Agenda and minutes

The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting of the Humberside Police and Crime Panel and invited all attendees to introduce themselves and identify the local authority that they represented.

The Chairman informed the Panel of the sad and untimely passing of Councillor Vanessa Walker, who was a former substitute and full Panel Member representing the East Riding of Yorkshire Council.  As a mark of respect, the Panel observed a minute’s silence.

Resolved– That it be noted that apologies had been received from Councillor Abraham (East Riding of Yorkshire Council), Councillor Chaytor (Hull City Council), Councillor Goodwin (North East Lincolnshire Council) and Councillor Hannigan (North Lincolnshire Council).

Resolved – That it be noted that Councillor Weeks was substituting for Councillor Abraham, Councillor Singh was substituting for Councillor Chaytor and Councillor Poole was substituting for Councillor Hannigan.

There were no declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests and personal or personal and prejudicial interests.

Resolved - That the minutes of the meeting of the Police and Crime Panel held on 29 November 2021, having been printed and circulated amongst the members, be taken as read and correctly recorded.

The Chairman welcomed Jonathan Evison, Humberside Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), and Rachel Cook, Chief Executive at the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Office, to the meeting.  The Chairman confirmed that Mr Evisonhad been invited to provide an update to the Panel on any matters of interest, and to respond to any questions about their role.

The Police and Crime Commissioner informed the Panel of the following –

Ø  Response to his attendance and contribution at community meetings across Humberside.

Ø  Office for National Statistics Crime Survey results

Ø  Success of the 101 system

Ø  Progress on the uplift of Police Officers

Ø  Training and development of Police Officers

Ø  Police Community Support Officers recruitment and deployment

Ø  Success of the Domestic abuse campaign

Ø  Success of the Spike campaign

Ø  Progress on the Police Effectiveness, Efficiency and Legitimacy (PEEL) inspection

Ø  Developments in air support in Humberside

Ø  Contribution towards Project Nova

Ø  Proceeds of crime utilisation

Ø  Partnership working

Ø  Application and utilisation of grants

Ø  Promotion and publicity of the Force

Following the Commissioner’s verbal presentation, the Chairman invited the Chief Executive at the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner to comment on the points made by the PCC. 

The Chairman then facilitated a discussion between the Panel Members and Mr Evison and Ms Cook.

Resolved – (a) That the contents of verbal presentation be noted, and (b) that Mr Evison and Ms Cook be thanked for their verbal update and for responding to members’ questions.

The Chairman welcomed Kevin Wilson, the Chief Finance Officer at the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner to the meeting.  Mr Evison and Mr Wilson had been invited to the meeting to discuss with the Panel the Police Precept for 2022-23 and Medium Term Resource Strategy (MTRS) 2022-23 to 2026-27.

The Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) informed the meeting that the MTRS for 2022-23 to 2026-27 that was attached to report as an appendix included the Commissioner’s income and expenditure plans for the next five years.

The MTRS had been updated to take account of budget pressures, savings proposals and the recent provisional Police Finance Settlement that was issued on 16 December 2021.  The capital programme and the projections for the Commissioner’s reserves were also included.

The MTRS sets out a sustainable financial position over the medium-term and included the following key elements:-

Ø  An underspend for the current financial year (2021/22) of £0.06m;

Ø  Financing included in the MTRS for a capital programme of circa £48.01M over the period 2022/23 to 2026/27;

Ø  Impact of the 2022/23 Police Finance Settlement including funding for 129 additional officers as part of year 3 of the national Operation Uplift;

Ø  Savings requirement over the period 2022/23 to 2026/27 of circa £7.5m;

Ø  Total Reserves of £13.2M by 1 April 2027;

The MTRS included a council tax precept increase of £9.99 a year on a Band D property for 2022/23.

The Police and Crime Commissioner informed the Panel that he had a duty to consult the public in regard to the intention to increase the policing precept.  The proposed rate should then be considered by the Police and Crime Panel.

The Commissioner issued a Funding Survey and Council Tax Police Precept consultation which asked for views on increasing the Council Tax Precept by –

Ø  No change;

Ø  £4.99;

Ø  £9.99;

Ø  £14.99.

The results showed strong support of 73.2% for an increase of £9.99 or above on a band D property.  The referendum threshold set by Government for 2022-23 was any increase above £10 on a Band D property.  The key headlines from the consultation were as follows:-

Ø  Total of 1,209 respondents;

Ø  80% of respondents in favour of an increase in precept (45% in favour of £14.99; 28% in favour of £9.99; 6% in favour of £4.99);

Ø  People responded from every Humberside postcode area;

Ø  Of the 80% of respondents in favour of a precept increase; Neighbourhood Policing, 999 Response Patrol and Serious & Organised Crime were the top three areas of policing teams the public felt were most important to them;

Ø  Of the 20% of respondents not in favour of a precept increase; Roads Policing, Armed Response and Neighbourhood Policing were the top three areas the public felt of least importance;

Ø  80% of respondents were aged over 45, of these, 40% were over 65 years;

Ø  The 18-24 years bracket had the least engagement; 0.9% of the sample;

Ø  11% of the sample  ...  view the full minutes text for item 428.

The Chief Executive Officer at the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner circulated the Accountability Board Activity Schedule for the meeting held in November 2021.  The Accountability Board was a partnership meeting held between members of Humberside Police Senior Leadership Team, the Police and Crime Commissioner and his Chief Officers.

Resolved – That the Accountability Board Activity Schedule for November 2021 be received with thanks.

The Chairman informed the meeting that following a request from the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, the March meeting of the Panel had been rescheduled to Tuesday 5 April 2022, commencing at 1:30 pm.

Resolved – That the change of date be noted.

Resolved - That the public be excluded from the meeting for consideration of the following item (Minute 432 refers) on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

The Secretary to the Police and Crime Panel circulated a report which provided the Panel with an update on complaints made against the Humberside Police and Crime Commissioner during the period 1 November 2021 to 31 December 2021.

As part of the complaints procedure it was agreed that the Police and Crime Panel would receive quarterly monitoring reports, at their formal meetings, on the number of complaints received.

During the period 1 November 2021 to 31 December 2021, there have been two complaints submitted against the Police and Crime Commissioner for Humberside.

Members noted the outcome of complaint HPCP/19 and discussed an appropriate response to complaint HPCP/20.

Resolved – (a) That the report be noted, and (b) that the complainant (HPCP/20) be informed that as the complaint falls within paragraph 12.2[i] of the Panels Complaints Policy, no action should be taken.