crime Data Integrity

• Disconnect between British Crime Survey and Police Figures. The report commented that TVP had made efforts to improve crime-recording accuracy which have led to some improvements since the 2014 report, which include the introduction of a dedicated team to undertake crime-recording audits, providing training to Contact Management staff and developing an understanding of modern slavery offences among officers and staff
• Performance culture across Public Sector
• Integrity of Police Figures – An audit showed process issues leading to the incorrect classification of a statistically significant proportion of crimes and incidents, exacerbated by some knowledge gaps regarding the detail of the National Crime Recording Standards and the Home Office Counting Rules for Recorded Crime outside the Contact Management Centre. Understanding of the Niche crime-recording system and adequate supervision of crime-recording decisions were also contributory factors. It was recognised that process and recording issues could impact on the service and support provided to the victim, as well as public confidence.
• ‘TVP fully accept the findings’

Inspection Process

·         Review Incidents on Command and Control

·         2000 Command & Control reports + 500 direct entry Crimes – Command and Control record incidents and then deploy officers. Information is then transferred from the crime recording to NICHE, which is another system and there is some complexity around this transfer of information, which should hopefully be addressed with the new Contact Management System.

·         Compare that with Crime System - If not a crime why not?

·         Third Party reporting – this could be from another organisation such as Social Services, dealing with a vulnerable person. In some of these cases, a crime is not recorded but action will still be taken by TVP.

·         Multiple reports – these are always recorded the first time they are sent through but may not be recorded every time. The report found that the Force is failing to ensure it adequately records all reports of rape, other sexual and violence offences, including domestic abuse crimes and crimes reported directly to its public protection departments.

Context:

·         1.3 million calls (pa)

·         300,000 999 calls (pa)

·         1m 101/Switchboard calls

·         17 Forces Requires Improvement/Inadequate

·         HMIC Effectiveness in March : ‘Good’ for operational effectiveness, which does not tie up with the inadequate rating.

·         With the increased demand arising from 999 calls many Forces are finding this challenging, including the consistency in response.

Findings

·         80% compliance = ‘35,000 potentially under recorded’

·         TVP 4/5 – Inadequate ;  Durham 4.5/5 - Good

·         No issues of Integrity or ethics  ...  view the full minutes text for item 158.

To note and ask questions on the topical issues report.

The PCC reported that there has been an upturn in crime nationally. The PCC expressed concern that many of these deaths related to crime fuelled by drugs such as heroin and cocaine and this was becoming a worrying trend for the Thames Valley. He commented that he felt stop and search was being underused and hoped that this was being addressed nationally.

The PCC expressed concern about funding and the year on year reductions to the budget whilst having to deal with complex crimes such as Child Sexual Exploitation, Domestic Abuse, cyber-crime (particularly fraud) and the number of historical cases. There were then further pressures generated by HMIC inspection reports incorporating recommended areas for improvement, and further cuts to partners (which impacted on the Force) including Local Authorities, Ministry of Justice and the Crown Prosecution Service.

Cllr Page referred to page 21 of the agenda in relation to the Force being 98 officers below strength and said that he agreed with the PCC’s comments about the lack of funding. He asked for an update on the number of vacancies and to which areas they related in the Thames Valley. He also referred to page 23 of the agenda and the Government review of council powers for unauthorised encampments and what work had been progressed by the TVP Rural Task and Finish Group. He asked the PCC whether he would respond to this consultation and commented that the Panel should also respond. From a process point of view it took a long time to secure eviction notices and go through the court hearing process

Action: Scrutiny Officer

The PCC reported that they were recruiting officers but explained that one of the issues is that police officers were leaving the Thames Valley because of the cost of living. The Chief Constable reported that they had a number of applications through and also 84 requests for transfers. He reported that the problem was that other Forces were recruiting and taking officers away from the Thames Valley (who had a good reputation for well trained officers). He also reported that civilian case investigators were being used to replace police officer posts and that they were developing a career pathway for investigators (as police staff). The underspend in police officer posts was being used to recruit police staff.

