Agenda item

The Panel considered a report of the Police and Crime Commissioner which provided an update on performance for Quarter Four, January to March 2022, including headline work around holding the Chief Constable to account and wider partnership work being undertaken (for copy see file of Minutes). 

Councillor D Nicholls referred to the work liaising with Durham University and asked as regards costs. 

The Chief Finance Officer noted that a previously lapsed arrangement for what effectively was a dedicated PCSO had been around £30,000, with the cost being just less than one full-time equivalent.  He added there was consultation in terms of extending for a further three years.  Councillor D Nicholls noted the value of such support and suggested that the PCC speak with the University in terms of funding.  He also asked as regards the issue of drinks being spiked, noting students were often a vulnerable group in that regard.  The PCC noted the points raised and explained that her office had raised the issue of more funding, as student numbers continued to increase.  She added that in relation to ‘walkabout’ activities with County and Town and Parish Councillors she would encourage sign up to ‘Keep in the know’ and noted funds of £10,000 per Neighbourhood Team for problem-solving.

Councillor D Nicholls welcomed the information relating to bids to the Home Office ‘Safer Streets’ funding and noted the PCC had spoken at Select Committee on the issue of spiking.  The PCC welcomed the support and noted that spiking was originally considered as being an alcohol issue, however, it was now looked at in terms of violence against women.  She added she had regular meetings with the Government lead on the issue and hoped that work with Durham University would help in terms of prevention.

Councillor L Hovvels noted the issues with anti-social behaviour all Members faced in their areas and welcomed the work with Durham County Council (DCC) and Darlington Brough Council (DBC) in that regard, adding that she felt the use of community trigger would help.  She added that gambling was an issue that was a hidden harm for families and given the current crisis in terms of the cost of living she thanked the PCC for her work.  The PCC noted the £100,000 with the County Durham Foundation, where local community groups could apply for funding on issues such as anti-social behaviour, substance misuse and fly-tipping.  She added there was an additional £50,000 and £30,000 for Town and Parish Council and therefore she would want to know about hotspots to be able to target anti-social behaviour where it was at higher than average levels.  Councillor L Hovvels asked for further information to come back to the Panel, the PCC noted further information would come back to the next meeting.

Councillor D Boyes noted he hoped policies would help tackle anti-social behaviour and referred to the emphasis that was placed on selective licensing.  He noted that selective licensing had been in effect from 2009 through to 2014 in his area and explained that it had taken until 2013 to get 75 percent of landlords signed up to the scheme.  He added that scheme had only operated across 100 properties and that if the new scheme was for 25,000 properties, he felt that was a tall order with landlords being very savvy.

Councillor D Boyes referred to Criminal Behaviour Orders (CBOs) and asked how many had been issued and whether they were more effective and streamlined when compared to Anti-social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs) which had been seen by many that were given the orders as a ‘badge of honour’.  He added there were two closure orders in his area and noted the amount of time taken in court relating to the order, with a PC having to attend for six weeks.  He noted that the public wanted Police visible in their communities as evidenced by 76 percent of those responding to the precept consultation wanting greater investment in neighbourhood policing and 46 percent wanting improved response times.  He added he felt that it was important to get back to seeing PCs and PCSOs back on the street.  The PCC noted there were 33 ‘live’ CBOs and noted she would get the other information for Councillor D Boyes.

Councillor R Potts asked how the PCC held the Chief Constable to account.  The PCC explained there were a number of ways, including one-to-one meetings, executive meetings and engagement meetings relating to the deliver of the Police and Crime Plan.  She added that there were also actions within the Plan that held the Chief Constable to account.  She noted she had a one-to-one meeting with the Chief Constable earlier in the day and had used the opportunity to raise issues that had been brought forward from the public.

Councillor R Potts referred to paragraph 28.1 of the report which noted an uplift in Officer numbers of 226 and Government grant and noted the Durham had the highest dropout rate in terms of those joining.  The Chief Finance Officer noted that of the 226, 40 were experienced transfers.  He added that reports on social media were incorrect and the Force in fact had the sixth lowest attrition rate, adding that Durham had very high standards for its Officers.  He added from around 100 applications the Force would usually recruit around seven to ten of those applicants.  He emphasised it was important to recruit the right people and reiterated there was the commitment for new Officers in terms of going to University.  He highlighted that in terms of those leaving the Force annually the numbers were only in single figures.  Councillor R Potts noted that the public wanted Neighbourhood Policing and asked of the 226, where they would go within the Force, for example would they all go into the Response Team.  The Chief Finance Officer noted that 70 would be within the new shift pattern arrangements, with more Officers effectively on ‘night-shift’, noting good performance data following these changes.  He added that around one-third would go on to become Detectives, reminding the Panel there was a national shortage of Detectives, and noted that exams were required and there was also a five week period shadowing within CID.  He added the remainder would be allocated to Neighbourhood Policing, with some going to specialist teams, such as Road Policing.

The PCC noted that in terms of PCSOs, 27 additional PCSOs had been trained, giving 146 in total.  She noted that some of the PCSOs that had become PCs were now in the process of introducing new PCSOs to the neighbourhoods they themselves had started in.  She added she hoped this would be something replicated across communities in County Durham and Darlington.  She added these types of handovers to new PCSOs was important in terms of helping with continued community intelligence. 

