Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor W Fitzgerald (Swansea Council), A Michael (Police and Crime Commissioner) and U Hussain (Chief Finance Officer South Wales Police).

The Panel were advised that Mr Michael was unable to attend due to ill health and the Panel extended their well wishes to the Commissioner.

Members are reminded of their personal responsibility to declare any personal and prejudicial interest in respect of matters contained in this agenda in accordance with the provisions of the Local Government and Finance Act 1992 relating to Council Tax, the Local Government Act 2000, the Council’s Constitution and the Members Code of Conduct

Note:

(a)  Members are reminded that they must identify the item number and subject matter that their interest relates to and signify the nature of the personal interest and

(b)  Where Members withdraw from a Meeting as a consequence of the disclosure of a prejudicial interest they must notify the Chair when they leave

M Jehu Declared his Interest in the agenda as he is a Non Executive Trustee of Safer Merthyr Tydfil who receives funding from the Commissioners Office.

S James Declared her Interest in the agenda as she is an Associated Trainer with Welsh Women’s Aid and delivers Courses.

B Bowen-Thomson Declared her Interest in the agenda as she is Chief Executive of Safer Wales who receives funding from the Commissioners Office.

Arising on Minute No 18 – Demand Presentation – A Member referred to the way that Mental Health had been included in the sentence and that this was not an accurate reflection of the question that had been raised and clarified the question for the Panel.

Arising on Minute No 17 – Policing Crime Panel Conduct – Use of Phones – The Chief Constable referred to ‘misconduct’ and advised that this was not an accurate reflection of what had been stated at the Meeting and clarified the statement for the Panel.

Resolved subject to the foregoing that:

The Minutes of the Meeting held 6 December 2022 be accepted as a correct record.

The Chair welcomed Emma Wools Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner, Jeremy Vaughan Chief Constable, Joanna Marl Assistant Chief Constable, Lee Jones Chief Executive to the Commissioner and Peter Curran Chief Finance Office and Treasurer to the Commissioner to the Meeting.

The following Presentation was then made to the Panel:

·        Our Priorities

·        Working with Partners

·        Community Safety / Neighbourhood Policing

·        Summary of Survey Responses – 1584 people who either live, work or visit South Wales took part in the survey

·        Precept contribution responses – Support for precept increase of approximately £1.25 per month (Whole of South Wales) - Support for precept increase of approximately £1.50 per month (Whole of South Wales)

·        Force Performance – National Rankings

·        Standards and Public Confidence – HMIC Thematic – Counter Corruption and Vetting – ‘Good’

·        Force Inspection – HMIC Inspection graded the Force as ‘Good’

·        South Wales Police Demand 2022 – January 2022 – December 2022

·        Rolling 12 Month Trend and Forecast Graph - Rape and Serious Sexual Offences (RASSO)

·        Rolling 12 Month Trend and Forecast Graph – Violence with Injury

·        Rolling 12 Month Trend and Forecast Graph – Public Order Offences

·        South Wales Police 2023 Challenges – Safeguarding and Vulnerability – Drug Related Harm – Child Exploitation and Abuse – Cost of Living – Increase in Crime – Rise in Serious Violence – Community Tension and Public Unrest

·        Doing even more to protect our Communities

·        Our approach to Crime is working – Graph 2011/12 – 2020/21

·        How we do better – Incidence of Crime in Comparison to MSG 2011 to 2021

·        Police Grant Headlines – 2023/24 – Police Uplift, Police Grant Flat, Apprenticeship Levy, Non-pay Inflation

·        Level of cuts from our Police Grant

·        Changes since 2011 – They are shifting the burden on to us

·        Unresolved Systemic Budget Issues – The Capital City of Wales, The Funding Formula Freeze, The Apprenticeship Levy – In addition to a loss of Capital Grant

·        Police Grant per Head of Population 2021

·        Our Precept History – Graph 1995/96 – 2022/23

·        Percentage of Properties paying less then Band D Precept

·        Limited room to cut without putting the public at risk

·        Shortfall in Government Funding – How the Shortfall is Financed

·        Budget and Financial Forecast 2022-27

·        Precept Proposal 2023/2024 –

·        £1.86 increase per month for a Band D (7.4%)

·        £1.24 per month increase for Band A and £1.45 increase for Band B

·        68% of our households are below Band D

·        Most will pay between 29p and 38p extra a week

·        Our Precept History

·        Our Approach to Crime is Working

The Panel were also advised that additional documents would be circulated to support the Presentation.

The following questions were then raised by the Panel on the Presentation and were responded to in detail by J Vaughan and the Commissioners Officers:

·        Firearms Unit – Funding query

·        Neighbourhood Policing

·        Clarification on Survey responses

·        Police on the Street

·        Joint Procurement with other Forces

·        Impact and pressure on Officers – What is morale like

·        Impact of increased Council Tax

·        Back office staff – Has there been  ...  view the full minutes text for item 25.

To receive a verbal update.

Work is currently underway to refresh and update the Police and Crime Plan, something that the commissioner has done each year in the past 10 years in order to ensure that the plan looks four years ahead with the right level of ambition and is always fresh and up-to-date in terms of meeting contemporary challenges and reflecting the hopes and ambitions of our public in South Wales.

This is done in conjunction with the Chief Constable whose delivery plan then reflects the police and crime plan in terms of operational practicalities.

The full refresh document will be presented to the next meeting of the panel, but on this occasion, the Commissioner will give a brief summary of the areas of focus in order to give the panel an opportunity to comment and indicate any areas of concern that members wish to see addressed.

Lee Jones advised the Panel that a Draft of the Refresh of the Police and Crime Plan would be presented at the next Panel Meeting.

To consider the attached report

Simon Jones referred the Panel to the Complaints and the Panel Rules of Procedure report and updated the Panel on the Complaints received as outlined in Appendix 1 of the report.

A Panel Member referred to the recommendation and proposed that the recommendation at Paragraph 4.2 be amended to include ‘in the absence of the Chair and Vice Chair a Panel Member be included’.

Resolved that:

(a)    The Complaints detailed in Appendix 1 be noted

(b)    The Rules of Procedure at Paragraphs 21.2 and 21.4 be amended to insert after the words ‘the Chair of the Panel’ the words ’(and in their absence the Vice Chair of the Panel or in the absence of both a Panel Member).

To consider the attached report

Simon Jones referred the Panel to the Panel Sub-Groups report and advised that the allocation to the sub groups could be amended.

Resolved that:

The Allocation of Members to Panel Sub-Groups be accepted.

The Chair advised that there was no other business deemed urgent.