Agenda and minutes

(1) The Chairman welcomed the witnesses and explained that the meeting would be webcast live. 

(1) No Declarations of Interest were received

(1)       Councillor Mrs Johnston had been present at the last Panel meeting; this would be amended in the minutes.

RESOLVED that subject to the above amendment the minutes of the meeting held on 29 November 2012 be signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

RESOLVED that the Panel noted the grade 3 decisions taken by the Commissioner. 

(1)         Mrs Barnes presented her draft Police and Crime Plan 2013 – 17 to members of the Kent and Medway Police and Crime Panel. 

(2)         The Commissioner outlined her proposals set out within the draft plan including her manifesto promise to recruit a Youth Commissioner and to set up mini mobile police stations. 

(3)         The Commissioner also announced that she intended to give grants at the same level as in 2012/13 and the Panel commended her for finding the money necessary to offset an 11% reduction in the grant she received from Government for this purpose.  The Panel noted the Commissioner’s assurance that the grant should be used for projects rather than staff wherever possible. 

(4)         The Commissioner thanked her staff and the Force for their work towards producing the draft plan.

(5)         Members asked questions around the Commissioner’s commitment to increase visible policing.  The Commissioner planned to increase the number of Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) by 60 and the number of police officers by 20, by June 2013.  The Panel noted the Commissioner’s assurance that the Chief Constable supported her commitment to the increased visible resources.  The Panel asked for information on the legal powers of PCSOs, and whilst members recognised that that this was an operational matter for the Chief Constable they asked that they be kept informed of any discussions the Commissioner had with the Chief Constable regarding an increase to the legal powers of PCSOs.

(6)         The Panel supported the Commissioner’s intention to appoint a Youth Commissioner and recommended that, when appointed, the person should work closely with existing agencies and arrangements to engage with young people in Kent and Medway. 

(7)         In response to a question about deaths and injuries on Kent and Medway’s roads the Commissioner confirmed that this was high on her list of priorities and was contained within the plan under the ‘Protecting the Public from Serious Harm’. 

(8)         The Panel expressed interest in the Commissioner’s Plan for mini mobile police stations and noted her assurance that they would not consume the same amount of staff resources as had previously been used to staff local police stations.  A Member asked whether it was contradictory to close local police stations and then open mini mobile police stations but the Commissioner explained that footfall and resourcing meant that it was not viable to retain many local police stations.  However, a mapping exercise would be undertaken with the Force to set out current resource deployment throughout Kent and Medway and that information would be used to guide the decision-making on mobile police stations.  The Panel agreed to ask the Commissioner to provide them with the outcome of the mapping exercise and to report back with the intended numbers and deployment.  The Panel noted the Commissioner’s assurance that her commitment to mobile police stations would be implemented by the end of 2013. 

(9)         The Panel discussed the Commissioner’s intention to pilot the concept of Local Policing Forums, starting in Maidstone.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 15.

(1) The Chairman introduced the report and explained that following some negotiation with members the membership of the complaints sub-panel would be as follows:

Councillor Mike O’Brien (the Vice-Chairman)

Councillor Gerry Clarkson

Councillor Pat Todd

Councillor Mrs Iris Johnston

Councillor Ian Chittenden

Mr Dan McDonald and Mr Gurvinder Sandher would share the role as the Panel’s two independent members, but it should be noted that the same member should dealt with a particular complaint from beginning to end for reasons of consistency and natural justice, particularly if, for whatever reason, the sub-panel decided to defer consideration of any particular complaint.

RESOLVED that the Complaints sub-panel be established with the above membership and with Terms of Reference as set out in paragraph 1.2 of the report. 

• 19 February 2013 (reserve date for reconsideration of the precept in case the Panel, on 5 February, votes to veto the proposed precept)
• 9 April 2013
• 4 June 2013
• 10 September 2013
• 5 November 2013

RESOLVED that the dates of future meetings be noted.