(a)

with regard to the Safer Plymouth Partnership Board –

·         its agendas and minutes were now published to the internet and its meetings were open to the public;

·         its membership had increased as a result of the split of the Probation Service – one representative from the National Probation Service and one from the Community Rehabilitation Company.  In addition, the Office of Public Health and Police and Crime Commissioner were now core members;

·         it had recently agreed its commissioning intentions for 2015/16 which had been determined in line with the priorities identified in the most recent Safer Plymouth Partnership Strategic Assessment, Peninsula Strategic Assessment, Police and Crime Plan and current performance in Plymouth;

(b)

there were increasing concerns about the decline in neighbourhood watch members and, as a result, the Police and Crime Panel would shortly be undertaking a scrutiny review into the matter.  Members were asked to talk to their constituents and community groups and pass any comments back to Sarah, who was co-ordinating a consultation as part of the scrutiny review.  This information would then be considered by the Police and Crime Panel at its next meeting.

(c)

was trying to ensure that the seven Community Safety Partnerships and five Health and Wellbeing Boards within his force area were joined up as much as possible by either attending personally or by being represented;

(d)

welcomed the positive report from Safer Plymouth and particularly applauded the increased reporting of crime in general;

(e)

had retained his Crime Plan priorities for the year but would also be focussing on cyber-crime child sexual exploitation;

(f)

Chaired an alcohol focus group which was represented by all 43 Police Force Police and Crime Commissioners across the UK.  Currently the views of all members and their Chief Constables were being surveyed with a view to lobbying central government with concerns about the harm alcohol was causing;

(g)

was keen to work with the alcohol industry and supermarkets to discuss a policy around pricing.  Achieving a compromise between an industry that brings an inward investment of over £21m compared to the cost of dealing with the harm and effect of too much would be difficult to achieve and was a brick wall which needed to be scaled;

(h)

had visited the City’s Glenbourne and Harbour Units today where he had personally witnessed the work being done with chronic alcoholics.  Successful treatments result in improved health for the individuals concerned, protection of victims, reduced offending and reduced demand on treatment resources;

(i)

would continue to focus on the following with regard to alcohol –

·         deterrents and enforcement

·         legislative reform

·         cultural change, particularly understanding 18-25 year olds

·         treatment and recovery.

(j)

Mr Hogg was committed to retaining neighbourhood policing and had delivered on his pledge to keep numbers above 3,000, indeed since he came into post there were between 200-300 more police officers in post.  Despite meetings with local MPs to discuss the unfairness of the funding formula for the south-west, a very challenging future policing environment lay ahead and it was likely that 800 posts across the organisation would need to be lost;

(k)

in addition to the strategic alliance with Dorset, and sharing accommodation with other agencies (such as fire authorities), other money-saving innovative measures were being explored including looking at the Force’s property assets;

(l)

their frustration at the lack of Licensing Committee powers to deal with condition breach matters promptly was shared, particularly where individuals were required to keep a detailed log of issues which could often take time to build;

(m)

the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner would soon be looking to commission some research into the true impact of 24-hour licensing with the intention to use that information to lobby government for change.  Local authorities views would be consulted and members’ views would be welcomed for inclusion in the lobbying document.