Agenda and minutes

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 10 December 2020.

The minutes of the meeting held on 10 December were confirmed and agreed as a correct record.

 

The Service Manager for Assurance gave the panel an update on the Action Points from the last meeting.

Action 16 Pending until the next meeting.

Action 18 To be dealt with in Agenda Item 5

Action 19 had been actioned.

To receive any declarations of interest.

Cllr May Haines declared an interest as a recently appointed trustee for the Safer Dorset Foundation, which funds the Bobby Van.

To receive questions or statements on the business of the committee

from town and parish councils and members of the public. Public

speaking has been suspended for virtual committee meetings during

the Covid-19 crisis and public participation will be dealt with through

written submissions only.

Members of the public who live, work or represent an organisation

within the Dorset/BCP Council area, may submit up to two questions or

a statement of up to a maximum of 450 words. All submissions must be

sent electronically to elaine.tibble@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk by the

deadline set out below. When submitting a question please indicate

who the question is for and include your name, address and contact

details. Questions and statements received in line with the council’s

rules for public participation will be published as a supplement to the

agenda.

Questions will be read out by an officer of the council and a response

given by the appropriate officer at the meeting. All questions,

statements and responses will be published in full within the minutes of

the meeting.

The deadline for submission of the full text of a question or

statement is 8.30am on Monday 1 February 2021.

Public questions were received.  A copy of these questions and responses received is appended to these minutes.

To set out the Police and Crime Commissioner’s proposals for the 2021/22 budget, precept and the medium term financial strategy.

 

The Chairman introduced the Budget Precept with an explanation of the voting rules with the assistance of a visual presentation.

 

The Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) was invited to make his presentation of the report. (27:45 on recording).

 

The PCC reflected on the current position of Dorset Police and the impacts of recent events such as Brexit and the Covid 19 pandemic.

 

The PCC invited the Chief Constable to outline what the precept had achieved over the last 12 months.

 

The Chief Constable thanked the PCC for his unstinting support over the last year.  He continued with an update on the Force’s achievements over the last year and proposed plans for 2021-22. (37:25 on recording).

 

The PCC then outlined his reasons for the proposed increase in precept.  (52:13 on recording).

 

His speech and the Chief Constable’s letter outlining the case for an increase of £15 in Council Tax for a band D property are attached as appendices to these minutes.

 

The Director of Operations (OPCC) gave a summary of the Precept consultation responses and results. (01:10:12 on recording).

 

The Chief Finance Officer (OPCC) then focussed on the funding for the budget comprising of the provisional settlement and the Council Tax element of the funding.  The Chief Finance Officer was able to give positive assurance on the robustness of both the reserves and budget.  (01:15:12 on recording).

 

The PCC then summarised (01:20:07 on recording).

 

The Chairman invited the panel members to ask the following questions.  These questions and officer replies can be found on the recording with the timings stated below;

 

Questions:

 

1.             Noting that 33% of respondents to the PCC’s online survey did not endorse a financial uplift of £15 a year for a Band D property, what would be the impact to the people of Dorset if the Precept were frozen?  (01:40:10 on recording).

 

2.             How will the increased precept (£15) improve the current position of visibility and the positive resolution of crimes, which both have implications for public confidence and satisfaction levels? (01:52:47 on recording).

 

 

3.             Council tax contribution to the police budget under your tenure has gone from £50m to £74M; this year the budget proposals include a £15 increase for a band D council taxpayer.  How would the strategic approach to delivering the Police & Crime Plan have been impacted if the increase had been limited to the same 2% referendum limit as local authorities (around £4.80 for band D)?  (02:02:25 on recording).

 

4.             Setting a budget with finite resources is about choices; for example, you have chosen to invest in vulnerability as part of this Precept uplift.  What choices did you discard or postpone in the setting of this budget? (02:08:40 on recording).

 

5.             Dorset Police has stated to the OPCC that the additional precept funding will deliver investment to priority areas – could you please outline to the public what these investments are and how do these areas meet your Police and Crime Plan, given  ...  view the full minutes text for item 28.

The Panel adjourned from 12:50 until 13:20hrs.

To receive nominations for the roles of Chair and Vice-Chair 2021/22.

The Service Manager for Assurance invited nominations for the position of Chair and Vice-Chair for the year 2021-2022.

 

It was proposed by Cllr Les Fry and seconded by Cllr David Taylor.

