Alison Hernandez (Police and Crime Commissioner), presented the report to the Panel and highlighted the following key points: 

a) The Commissioner provided an overview of the police estate, noting that policing received no capital funding from central government. All capital investment was therefore funded through revenue or borrowing. The estate comprisedof 146 buildings valued at approximately £178 million, including police stations (some with front desks and custody suites), offices, and covert locations; 

b) The Commissioner highlighted that His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services had recently published a report emphasising the lack of capital funding and the challenges this posed to meeting government ambitions for policing infrastructure; 

c) The Commissioner confirmed that there were 26 public inquiry facilities, with plans to increase this to 27; 

In response to questions raised it was reported that:  

d) The condition of the Charles Cross police station and custody suite in Plymouth. The Commissioner responded that while the building was functional and fit for purpose, investment was planned for the custody suite, which would require temporary closure. She acknowledged the building’s age but noted that other sites, such as Newquay and Torquay, were in a worse condition; 

e) The Commissioner expressed openness to exploring joint ventures or alternative funding models, such as One Public Estate, but reiterated that significant investment was not currently feasible without external support; 

f) The Panel discussed the importance of maintaining police visibility in city centres and the challenges posed by relocating stations to out-of-town sites; 

g) It was noted that Plymouth’s summer tourism placed additional pressure on police estates, particularly during peak periods; 

h) The Panel raised the omission of reference to Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service’s estate consultation and Homes England’s master planning work with Plymouth City Council. The Commissioner confirmed that her office was engaged with the One Public Estate programme in Devon and had ongoing discussions with other public sector partners, including the NHS. She acknowledged the need for clearer integration of these initiatives in future reports; 

j) The Commissioner confirmed that a £26 million capital programme was in place, funded through policing budgets and borrowing. Maintenance was included within this programme and detailed in the Medium-Term Financial Strategy presented at the February budget meeting; 

k) The Commissioner stated that she hoped future national policing reforms would include capital funding, though no commitments had yet been made; 

l) The Panel discussed the temporary police station in North Devon, which had received positive feedback from the community. The Commissioner welcomed the suggestion of exploring a more permanent solution and expressed interest in further discussions; 

m) Concerns were raised about staffing shortages in custody suites, which sometimes led to closures despite building compliance. The Commissioner confirmed that a report on custody operating models and costs was due in late 2025 and would include staffing and welfare issues. She noted that Devon and Cornwall Police operated six custody suites due to geographic challenges and that staffing, healthcare provision, legal aid, and appropriate adult services all presented ongoing difficulties; 

n) The Commissioner confirmed that she would be willing to bring the custody report back to the Panel once available; 

o) The Panel discussed the importance of community hubs and mobile police stations in maintaining police presence and public confidence. The Commissioner praised the success of the Penzance Safe and Well Hub and confirmed that two mobile police station vehicles had been purchased. A delivery plan for their deployment was being developed and would be shared with Panel members. 

Recommendations: 

1.    That future estates reports include explicit reference to One Public Estate, Homes England master planning, and other public sector estate initiatives.

2.    That the custody report be brought back to a future meeting of the Panel and would include detailed analysis of staffing, welfare, and detainee rights. 

3.    That the Commissioner explore opportunities for permanent solutions to temporary estate arrangements where community feedback is positive. 

4.    Commissioner to re-engage with Cornwall’s estates coordination and ensure integration with wider public sector regeneration initiatives.