Councillor R Potts asked if it was 27 new PCSOs or 27 replacements for those that had moved on, noting issues within his local area in terms of the turnover of PCSOs.  The Chief Finance Officer noted the 27 replaced those that went on to become PCs and explained that the 146 PCSOs that Durham had was around 50 above the national average.  He noted that there was a lot of recruitment, however it took time and that it was often a cycle, adding that the 10 to 15 percent that were lost were primarily those becoming PCs with Durham or neighbouring Forces.  The PCC noted that similarly some control room staff would move and become PCSOs and there would then be a process in terms of recruiting staff for the control room.

Councillor D Boyes asked if there was a policy in terms of where PCSOs become PCs, were they moved to other areas of the County or was there the opportunity for them to stay in their previous PCSO area.  The Chief Finance Officer noted the PCs were moved to where there were gaps, noting that a typical staff would be a Sergeant and six PCs with a mix of experienced and new PCs, however, new PCs would likely be placed to fill gaps.  Councillor D Boyes noted it would be a shame to lose PCSOs to becoming PCs elsewhere, where they have a good level of local knowledge and experience already.  The PCC noted that last week was Response Policing Week and it had been noted that Peterlee was a challenging area.  She noted that half of those responding were from the area, with others from other areas.  She added it was important that PCs gained experience from a variety of different areas, as issues in one area may not be the same as those in another area.

Councillor D Nicholls asked for an update in terms of the national shortage of Detectives.  The Chief Finance Officer noted that in terms of the 226 Officers for Durham, it would be for the Chief Constable to decide on the number of those to be Detectives, with a desire for around 60 in the next two to three years.  He reminded the Panel the candidates would have to pass an exam and practical application with a five week CID course, once passed they would be assigned to a team with then a 12 month period to demonstrate competence, given a total of around 18 months to fully become a Detective.  He noted that the pass rate in Durham was very good compared to national rate.  Councillor D Nicholls noted that the route to, and role of, Detective should be encouraged as a career choice for those wishing to join the Force. 

The Chief Finance Officer noted that around 50 percent of recruits were graduates and he noted they were actively targeted in terms of becoming Detectives.

Mr R Rodiss noted issues in the past in terms of pay, overtime and pressures that had discouraged Officers looking to become a Detective.  He noted previous training was 13 weeks, with a six month probationary period and that Detective posts had proven very difficult to fill.  The Chief Finance Officer noted that Officers working ‘unsocial hours’ would have a 10 percent increase in pay and moving to Detective would mean they would be on national terms and conditions.  The PCC noted she would give feedback to the Chief Constable on these points.

Mr R Rodiss noted the identification of ‘hotspots’ previously referred to and asked if, once identified, the Victims’ Champion would then take charge on issues.  The PCC noted that there was the Victims’ Champion in terms of the victims of anti-social behaviour, and the Anti-social Behaviour Champion in terms of delivering against The Police and Crime Plan.  She added there was other ongoing operational actions and areas identified nationally by the Victims’ Commissioner, noting a response for victims from the Home Office was expected in the next few months.  She noted that signposting as regards anti-social behaviour issues was important, especially from the DCC and DBC websites in terms of where issues related to the Local Authority, citing the example of noise nuisance being an area for the Local Authority to address.  She reiterated that there were the three Champions for County Durham and Darlington and noted that the community trigger would be different for different areas. 

Mr R Rodiss noted anti-social behaviour issues in his local area and added he had met the Anti-Social Behaviour Champion.  He noted that many people did not have clarity in terms of the role of the Champion.  He added that in his area there had been an increase in incidents, including two arson attacks, however, there did not appear to have been any larger response to this, including from the Police.  The Chair noted that Members should not stray into operational issues.  The PCC noted that Levelling Up bids would be one per constituency area, and she had spoken to the local MP, Paul Howell as regards issues in the area and the bids for mobile cameras.  She added that in that area there was problem solving meetings and work with communities to look to invest in additional support.

Councillor D Boyes noted that Members wished for clarity in terms of who to contact, noting that the Head of Community Protection Services had tried to raise the profile of the Council’s Anti-social Behaviour Officer.  He noted there were the new Champions, Police, Council Officers and added that he felt that the PCC should be at the apex of control.  He noted that a single point of contact on issues was what people would want. 

The PCC noted that a review of existing systems would be useful, noting the reference to the Police on the DCC website relating to anti-social behaviour.  She added that there would be a review of community safety partners and a Home Office review that Members could get involved. 

Councillor D Boyes noted there did not seem to be any change and reiterated that people wanted a single point of contact.  Councillor D Nicholls noted the statutory responsibilities of DCC and DBC in terms of issues such as noise nuisance and suggested that what was being asked was to review the whole scheme nationally as it seemed that a number of people were undertaking the same work.  The PCC noted she would take the feedback to strategic partners, noting she had recently spoken to Karbon Homes as regards the work of their Tenancy Officers as they can often deal with issues of anti-social behaviour, and it was not always just the Police and Local Authorities.

Resolved:

That the report be noted.