The PCC reported that he would respond to the unauthorised encampments consultation. This was a complex issue and distressing for residents particularly when they ‘trashed’ the site and often at vast expense to the landowner. The PCC commented that he would liaise with the Chairman and Scrutiny Officer when he drafted a response. Cllr Egleton reported that unauthorised encampments were a real concern and it was important that Local Authorities respond to the consultation as well. Last year there had been a number of forced entries with resulting criminal damage. In some cases there was reluctance by the police to take action and it needed to be dealt with swiftly. The Chief Constable asked whether there was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 159.

The PCC will present the Annual Report of the Complaints Integrity and Ethics Panel.

The Panel received the Annual Assurance Report 2017 from the Complaints, Integrity and Ethics Panel. Under the Police Reform Act 2002 the Chief Constable is the appropriate authority responsible for dealing with complaints and misconduct matters raised against TVP police officers and staff below the rank of Chief Constable. In practice the Chief Constable delegates this statutory responsibility to his Professional Standards Department (PSD). Similarly, the PCC has a duty to hold the Chief Constable to account in monitoring the adequacy and effectiveness of the arrangements made by the Chief Constable for dealing with complaints made against the Force. To help discharge their respective responsibilities the PCC and Chief Constable jointly established the Complaints, Integrity and Ethics Panel.

The PCC reported that they had an independent Chairman, Mark Harris. He commented that the Panel’s scrutiny of complaint cases had revealed no serious procedural failures. The Panel were satisfied overall that the procedures comply with the requirements of the national police complaints system and appear fit for purpose, and the management of complaint handling overall by PSD is considered by Members to be of a high standard.

The PCC expressed concern about the amount of time taken up by vexatious complaints and that the equivalent of one officer was dedicated to historical complaints, some of which had not been completed because the complainant continued to contact the OPCC.

Matters of concern that were raised by Members have either been satisfactorily considered or explained at meetings and include the following:-

·         Time taken by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (now called the Independent Office for Police Conduct) to deal with complaints and their perceived inconsistency in terms of what complaint cases they decide to take on.

·         Significant increase in ‘discreditable’ conduct cases

·         A need for greater focus by the Panel on ‘discrimination and equality’ complaints cases

·         The high proportion of complaints that were subjected to local resolution rather than by investigation.

The Panel feel that the positive relationship and degree of trust that has developed with the Chief Constable, the PCC and senior staff has enabled the Panel to contribute constructively and objectively to the ongoing review of the adequacy and effectiveness of the arrangements for handling complaints, and the testing of operational policies and practices from an external, independent, professional standards, integrity and ethics viewpoint.

Members welcomed the report and commented that they looked forward to further guidance from Government on vexatious complaints.

Strategic Objective 3 – Reducing Re-offending.

Panel Members may also wish to ask questions on the OPCC Strategic Delivery Plan  2017/18 (attached) or the Thames Valley Police Delivery Plan including their proposed new plan 2018/19 and Quarter 3 report at the following link:-

 https://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/about-us/publications-and-documents/delivery-plan/

The Panel received the report from the PCC on Strategic Objective 3 of his Police and Crime Panel on reducing reoffending. The PCC reported that the report referred to a number of commissioning activities with voluntary organisations who helped reduce reoffending.

Cllr Page referred to the last page on the report which said that there would be an opportunity this year for partner agencies to apply for grant funding for projects that would help the PCC to deliver against areas within the Police and Crime Plan which are currently identified as gaps. This related to his first three key aims in the Plan. He asked for further information on the process. The PCC reported that this initiative would be launched shortly with a deadline of the end of May. The amount of funding involved was £400,000. The Chief Finance Officer commented that he could let Local Authorities know of this process but he would inform Community Safety Partnerships in the following week.

Action: PCC

Cllr Mann referred to the fact that many offenders had complex needs themselves and how this was being addressed. The PCC reported that this was being dealt with by Health and Wellbeing Boards and the Health Service who were very active in dealing with mental health policies. The Chief Constable reported that there were many good examples of helping offenders with rehabilitation schemes to stop them reoffending in the future. He commented that he would make sure that this information is included in future reports to the Panel. The Chief Executive, OPCC also reported that there was a cross over with this priority and the first priority in the Police and Crime Plan relating to vulnerability. One of the key aims in Strategic Objective 1 was improving recognition across the criminal justice system of mental health distress experienced by both victims and offenders.

