Meeting Details

Essex Police, Fire and Crime Panel
20 Jul 2017 - 14:30 to 17:00
Occurred
  • Documents
  • Members
  • Attendees

Documents

Agenda

Agenda
Standard Items
1 Apologies for Absence and Notices of Substitution
The Secretary to the Panel to report the receipt (if any).
2 Pdf Minutes (71Kb)
To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 1 June 2017.
1

The minutes of the meeting held on 1 June 2017 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

3 Declarations of Interest
Members are invited to declare any interest in any item on the agenda.  Members may still declare an interest in an item at any time prior to its consideration.
2

Councillor June Lumley declared an interest as a member of the Essex Fire Authority.

Councillor Kerry Smith declared an interest as a member of the Essex Fire Authority and as an independent party representative on the LGA.

Councillor Penny Channer declared that she was the Deputy Cabinet Member to County Councillor Dick Madden who had portfolio responsibilities for children and families.

Councillor Ann Holland declared an interest as a member of the Essex Fire Authority and as a member of the LGA Fire Commission.  She also declared that her son was an Essex Police Officer working on Operation RAPTOR (refer agenda item 7).

Councillor John Jowers declared an interest as a former member of the Essex Fire Authority.

4 Questions to the Chairman from Members of the Public
The Chairman to respond to any questions relevant to the business of the Panel from members of the public.
3
There were none.
5 Revised Membership
4
The Committee noted the revised membership as set out on the front cover of the agenda.
5

The Panel considered report EPCP/13/17 by the Commissioner which provided an update on the progress which had been made to prepare for the implementation of the proposed joint governance of Police and Fire & Rescue Services in Essex.

The following points were made during the ensuing discussion.

  • The Commissioner had met with the new Minister for Police and Fire, Nick Hurd, and expected a decision on the local business case would be made shortly.
  • The Panel noted the Commissioner's intention to closely mirror the existing governance structure for oversight of Essex Police with that of the Essex Fire and Rescue Service, and to publish meeting decision papers on the OPCC's website.
  • The Commissioner confirmed that £900k had been budgeted for the transition programme management and expenditure had already begun with the appointment of an interim programme manager.
  • The Panel discussed its role and the expectations of the Home Office.  Concerns were raised regarding the lack of clarity on how an expansion of scrutiny responsibilities for the Essex Police and Crime Panel could be resourced and funded.  Members noted the suggestion to hold Panel meetings around the County and at sites where webcasting was available.  The Panel agreed that additional private meetings were needed ahead of October to discuss what needed to be achieved, and how the involvement of the Fire Brigade Unions would affect the Panel's ability to scrutiny the Fire Service.
  • Some members of the Panel expressed concern that under the new joint governance arrangements the Commissioner could have the power to close Fire Stations.

The Panel otherwise noted the key transition activities and progress in the delivery of these.

6

The Committee considered report EPCP/14/17 by the Assistant Director for Commissioning, OPCC, providing an update on the work of Essex Police, the OPCC and partners in tackling gangs in Essex.

The following points were made during the ensuing discussion.

  • The Panel noted that Project DENVER involved working with the Metropolitan Police Service and included a focus on significant gang activity in the Enfield to Harlow area.
  • The Commissioner commented that he was aware of local policing concerns.  Additional funding had been allocated to this area and would be spent on extra Police Officers rather than PCSOs who had limited powers.
  • The Panel noted the success of preventative measures being put in place by residents in Basildon to stop youth opportunists committing crimes.
  • The Panel member for Thurrock commented on the increasing number of serious violent crimes in that area and the increasing lack of trust in the Police when they did not attend reported burglaries.
  • The Commissioner reported that the latest crime figures from the Office of National Statistics showed an 18% increase in England and Wales in relation to violent crime.  The figures for Essex were up by a rate of 8% and the Commissioner was committed to reducing this.
  • Work was underway to improve Essex Police's awareness of potential victims of gang-related activity at an earlier stage.
  • The Panel noted that the number of Special Constables was increasing and that a further 200 were needed in 2017.  A new recruitment campaign had started and had already attracted 400 applicants in the first month.  Parish and local Councils had welcomed the guarantee that if they funded local Special Constables these would then be retained back into their specific communities post training.  Active Citizen volunteers were also being recruited.
  • The Panel indicated that it would be helpful to have more information on Gangsline, including its record on what is measured as a success and how the tender process was carried out.  The Chairman commented that it would be helpful to know if young people were discouraged from gang culture by seeing the reality of life in prison first hand.

The Panel otherwise noted the report.

7

The Panel considered report EPCP/15/17 by the Secretary to the Committee (presented by Councillor Penny Channer) on the outputs of the first meeting of the Ethics and Integrity Sub-Committee.

The Panel noted that a Forward Plan would be developed for the Sub-Committee's October meeting to enable it to plan its future business and ensure that action points were followed up on.

The Panel and the Commissioner welcomed the good start which had been made.

