Agenda and draft minutes

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 2^nd July 2026

The minutes of the previous meeting held on Thursday 2^nd July 2026 were confirmed as a correct record and signed.

To disclose any pecuniary, other registrable or non-registrable interests as set out in the adopted Code of Conduct. In making their disclosure councillors are asked to state the agenda item, the nature of the interest and any action they propose to take as part of their declaration.

If required, further advice should be sought from the Monitoring Officer in advance of the meeting.

No declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests were made at the meeting.

Representatives of town or parish councils and members of the public who live, work, or represent an organisation within the Dorset Council area are welcome to submit either one question or one statement for each meeting.  You are welcome to attend the meeting in person or via MS Teams to read out your question and to receive the response. If you submit a statement for the committee this will be circulated to all members of the committee in advance of the meeting as a supplement to the agenda and appended to the minutes for the formal record but will not be read out at the meeting.

The first eight questions and the first eight statements received from members of the public or organisations for each meeting will be accepted on a first come first served basis in accordance with the deadline set out below.  For further information please see Public Participation - Dorset Council  

All submissions must be emailed in full to [email protected]

by 8.30am on Tuesday 29^th September 2026.

When submitting your question or statement please note that:  

- You can submit one question or one statement.

- A question may include a short pre-amble to set the context.  

- It must be a single question, and any sub-divided questions will not be permitted. 

- Each question will consist of no more than 450 words, and you will be given up to three minutes to present your question.  

- When submitting a question please indicate who the question is for (e.g. the name of the committee or Portfolio Holder)  

- Include your name, address, and contact details. Only your name will be published but we may need your other details to contact you about your question or statement in advance of the meeting.  

- Questions and statements received in line with the council’s rules for public participation will be published as a supplement to the agenda.

- All questions, statements and responses will be published in full within the minutes of the meeting.  

Dorset Council Constitution - Procedure Rule 9

Councillor Questions

Councillors can submit up to two valid questions at each meeting and sub divided questions count towards this total. Questions and statements received will be published as a supplement to the agenda and all questions, statements and responses will be published in full within the minutes of the meeting.

The submissions must be emailed in full to [email protected]

by 8.30am on Tuesday 29^th September 2026.

Dorset Council Constitution – Procedure Rule 13

There was no public participation.

To receive the Q4 Monitoring Report 2026/27

The Police and Crime Commissioner provided an update on progress against the priorities. He highlighted the continued success of the Relentless Community Fund, which had supported a further 11 projects, bringing the total to 53 projects across Dorset, and contributing to efforts to reduce anti-social behaviour.

The Commissioner welcomed proposed changes to crime and policing legislation, including measures relating to drug testing on arrest and vehicle seizure, although he emphasised the need for additional funding. He reported a 4% reduction in burglaries and highlighted work to tackle fraud, particularly scams targeting young, elderly and vulnerable people, including the introduction of call-blocking technology.

Dorset Police remained within the top quarter of forces for solved crime rates. Operation Shopkeeper was highlighted as achieving a 65% monthly solve rate, with one case progressing from offence to resolution within eight hours. While 999 call performance remained below the desired level, 101 triage times had reduced.

The Commissioner noted an increase in domestic abuse offences and recognised that further work was required. Activity relating to stalking, substance misuse and knife crime was also highlighted, including support for National Stalking Awareness Week, the Forget Ket campaign and increased referrals into treatment. Knife crime in Dorset had continued to fall.

Rural crime had also continued to decrease, with work undertaken to tackle fly-tipping, hare coursing and poaching. This included partnership working with neighbouring forces and the trialling of covert cameras in hotspot areas. The Commissioner had also responded to the consultation on banning trail hunting.

The number of victims receiving support and levels of victim satisfaction had increased. The Commissioner concluded by reiterating his commitment to seeking further funding for policing in Dorset.

Questions from the Priority leads and Panel Members for Priority one – Cut Crime and Anti-Social Behaviour (02:06:50 on the recording).

• Can the PCC provide an update on how Op Relentless community grants have been awarded, the impacts for communities and how success is monitored? 
• It is positive to see that the KSI indicator has shown improvement having been reported as red for some time.  Can the PCC provide some clarity and context behind this improvement?
• Can the PCC provide some further information and background to the Call Blocker pilot 

Follow on panel questions and responses from PCC (02:07:17 on the recording) and at appendix 1.

Questions from the Priority leads and Panel Members for Priority two – Make Policing More Visible and Connected (02:21:54 on the recording).

• It’s disappointing to see that the 101-answer time has slipped but appreciating that the triage time is positive. Could the PCC explain the factors behind this deterioration, and what he is doing to try and improve performance, within the current resourcing restraints? 
• Can the PCC give any early indications on the impacts that summer policing has had, and the impacts on neighbourhoods from abstraction  
• The monitoring report does not make any mention of Op Track high visibility patrols.  Can the PCC advise on current performance, how the data is used and what it is showing us?  ...  view the full minutes text for item 16.

To consider a report on hate crime and hate incidents in Dorset, including Dorset Police’s response, victim support and the key lines of enquiry.