In relation to the OPCC Delivery Plan (page 46 of the agenda) Cllr Page asked for further information relating to Camden Council’s coercive control campaign which is being utilised by the OPCC in June 2018.

Action: PCC

Cllr Hayes asked about how concerned the PCC was in relation to the increase in drug trafficking and knife crime relating to serious organised crime ? The PCC referred to county lines and the major drug dealers who operated in London and Birmingham who were now targeting the Thames Valley. He expressed concern about stop and search and referred to the pressure of putting under 18’s in police cells. Children were being exploited to ‘run’ drugs to other towns and cities but there was a safeguarding issue as some of these children were victims themselves and could be being blackmailed. He commented that this was a real concern and referred to the recent murder in Oxford which was gang related. Cllr Egleton referred to the special operation in Oxford. The Chief Constable commented that they were trying to dismantle and disrupt groups and reported that some children were being ‘cocooned’ and exploited for drugs and sex.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 161.

The Chairman will present the report of the Sub-Committee and ask the Panel to agree any recommendations in the report.

Cllr Mallon, Chairman of the Preventing CSE Sub Committee presented the report and the recommendations were agreed by the Panel as follows:-

RECOMMENDATIONS

1.       Panel Members have asked that the PCC consider whether he is able to help the Oxfordshire Children’s Safeguarding Board CSE Sub Group on developing their research on perpetrator profiling as follows :-

To consider commissioning a new piece of academic research to expand on the work presented to the Sub Group on perpetrator profiling and look at some additional hypothesis. Given the clear potential strategic benefits of this work, approaches could also be considered to the other Local Authorities and Health providers within Thames Valley to broaden the research and available resource further.

2. That the Panel be kept updated on the review of the Berkshire Multi Agency Safeguarding Hubs

3. That an update be given to Panel Members on the new regulations for Multi Agency Safeguarding (Children and Social Work Act 2017) which has to be put in place by May 2018 and how this is being addressed in the Thames Valley.

4.       The Deputy PCC to look at a pilot Scheme (for having a logo/kitemark for the Hotelwatch Scheme) and whether there could be some match funding from Councils as currently the Hotelwatch Scheme was not operationally consistent across the Thames Valley and this could help ensure that there was a standard approach across all areas and that the % of hotels signed up to the Scheme could be monitored.

5.       That the PCC/Deputy PCC agree the final details for the Single Point of Contact Post (taxi licensing)

6.   That Members use any links with schools to help open the pathway for CSE Awareness including the promotion of healthy relationships

       Update

       A number of related issues were raised under this heading:-

·         Developing conversations with closed communities such as travellers and ethnic minority groups.

·         Developing work with primary schools on CSE issues and whether this can be available to all children rather than requiring parental permission. Getting the right access to school children was crucial.

·         Following the success of Chelsea’s Choice whether a similar production could be used to highlight Honour Based Abuse, Forced Marriage and FGM targeted at areas of high risk.

·         Concern was raised about different ethnic groups not mixing at school and whether more work needed to be undertaken with the education sector. Reference was made to the Louise Casey report which had been published in December 2016 and that after a year nationally concern was being raised that nothing was being done with regard to community cohesion and that there needed to be an integration oath. The PCC was asked to provide an update to this meeting on what they were doing as an organisation.

6.1That the PCC/Deputy PCC provide an update on what he and TVP are doing in response to the Louise Casey recommendations and to provide an update on what actions can be taken to address the other points raised above.

7.            For the PCC/Deputy PCC to consider whether  ...  view the full minutes text for item 162.

Members are asked to note the report.

Members noted the report.

For Panel Members to put forward items for the Work Programme including ideas for themed meetings.

Members noted the Work Programme and were asked to submit any future items for consideration to the Scrutiny Officer. Cllr Hayes commented that he had sent in some proposals for the Work Programme and asked for them to be considered.

Action: Scrutiny Officer

22 June 2018 at 11am.

22 June 2018 – 11am - Aylesbury Vale District Council

Members who were not returning to the Panel following their Annual Council Meetings in May were thanked for their enormous contribution.