The Chair welcomed Councillors Derris Watson and Clive Eginton to their first meeting as members of the Panel and asked that a vote of thanks be recorded in respect of former Panel member, Councillor Sue James, in recognition of her previous commitment and contribution to the Panel’s work.

To sign and confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 19 December 2014.

Agreed the minutes of the meeting held on 19 December 2014, subject to the following amendment –

Minute 32, second bullet point to read … “anyone living in south-east Cornwall …” rather than Cornwall as a whole.

Members will be asked to make any declaration of interest in respect of items on this agenda.

The following declaration of interest was made in respect of items under consideration at the meeting –

To receive questions from (and provide answers to) members of the public that are relevant to the panel’s functions.

Questions should be no longer than 100 words and sent to Democratic Support, Plymouth City Council, Floor 3 (West), Ballard House, West Hoe Road, Plymouth PL1 3BJ or democratic.support@plymouth.gov.uk.  Questions must be received at least 5 complete working days before the meeting.

There were no questions from members of the public.

The panel will review, report and agree the findings and formal recommendations made to the PCC in relation to “How is the PCC Strengthening Relationships and Showing Leadership in Partnership Working” and consider the response and actions/progress from the PCC to those recommendations.

Further to the scrutiny review undertaken at its meeting on 19 December 2014, the Community Safety and Partnerships Manager submitted a draft report setting out the Panel’s findings and recommendations, along with the Police and Crime Commissioner’s response.

The Police and Crime Commissioner’s refusal to accept the Panel’s recommendation in relation to funding for CCTV was noted with concern.

In the absence of any further observations or comments, the Panel agreed –

The panel will review the PCC’s plans for refreshing the Police and Crime Plan 2014-2017.

The Panel considered the Police and Crime Commissioner’s plans for refreshing the Police and Crime Plan for 2015-16, as presented by the OPCC Chief Executive. 

Members were informed that the Commissioner was currently seeking views from partners and the public on his proposals to make a number of adjustments to the Plan and that the consultation process would close on 16 February 2015.  Attention was drawn to the report’s highlights which included that –

In response to questions raised, Members heard further that –

The panel will consider the PCC’s proposed level of precept for 2015/16 and will decide whether to support or veto the proposal.

Having regard to discussion undertaken on the previous item (minute 46), the Police and Crime Panel considered the Police and Crime Commissioner’s proposal to increase the precept by 1.99% and the reasoning behind that proposal, as presented by the OPCC Chief Executive, OPCC Treasurer and Chief Constable.  On behalf of the Police and Crime Commissioner, the Chief Executive offered his apologies for being unable to attend the meeting in person.

In addition to the report, Members received a presentation which set out –

§  the PCC’s main financial priorities over the next four years, against a gap in funding of £29m over four years, with £9.8m of that remaining, as yet, unidentified beyond 2016/17

§  the forecast for Government departmental expenditure and unprotected departmental reductions

§  the PCC’s assumptions for price increases

§  the PCC’s budget requirements for 2015/16 to 2018/19

§  details of the grant settlement for 2015/16 and how the gap would be funded

§  savings achieved to date and forecasted savings, including risk

§  a potential loss of 792 staff up to 2018/19

§  the impact of the Council Tax freeze grant

§  underlying financial risks

§  details of the PCC’s revenue reserves

§  the case for a 1.99% increase for 2015/16 and what that would mean to the Council Tax payer –

o   6.4 pence per week (at Band D) - £3.31 per annum

o   5.6 pence per week (at Band C) - £2.93 per annum

§  precept comparisons with other regional forces such as Avon and Somerset

In response to questions raised, Members were advised further that –

The panel will receive from the PCC an update on the performance against objectives in the draft Police and Crime Plan.

Further to minute 37, the OPCC submitted an update on the performance measures set out in the Police and Crime Plan 2014-17 in a revised format.  Highlights of the report included –

Concern was raised over the ‘red’ rating given to the number of recorded hate crimes without having any further mention within the report.  Whilst it was appreciated that there were differences across the force area, incidents of hate crime in Plymouth were rising and this ought to warrant a commentary or analysis.

Other comments/queries raised included –

The OPCC took on board the points raised and offered to revise the report further with a draft being put before the Chair for comment prior to submission to the next meeting.

Members noted the report.

Members will receive a verbal progress report from the PCC in respect of the commissioning intentions/proposals for victims’ services from April 2015.

The OPCC Chief Executive reported that, as the Panel had received a report on the overall commissioning intentions document at the December meeting, he would focus his verbal update on Victim Services.  Members were advised that –

In the absence of any questions or comments being made in respect of this item, the verbal update was noted.

(Councillor Brown was absent for this item and for the remainder of the meeting).

Members will note and agree an updated and proposed work plan for panel meeting business for 2015/16.

The Chair suggested that members give consideration to one item of ‘reactive’ and one item of ‘proactive’ scrutiny for inclusion in the Panel’s Work Plan for 2015/16.  In the meantime, it was suggested that, in response to concerns raised at the last meeting, a ‘reactive’ scrutiny into establishing whether the drop-off in neighbourhood watch in Plymouth was reflected across Devon and Cornwall was undertaken at the next meeting in April.

Agreed –

Members will be provided with a verbal update in respect of the Home Office Grant provided to the Host Authority for administration of the Police and Crime Panel for 2015/16.

The Chair invited Pete Aley, Head of Neighbourhoods and Communities, to provide an update in respect of the Home Office grant for administration of Police and Crime Panels.  Members were advised that funding for 2015/16 had been confirmed, however, information on the amount of funding was still to be released.

The Chair took the opportunity to thank Sarah Hopkins, Community Safety and Partnerships Manager, for her support to the Panel and the way meetings were organised and conducted.

Members noted the verbal update.

The Police and Crime Commissioner has provided the panel with his regular report regarding the activities and decisions he has made since the last Police and Crime Panel meeting.

The OPCC Chief Executive submitted the update report.  As it had only been six weeks since the last update had been presented to the Panel no additional commentary was provided. 

With regard to the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Public Engagement programme, it was –

The update report was noted.

Members will consider the report and, after due consideration, agree the resolutions by the Chief Executive Officer of the OPCC.

The OPCC Chief Executive reported that one complaint had been received during the period 27 November 2014 and 20 January 2015.  This complaint had been referred to the Chair of the Police and Crime Panel, Councillor Croad, and was currently awaiting comment.

The following are the scheduled dates for the panel –

·         20 February 2015 (if Precept Veto’d)

·         10 April 2015 (Activated)

It was noted that the next meeting would take place on 10 April 2015, with the meeting scheduled for 20 February no longer being required.  The Democratic Support Officer to canvas members for dates for the 2015/16 municipal year.