 

Decision: that Mr Mike Short be appointed Chair and Cllr Bobbie Dove be appointed Vice-Chair for the year 2021-2022 starting June 2021.

 

Cllr Tony Trent asked for his abstention to be noted.

To receive an update of progress against the Police and Crime Plan Q3 2020/21, to enable Panel members to scrutinise performance, seek assurance and assess outcomes achieved in the reporting period.

The PCC introduced the PCP Quarterly Monitoring Report and the headlines from the report in relation to progress against the Police and Crime Plan.

 

Pillar 1 - Protecting People at Risk and Harm (03:25:30 on recording).

 

The panel members received an update from the PCC and members were invited to ask further questions (set out below):

 

Recorded Hate Crime (YTD) - can the OPCC please provide a succinct verbal brief on the 34% increase?

 

The Chief Executive (OPCC) responded with an update on recorded hate crime.  (03:27:35 on recording). 

 

He advised that due to the court delays he might not be able to answer whether there was a corresponding increase in hate crime convictions by the next panel meeting but was happy to add this to the forward plan.

 

Action: an update on hate crime to be added to the forward plan and presented when available.

 

Pillar 2- Working with our Communities (03:47:44 on recording).

 

The panel members received an update from the PCC and members were invited to ask further questions (set out below):

 

Can the OPCC please outline what the issues are of “working with partners to address ASB” (Yellow)?

 

The PCC and The Chief Executive (OPCC) responded (03:40:14 on recording).

 

Pillar 3 - Supporting Victims, Witnesses and reducing Reoffending (03:49:07 on recording).

 

The PCC focused on the delays in the justice system due to Covid 19 restrictions and suggested this was an area the panel may wish to focus on at a future meeting.

 

Pillar Leads were invited to ask questions.

 

Pillar 4 - Transforming for the Future (03:57:56 on recording).

 

The panel members received an update from the PCC and were invited to ask questions.

 

In response to a request for an update on artificial intelligence and automation, the Chief Executive gave the panel an update on what was being worked on in the area.

 

The Chairman then invited all panel members to put forward their questions on the four Pillars.  (04:11:00 on recording).

 

Questions asked related to:

How the Force was planning to deal with an influx of visitors to Dorset during summer.

Environmental Anti-Social Behaviour.

Hate Crime with an Action point to look at how to reduce and remove barriers to people reporting hate crime and increase confidence in reporting these crimes.

Covid related fraud.

Housing for homeless in Weymouth.

 

FY 20/21 Q3 finance questions: (04:42:40 on recording).

 

The Chairman asked the Chief Finance Officer (OPCC) to respond to questions 1 & 2 questions via the minutes:-

 

1.     OPCC Commissioning Spend for FY19/20 was £2.2m.  In this FY to date it is reported as £339k.  Why the shortfall in commissioning?

 

A.    The OPCC line does appear to be behind schedule however this line includes both the income and expenditure for the OPCC and reflects the full year grants for Victims Funds. Commissioning activity has been busier than ever this year with specific Covid Funds available as well as our core spend. Commissioning spend up to the end of December was over  ...  view the full minutes text for item 31.

To receive a verbal update from the Police & Crime Commissioner.

The Chief Executive (OPCC) gave the panel members a verbal update for the latest position on Covid activity.

 

The panel members were then invited to put any questions to the Chief Executive.

To receive a verbal update from the Chairman of the Police and Crime Panel Complaints Sub-Committee.

The Chairman of the PCP Complaints Sub-Committee confirmed that there were no outstanding complaints.

To consider the Work Programme for the Panel. Panel members are invited to identify and suggest topics for inclusion in the forward Work Programme.

The Service Manager for Assurance presented the workplan.  There were a couple of issues raised at the meeting to add to the plan.

Cllr Bobbie Dove extended her thanks to the Police and Crime Commissioner for his hard work over the last 9 years.  This was echoed by the Chairman who also congratulated him on the good position he was leaving Dorset Police in.

 

The PCC thanked the Chair and Vice-Chair for their support.

To consider any items of business which the Chairman has had prior notification and considers to be urgent pursuant to section 100B (4) b) of the Local Government Act 1972. The reason for the urgency shall be recorded in the minutes.

 

There were no urgent items.

To move the exclusion of the press and the public for the following item in view of the likely disclosure of exempt information within the meaning of paragraph 3 of schedule 12 A to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

The public and the press will be asked to leave the meeting whilst the item of business is considered.

There was no exempt business.