A report was submitted which provided Members with the Commissioner’s draft Police and Crime Plan (Plan) –‘Safer Streets More Police’ for 2022-2025. 

It was reported that the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 made provision for a new or returning PCC to draft and issue a new Plan, in consultation with the Chief Constable, to set the policing objectives for the local area.  The 2011 Act also provides for the Plan to be kept under review and variations issued, where necessary. 

The Commissioner reported that, as in previous years, the draft Plan was based on information and consultation from a range of sources, and reflected the same three priorities – Protecting Vulnerable People, Tackling Crime and Anti-social Behaviour and Treating people Fairly.  In addition, there were also some particular areas of focus in the coming year, such as: Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG); Drugs – and the gangs and serious violence associated with them; Better representation of the communities of South Yorkshire – male/female, ethnic minorities; and Road Safety and speeding. 

In addition to local priorities, the Commissioner said that he needed to ensure that the Government’s National Crime and Policing Measures were taken into account in the Plan. 

The Panel noted that the section on Child Sexual Exploitation may be further amended slightly, depending on additional information sought from South Yorkshire Police.

The Commissioner provided the Panel with a detailed overview of his draft Plan.  The Panel were made aware that, during 2022/23 there would be more new police officers in South Yorkshire funded from both national and local uplift. 

During the 2022/23 financial year, there would be 43.5 additional officer posts in the Barnsley district, 100 additional officer posts in the Doncaster district, 49 additional officer posts in Rotherham and 105.5 posts in the Sheffield district.  Overall, there would be more neighbourhood and responses officers in South Yorkshire to deal with crimes. 

The Commissioner invited the Panel to comment on the Plan’s contents in the form of a report, and make any recommendations by 18 February 2022, to enable the Plan to be published in a timely manner.

The Panel raised the following key points:

·      Mr Carratt asked the Commissioner to consider rephrasing ‘Priority 1 – Protecting Vulnerable People’ to ‘Working in Partnership to Protect Vulnerable People’ and to split this into children and adults. 

·      Mr Carratt asked the Commissioner to consider strengthening wording in the Plan with regards to commissioning work undertaken by the PCC to support victims and include details of the work undertaken by the Force to support victims of crime.

·      Mr Carratt also asked the Commissioner to consider the inclusion of high-level impact statements which could sit alongside some of the priorities. 

·      Councillor Garbutt referred to the ‘Introduction’ section of the Plan under the heading ‘Aim’.  He asked the Commissioner to consider the inclusion of the word ‘travel’ in the ‘Aim’ section.  This was due to the Commissioner including road safety in the Plan as a priority. 

·      Councillor Garbutt referred to the commissioning/co-commissioning of support services listed on page 7 of the Plan.  He queried how the Commissioner measured their effectiveness. 

·      Councillor Garbutt highlighted that there was a certain amount of domestic abuse that was female and male.  He asked if this was measured and handled by the Force. 

·      Referring to the areas of focus within ‘Priority 2 – Tackling Crime and Anti-Social Behaviour’.  Councillor Garbutt asked if the Violence Reduction Unit could be better served if a different legal framework was taken towards drugs.  He asked if the Commissioner was considering how this could improve matters, and if he would be asking the Home Office to consider this. 

·      Councillor Garbutt asked if there were plans, targets and reduction measures in place to reduce speeding and improve road safety.  In addition, he asked if performance measures in relation to speeding and road safety could be included in future quarterly performance reports presented at Panel meetings. 

·      Councillor Baum-Dixon referred to page 11 of the Plan ‘Child Sexual Exploitation’.  He commented that, in his opinion, there needed to be more focus on victims being taken seriously.  Furthermore, assurances needed to be provided that serious complaints are dealt with properly by the Force.  In addition, he felt that there needed to be more accountability, particularly by local authorities. 

·      Councillor Baum-Dixon asked if there were any future plans to establish smaller Rural and Wildlife Crime specialist teams in other South Yorkshire districts.  In addition, he asked if the Force were working with other local police forces to share best practice in relation to rural and wildlife crime. 

·      Councillor Baum-Dixon referred to Community Speed Watch.  He commented that, enforcement action could only be undertaken when a warranted officer was onsite to issue a penalty. 

·      Councillor Pickering referred to the area of focus in relation to domestic abuse.  He made the Panel aware that some support services used a screening tool when working with male victims of domestic abuse.  He highlighted that, domestic abuse was not a gendered crime, and that a gender inclusive approach to domestic abuse should be referenced in the Plan. 

·      Councillor Pickering referred to ‘Priority 1 – Protecting Vulnerable People’.  He said that the supply of drugs was now often undertaken from people’s homes.  He highlighted that this had produced a new series of vulnerable people in the community (often elderly people) who felt intimidated by the individuals living around them and this could stop them from reporting incidents to the Force.  Councillor Pickering said that the Force needed to identify vulnerable people living near drug users and be more proactive to assure people that action would be taken. 

·      Councillor Milsom referred to ‘Priority 2 – Tacking Crime and Anti-Social Behaviour’.  She felt that the Plan omitted to set out goals in relation to how anti-social behaviour has particular effects on individuals and communities. In addition, she said that crime and anti-social behaviour needed to be tacked in a multi-agency approach.  She also queried how the public could be reassured that crime and anti-social behaviour is being tackled by the Force. 

·      Councillor Ransome said that she disagreed with the three priorities outlined in the Plan.  She asked the Commissioner to consider strengthening the priorities to make it more explicit that the police have a role as enforcers. 

The Commissioner thanked the Panel for their comments and provided detailed responses to the questions raised above. 

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

i)          Noted the contents of the PCC’s new draft Plan.

ii)         Agreed to provide comments on the draft Plan in a report to the Commissioner by 18 February 2022.