A report of the Commissioner was presented to inform Members that the Commissioner is supported by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) in delivering his Police and Crime Plan, and in effectively discharging his wide range of legal responsibilities.  The OPCC has a Delivery Plan which outlines how this is undertaken each year. 

The report provided Members with an update on key PCC and OPCC activities against the new Delivery Plan since the Panel’s last meeting held on 13 December 2021. 

The report also provided Members with information on the decisions taken by the PCC since the Panel’s last meeting.

The key activities reported for the period under the headings within the OPCC’s new Delivery Plan were detailed in the report and noted by Members.

Councillor Garbutt referred to two recent reports in the media in relation to various aspects of policing, including Child Sexual Exploitation.  He sought assurances from the Commissioner that South Yorkshire Police was not one of the forces who had been listed as not having learned any lessons. 

M Buttery replied that Child Sexual Exploitation remained a specific area of focus for the Commissioner and was included in the new Police and Crime Plan.  Child Sexual Exploitation would be discussed at the March meeting of the Public Accountability Board, where the Commissioner rigorously holds the Force to account in this area. 

In addition, the Commissioner was awaiting the receipt of the National Crime Agency’s (NCA) independent investigation around non-recent CSE in the UK and Rotherham, together with the Independent Police Complaints’ Commission’s investigations in relation to the behaviour of officers working at the time. 

M Buttery provided assurances that there was no part of the Commissioner’s holding to account arrangements where CSE was not a high priority.  In addition, CSE was also considered at both public and private Force and OPCC meetings. 

The Commissioner reminded Members that Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) had rated South Yorkshire Police outstanding in the area of ethical leadership.  

In response to a question from Councillor Baum-Dixon, the Commissioner provided assurances that any recommendations arising from the two reports would be taken very seriously by himself and the Force. 

The Commissioner invited Councillor Baum-Dixon to meet with staff at the Protecting Vulnerable People (PVP) Unit in Rotherham to obtain an overview of the work they undertake. 

Councillor Baum-Dixon welcomed the invitation. 

Councillor Milsom asked if the joint PCC and South Yorkshire Police Sustainability Strategy Action Plan could be included in the Update reports at future Panel meetings. 

M Buttery acknowledged the request and agreed to include information in future PCC Update reports. 

Professor James referred to the update in relation to Violence Against Women and Girls.  He raised concerns that, only one of the four Community Safety Partnerships had any reference to Violence Against Women and Girls in their planning and reporting. 

In addition, Professor James said that he had made an observation on previous occasions that many female offenders are also victims of domestic abuse and were vulnerable in their own way.  He asked that silos be broken down to allow female offenders to be factored into deliberations around Violence Against Women and Girls. 

The Commissioner acknowledged Professor James’ observation. 

M Buttery said that the publication of the Force’s Female Offenders’ Strategy had been delayed.  The OPCC had requested a date when the Strategy would be made available.  The LCJB Business Manager was heavily involved in the work around Violence Against Women and Girls and had already highlighted the perspective around female offenders. 

In relation to the Community Safety Partnerships, M Buttery said that Violence Against Women and Girls featured in the PCC’s new Police and Crime Plan and was not considered in isolation.  The Community Safety Partnerships would be held to account from a funding perspective around the Actions Plans they have in place around serious violence, domestic abuse and Violence Against Women and Girls. 

Professor James referred to the work being undertaken in relation to disproportionality in the Criminal Justice System.  He asked if the report on progress from the Task and Finish Group could be circulated to Panel Members.  He also asked if the Task and Finish Group would be linking in with the work of the PCC’s Independent Ethics Panel on disproportionality in stop and search data, and the Force’s efforts to improve workforce diversity. 

M Buttery replied that the reports considered at the Criminal Justice Board were not discussed in public; she agreed to seek the Board’s agreement to ascertain what information could be shared with the Panel. 

In relation to the overlap of work being undertaken between the Independent Ethics Panel and the Criminal Justice Board, M Buttery said that the OPCC was aware of this and would be seeking to address any common themes arising. 

Professor James asked if the Panel could receive further details in relation to the grants awarded and activity underway. 

M Buttery replied that arrangements were being made for a Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) presentation to be given to Panel Members, which would focus on the funding that is made available through both the VRU and the OPCC’s Commissioning Team.  In addition, a small amount of Commissioning Services information was also included in the quarterly Performance report. 

M Buttery said that she would make arrangements to include further details around Commissioning Services in future quarterly Performance reports.  

Professor James noted that the OPCC’s Partnerships and Commissioning Manager was a member of the Partnership’s Commissioning Sub-Group.  He asked how success was measured in relation to the partnership work being undertaken to support successful rehabilitation across Yorkshire and the Humber.  In addition, he also asked how much effort was being taken to look at the issue of diverting offenders from custody, rather than rehabilitating them. 

M Buttery replied that she would make arrangements for Linda Mayhew to contact Professor James following today's meeting to provide a response to his question. 

M Buttery understood that work was ongoing with regards to performance management.  She added that the results in relation to how effective rehabilitation activity is could be provided after today’s meeting. 

RESOLVED – That Members of the Police and Crime Panel:-

i)          Noted the contents of the report and commented on any matters arising.

ii)         Asked questions on the matters contained in within the report, given that it explained how the PCC has over the period delivered his Police and Crime Plan, and discharged the wide range of his legal responsibilities.

iii)       Noted that the Commissioner would invite Councillor Baum-Dixon to meet with staff at the Protecting Vulnerable People (PVP) Unit in Rotherham to obtain an overview of the work they undertake. 

iv)       Noted that updates on the Joint PCC and SYP Sustainability Strategy Action Plan would be included in future PCC Update reports.

v)         Noted that M Buttery had agreed to ascertain with the Local Criminal Justice Board if the update report in relation to the work being undertaken by the Task and Finish Group around disproportionality could be shared with the Panel.  

vi)       Noted that arrangements would be made by the OPCC to include further details around Commissioning Services in future quarterly Performance Reports presented to the Panel. 

vii)      Noted that M Buttery would make arrangements for Linda Mayhew to contact Professor James following today's meeting to provide him with a response to his question in relation to the Partnership’s Commissioning Sub-Group. 

viii)     Noted that M Buttery had agreed to provide Professor James with information in relation to how effective rehabilitation activity is across Yorkshire and the Humber.