8

The Panel considered report EPCP/16/17 by the Commissioner which provided a summary of the financial strategic decisions made by the PCC and which contained information on decisions made from 1 June up to and including 11 July 2017.

The following points were made during the ensuing discussion.

  • The Commissioner confirmed that additional funding from the national counter terrorism budget was allocated to the Stansted Airport accommodation.  He confirmed that the airport owners made financial contributions.
  • The Panel noted the planned move from a static SOS triage tent to a movable bus in Chelmsford City.  The service was run by volunteers and paid healthcare professionals and had proved very successful.  The Chief Executive undertook to provide the Panel with details on how the healthcare professionals were funded.

The report was noted.

10 The Police and Crime Commissioner to update the Panel on On-going issues
9

The Commissioner reported that he had recently attended a National Police Chiefs' Council summit and was continuing to seek a more favourable outcome for Essex Police regarding the Government's formula grant.  He had recently been appointed to lead the national funding negotiations on behalf of The Association of Police and Crime Commissioners.

11 Report from the LGA Police and Crime Panels Workshop of 12 July 2017
10

The Chairman drew the Panel's attention to an email forwarded out of meeting from the Local Government Association (LGA) which provided a summary of the provisions of the Policing and Crime Act 2017 (PCA 2017) that impact on the work of Police and Crime Panels.  A copy of the presentations given at the workshop were available on the LGA website.

The Chairman reported that the Panel would be working with the LGA regarding the development of guidance and scrutiny training for members in relation to the Fire Service, and on seeking additional funding from the Home Office to ensure that the Panel could provide effective scrutiny.

The LGA had recognised that funding was a barrier to the development of an independent national association of police panels, and was now working on developing a Special Interest Group offer.

Members were advised to contact the Secretary to the Panel if they wanted to attend the next LGA training session on 12 September.

12 Pdf Forward Look (45Kb)
11

The Panel considered report EPCP/17/17 by the Secretary to the Panel concerning the planning of the Panel's business.

The Panel agreed to the suggestion to move the Estates Strategy item to the meeting on 19 October.

The Secretary to the Panel undertook to arrange additional private meetings in August and September to enable the Panel to consider its role and prepare for the implementation of the proposed joint governance of Police and Fire Services in Essex.  The Panel noted that the September meeting would take place during the week beginning 18 September.

The report was otherwise agreed.

13 Date of Next Meeting

To note that the next meeting will be held at 2.30 pm on Thursday 19 October 2017, in Committee Room 1, County Hall.

12

The Panel noted that the next public meeting would take place at 2.30 pm on Thursday 19 October 2017, in Committee Room 1, County Hall, and that this would be preceded by a private pre-meeting starting at 1.45 pm.

 

The Scrutiny Officer reminded the Panel that he would be arranging additional private meetings in August and September and that further details would be circulated out of meeting by email.

14 Urgent Business
To consider any matter which in the opinion of the Chairman should be considered in public by reason of special circumstances (to be specified) as a matter of urgency.
Exempt Items
15 Urgent Exempt Business
To consider in private any other matter which in the opinion of the Chairman should be considered by reason of special circumstances (to be specified) as a matter of urgency.

Declarations of Interests

Member NameItem Ref.DetailsNature of DeclarationAction
No declarations of interest have been entered for this meeting.

Attendees

Councillor

Representing

 Kerry Smith Basildon Borough Council
 Graham Butland Braintree District Council
 Bill Dick Castle Point Borough Council
 Bob Shepherd Chelmsford City Council
 John Jowers Essex County Council (Chairman)
 Tony Durcan Harlow District Council 
 Penny Channer Maldon District Council
 June Lumley Rochford District Council
 Ann Holland Southend Borough Council
 Lynda McWilliams Tendring District Council
 Joycelyn Redsell Thurrock Borough Council
 John Gili-Ross Independent Member
 Apologies for Absence  
 Wendy Schmitt (Vice-Chairman) with Braintree District Council 
 Graham Butland as her substitute  
 Paul Barrell Brentwood Borough Council
 Godfrey Isaacs with Castle Point Borough Council 
 Bill Dick as his substitute  
 Mike Lilley Colchester Borough Council
 Gary Waller Epping Forest District Council
 Mike Webb with Rochford District Council
 June Lumley as his substitute
 Jim Gordon Uttlesford District Council
 Kay Odysseos Independent Member

 

County Councillor Mike Mackrory was also in attendance.

The following Officers were in attendance throughout the meeting:

 Anna Hook Head of Commissioning Growing Essex Communities
 Robert Fox Scrutiny Officer, Essex County Council, and
  Secretary to the Panel
 Fiona Lancaster Committee Officer, Essex County Council

 

Roger Hirst, Essex Police and Crime Commissioner, was in attendance throughout and supported by Susannah Hancock, Chief Executive and Greg Myddleton, Assistant Director for Commissioning OPCC.

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