Agenda item

The Panel considered a report of the Police and Crime Commissioner which provided an update on performance for Quarter Four 2022-23, 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 noted his support for the 101 Live Chat function and was pleased as regards the performance and the increase access to now be 24 hour, 7 days a week, valuable for those such as victims of domestic abuse who may need to contact at any time.  He that in terms of children missing from home, they were often vulnerable children and added he would welcome additional information to come back to the Panel so that Members could understand how they might be able to help and support the issue fully.  He asked if the PCC had any further information in terms of the funding horizon nationally.  The PCC noted the success of the live chat function, with many preferring that method for reporting incidents, which helps in turn by freeing up capacity for incidents via the emergency number.  She noted that still, 40 percent of calls received did not relate to policing matters.  Councillor D Nicholls noted that at a previous visit to the call centre, only around one third of the calls while at the centre had related to policing issues.  The PCC noted there was renewed push in terms of tackling mental health issues, with other services taking on some of the burden that has been placed upon the Police in recent years.  She added that the Home Secretary had stated a ‘right care, right person’ approach should be adopted and added she felt that residents would agree and want their Police Officers to be on the street, tackling ASB and crime demand and for other, more appropriate services to look to tackle issues related to mental health. 

The Chief Finance Officer noted that there would naturally be an impact in terms of the pay award, with details to come forward next month.  He added that inflationary costs were also being felt, noted that many areas of Police spend were limited to a few, or in some cases single providers.  He added that PCCs were no longer to receive Home Office grants in relation to investments into fleet.  He explained to the Panel that Police Officers were not employees of the Force, rather they were Agents of the Crown, and accordingly could not be made redundant.  He added that it was expected that the balance of Home Office Grant against precept would tip further toward precept as grant decreased.  The PCC noted she had raised the issue of fair funding with both the Government and Shadow Government Team, asking for fairness and a level playing field for all PCCs across the country.  The Chief Finance Officer noted a lot of work ongoing in terms of demand upon police services, including from issues such as cybercrime, a ‘borderless’ crime, non-crime and welfare related calls, as well as the traditional 101 and 999 calls.

Councillor L Hovvels noted the issue of children missing from homes and that she too would welcome additional information on that topic, including the cost as she understood these were high spend areas for Local Authorities in addition to the Constabulary.  The PCC noted it was an important issue to be addressed.

Councillor D Boyes noted that one individual had been responsible for 80 incidents, demonstrating the ‘hardcore’ element he had referred to previously.  He noted the success of the drug rehabilitation service, and the move of Public Health Grant into Local Authorities.  He noted the success against regional performance, however, not when compared nationally.  He noted that detailed reports in relation to the Drug and Alcohol Service had been received by the Safer and Stronger Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee in the past and asked if the Public Health grant remained in this regard, whether those links to the Police remained, and whether there was any joint work looking at the issues, as a small number of people were generating a high percentage of ASB and crime.

The Chief of Staff, OPCC, Andrea Petty noted that Humankind provided the Council’s Drug and Alcohol Service and noted the grant referred to was still in place.  She added that prior to leaving the Council to take up her role at the OPCC, the Drug and Alcohol Service was a standing item on the Overview and Scrutiny Work Programme, adding that it was an area under the responsibility of the Local Authority.  Councillor D Boyes noted changes in performance reporting at Overview and Scrutiny Committees.  The Chief of Staff, OPCC noted the mandate of the Police in combating drug and alcohol related crime.  The PCC noted a lot of ongoing work of the Government in respect of drug rehabilitation, with a review on drugs by Dame Carol Black.  She added she was a member of a Ministry forum alongside other PCCs looking at drug reform.

Councillor R Potts noted figures and data were being compared to 2019/20, he felt this was misleading as it compared to the COVID-19 period, rather than comparing figures from last year to this year.  The Head of Legal and Democratic Services noted that the Chief of Staff, OPCC had committed to provide that comparative information.

Councillor D Nicholls left the meeting at 11.30am

Councillor R Potts noted the reduction in 101 calls and an increase in 999 calls.  He noted a specific robbery incident where after a one-hour chat, the victim was given contact details for the local PCSO and Officer, however, both had left Durham Constabulary, one six months ago, one 12 months ago.  He added he agreed with the points raised by Panel Members in terms of their concern in respect of children missing from home.  He noted that, given a 227 percent increase in children missing from home, there must be an associated increase in the types of offences that were linked, such as sexual offences, however, they did not appear to be included in the report, he asked why that was the case.

The PCC noted that she would encourage any Councillor to provide feedback to the Police should they note any contact details were not up-to-date or incorrect.  In terms of data and comparison to the previous year, she explained that performance reporting at the next quarter would be comparing against the previous year, however, she would get the figures and comparisons requested by Councillor R Potts.

Councillor D Boyes left the meeting at 11.35am

The PCC explained she was more than happy to provide any additional data relating to key performance indicators.  She noted that in terms of children missing from home that there was higher likelihood of children to be missing from unregulated children’s homes, noting the proliferation within areas where housing was cheap.  She noted as regards waiting lists for services, such as Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAHMS) and the time spend by the Force in terms of looking for those children missing from home.  Councillor R Potts asked as regards return to home interviews and follow up to ensure if any offenses have been committed against those children, they are recorded, and further potential offenses prevented.  The PCC noted at a local level that Neighbourhood Teams and PCSOs go to Children’s Homes and build up the levels of trust with those young people.  She added that they speak to the managers and the children to understand the issues.

Councillor G Lee noted 4,716 children missing from home for 2022/23 and noted his sadness that 80 percent were those under 18 years old, around 3,800 children.  He asked what the definition of missing was, one day, two days or something else and whether there was a breakdown in terms of where they went missing from, either from school, home or while travelling.  The PCC noted there was a breakdown by category and noted that different children’s homes had different operating practises.  The Chief of Staff, OPCC noted definitions relating to missing children, including ‘a child who has run away from their home or care placement, or feels they have been forced or lured to leave’.  Councillor G Lee asked for information as regards the number of children that return safely and how many children did not.  The PCC noted the information would be brought together for the next meeting.

R Rodiss noted his concern in respect of the Police Call Centre and front-line roles.  He understood that many new recruits, former call handlers that had applied to become Officers, had been drafted back into the call centre, albeit the Chief Constable had stated that the work had been ‘overtime’.  He asked that when the PCC next speaks with the Chief Constable that she would raise the issue of having those younger Officers out on the street learning skills rather than being in call centres.  The Chief Finance Officer noted that such matters were operational matters for the Chief Constable. 

R Rodiss noted he understood that new Officers were under a probationary period, however, he reiterated that he felt having them in the call centre was preventing them from gaining the experience on the streets that they needed, and he felt that older or injured Officers could be better placed to help with call centre demand.

Councillor D Nicholls noted that issues relating to licensing of children’s homes and care homes and noted his concern that, should the Police begin to ‘step back’ from their role in dealing with mental health issue calls, that the NHS may not yet have the capacity to deal with the number of issues.  The PCC noted that this was an issue and often one of the reasons the Police were called was because they were seen as being available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or when other services were closed.  She noted issues that compounded included deprived areas and cuts to service provision.  The PCC noted the response to mental health calls by Humberside Police, and how they looked at who should address such calls.

Resolved:

That the report be noted.