The Commissioner emphasised that hate crimes were crimes first and highlighted the significant and lasting impact they could have on victims, including loss of confidence, social isolation and an increased sense of vulnerability. It was noted that 937 hate crimes had been recorded in Dorset during the previous year, with increases in racial and religious hate crime.

The Panel was advised that tackling hate crime remained a priority within the Police and Crime Plan, with a range of activity underway to improve outcomes for victims and communities. This included engagement with schools and communities, Operation Hampshire, the introduction of hate crime review panels and the Victim Champion. Support was also available through services commissioned by the OPCC, while review panels considered victims’ experiences to help identify opportunities for improvement.

The Commissioner highlighted the importance of increasing confidence in reporting and making the process as accessible as possible, including through third-party reporting centres. Although recorded hate crime in Dorset had remained relatively stable, it was recognised that this only reflected incidents reported to the police. Further work would therefore continue around community engagement, communication, victim support and the development of hate crime review arrangements.

Questions and comments from the members on the report (00:18:23 on the recording)

• Cllr Keddie commended the report, particularly its insight into frontline officers’ experiences and the Force’s willingness to reflect on its own practices. He emphasised the importance of Dorset Police setting the highest standards in addressing institutional racism.
• The Hate Crime report provided a lot of detail about traditional Hate Crimes but does not cover the mass immigration protests we have seen over recent weeks, nationally and more specifically locality, at the RNLI headquarters in Poole. 
• Concern was expressed for staff and volunteers, with support sought for measures to protect them.
• What is Dorset’s approach to other coordinated actions that can amplify community tensions, such as the erecting of flags on street furniture and other public assets?
• It was questioned whether the same advice would be provided to someone displaying a fete sign as to a member of the public displaying the national flag.
• It is noted that reported incidents remain stable.  How confident is the PCC that the number of incidents reported reflect the actual position, and how is the PCC engaging with hard-to-reach groups to improve reporting. 
• The PCC was thanked for engaging with communities, particularly younger people who may mistrust the police, and the work undertaken was welcomed.
• How does the OPCC and Dorset Police focus resourcing on proactive monitoring social media to understand community tensions and calls to action by known groups? 
• Clarification was sought on how intelligence was recorded, both online and offline, and how hate incidents were defined where the threshold for a crime had not been met. The Commissioner’s strong approach to tackling hate crime was welcomed.
• Referring to section 3 of the report, clarification was sought on whether the Safer Schools and Communities Team initiative was funded and whether further school visits were planned in Poole and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 17.

To receive an update on road safety matters relating to the illegal use of e-mobility vehicles.

The Panel received a report on Illegal E-Mobility Vehicles, which outlined the increasing national and local concern surrounding non-compliant e-bikes, e-scooters and other e-mobility vehicles. Members were advised that their speed, quiet operation and difficulty in identification presented operational challenges for Dorset Police, while also generating additional demand through enforcement, seizures, investigations and hotspot patrols.

The Commissioner highlighted the importance of a partnership and intelligence-led approach, including preventative activity such as Operation THINK, intelligence sharing and targeted activity in hotspot areas. Reference was also made to the trialling of forensic tagging spray to assist with identifying individuals linked to illegal e-bikes, and the need to continue making representations to Government regarding improved identification of e-bikes and e-scooters.

Questions and comments from the members on the report (01:04:10 on the recording)

• The report highlights that there is currently no reliable data on the true scale of illegal e-mobility use, with most measures based on seizures and reported incidents. How will the PCC develop a more robust evidence base and what outcomes or performance measures will be used to determine whether interventions are reducing the problem rather than simply increasing enforcement activity? 
• A suggestion was made to introduce a mapping-based reporting system to identify where and when crimes were occurring and assist in identifying hotspots and emerging trends.
• The report describes illegal e-mobility as a growing source of demand on Dorset Police, requiring enforcement, investigations, hotspot patrols and community reassurance. What assessment has the PCC made of the future resource implications for neighbourhood policing, and how will this be balanced against other policing priorities if the trend continues to grow? 
• Can the PCC provide an update on the effectiveness of Op Think and the use forensic sprays? 
• Cllr Keddie welcomed the use of forensic sprays and sought clarification on whether there were any barriers to their wider use within, and beyond, the pilot areas.
• What is the PCC and force’s strategy on the use of drones and how can they be deployed to support the work in combating illegal e-mobility vehicles?  What capability of drones do we have within the force? 
• The report was welcomed, and clarification was sought on the Commissioner’s position regarding the current law and the level of penalties for the use of privately owned e-scooters.
• Clarification was sought on whether registration requirements should extend to other road users, including cyclists.

Follow on panel questions and responses from PCC (01:05:48 on recording) and at appendix 1.

To receive a verbal update from the Service Manager for Assurance.

The Panel received an update on complaints received since the previous meeting. Marc Eyre, Service Manager for Assurance, advised that one complaint was currently under investigation. 

To discuss the Forward Workplan.

The forward workplan was noted and members agreed the focus for the next meeting.  

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 are no exempt items scheduled for this meeting.  

There was no exempt business