Meeting
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Police and Crime Panel (Statutory Joint Committee) - Hampshire
Scheduled Time
Friday, 31st January 2025
10:00 AM
Friday, 31st January 2025
2:00 PM
Confirmed
31 Jan 2025
Ashburton Hall, Elizabeth II Court, The Castle, Winchester
Councillor Dan Poole
New Forest District Council
Expected
Councillor Philip Lashbrook
Test Valley Borough Council
Apologies
Councillor Alan Oliver
Hart District Council
Present, as expected
Councillor Luigi Gregori
Additional Local Authority Co-opted Member
Present, as expected
Councillor Simon Minas-Bound
Additional Local Authority Co-opted Member
Apologies
Councillor Gwen Robinson
Additional Local Authority Co-opted Member
Present, as expected
Councillor David Podger
Additional Local Authority Co-optee
Not required
Councillor Karen Lucioni
Isle of Wight Council
Present, as expected
Councillor Phillip Davies
East Hampshire District Council
Present, as expected
Councillor Vivian Achwal
Winchester City Council
Present, as expected
Councillor Cynthia Garton
Eastleigh Borough Council
Not required
Councillor Tom Hanrahan
East Hampshire District Council
Not required
Councillor Ian Holder
Portsmouth City Council
Not required
Shirley Young
Independent Co-opted Member
Apologies
Councillor Steve Clarke
New Forest District Council
Not required
Councillor Ian Ward
Isle of Wight Council
Not required
Councillor Richard Adair
Portsmouth City Council
Present, as expected
Councillor Richard Brown
Havant Borough Council
Present, as expected
Councillor Stephen Hammond
Gosport Borough Council
Absent
Councillor Christie Lambert
Southampton City Council
Present, as expected
Councillor John McKay
Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council
Expected
Councillor Becky Williams
Rushmoor Borough Council
Apologies
Trevor Cartwright MBE
Independent Co-opted Member
Present, as expected
Councillor Paul Basham
Basingstoke and Deane Brough Council
Not required
Councillor Gillian Harris MBE
Havant Borough Council
Not required
Councillor Tony Jessop
Gosport Borough Council
Not required
Councillor Halleh Koohestani
Rushmoor Borough Council
Not required
Councillor Simon Martin
Fareham Borough Council
Not required
Councillor Philip Lashbrook, Test Valley Borough Council Councillor Simon Minas-Bound, Additional Local Authority Co-opted Member Councillor Becky Williams, Rushmoor Borough Council Shirley Young, Independent Co-opted Member
No declarations were made.
- Document Minutes of Previous Meeting 23 Jan 2025
Councillor Lucioni also confirmed her future meeting with the Children’s Commissioner and would update the Panel following the appointment. She also looked forward to presenting an award for Best Animal at the Police and Crime Commissioner awards in March.
- Document PCC announcements - PCP Jan 31, 2025 23 Jan 2025
During questions on the announcements, the following points were clarified:
· A Member raised how the average cost to keep a person in prison was £52,000pa, which was not always the best use of public money and was not always the best outlet for all offenders. Research was being done as to more effective ways such money could be spent to offer more focused help, which in turn would also free up spaces for those who were felt best placed in the prison system. The Police and Crime Commissioner welcomed two reviews – the Rt Hon David Gauke sentencing review and Sir Brian Leveson review of courts and how they work.
· The King’s Trust (previously The Prince’s Trust) had been a very successful project working with young people. Results were measured through the Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) and four young people were in employment with the success rate approaching 75%
· The Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) was thanked for her visit to Havant. Concerns were raised that Local Authority warden patrols won’t continue to be funded, and this concern was shared by other members. The Commissioner confirmed that this wasn’t funded from the PCC’s general fund/settlement but funding from Gov’t. The PCC made a recommendation of jointly lobbying to the Home Secretary to re-affirm the positive impact of the previous funding programme and for the anti-social behaviour programme to be re-established.
· The Community Safety Fund was due to launch again in March 2025 and all areas were welcome to apply. Funding would be allocated against need. The Police and Crime Commissioners dedicated ASB fund was in addition to this and was open all year round, with a budget of £150,000.
· The Police and Crime Commissioner welcomed the recent government announcement by the Home Secretary of an additional £100m being made available for neighbourhood policing.
· It was acknowledged by a Member that misogyny prevention was to be prioritised by central government in 2024, but was not classified as a theology under terrorism, resulting in a risk of progress not being monitored effectively. The Commissioner confirmed that extreme misogyny would probably sit within Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) legislation if it wasn’t classified as an extreme form of behaviour in its own right. The new Crime and Justice Bill is due this year and the PCC would keep the Panel updated on any progress and developments related to this.
· The number of 101 calls would be followed up on in addition to the percentage reduction as quoted. Call stats were shown for 999/101 calls, with Hampshire and the Isle of Wight 17th out a 43 forces in call answering speed. Chief Constable Scott Chilton and his team were thanked for their work in achieving such positive results.
· Work continued in finding key sites including Police Standards Departments and other suitable locations for front counters. Front Counters served two purposes 1) greater connection for the public and increasing trust and confidence in policing 2) operationally, for example those who have to report to police stations and the importance of sites being on good transport links.
· Historically, not enough resource had been given to the policing of shoplifting, but this was now something that was a priority for improvement and a new contract with retailers was anticipated in the near future.
· Information could be shared with Members on survey results across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight to support targeted engagement in the future.
- Document Budget Report 25-26 for Police and Crime Panel - Final 23 Jan 2025
- Document Police & Crime Panel Letter to Commissioner regarding the Precept proposals 23 Jan 2025
The report was summarised, and it was highlighted that there was a shortfall in National Insurance contributions due to policy change. There had been a good response to the precept consultation and 77% of respondents stated that they would pay an increase to the policing precept. Whilst a grant increase had been confirmed, further funding for neighbourhood policing was anticipated, taking the number of officers to 815 as opposed to the 775 quoted within the report provided the precept was approved and delivered. Once recruited, the force would have thehighest number of police officers for a decade.
The Chair thanked officers for the precept briefings that had been provided to members of the Panel, which had been incredibly beneficial in fully understanding the proposals and impacts.
During questions of the report, the Panel heard the following:
· Additional staff were likely to be required for vetting the additional police officers and a further update would follow at a future meeting. It was acknowledged that vetting was a crucial process that needed to remain robust.
· A large spend was anticipated on IT and Windows updates, which were expensive and time consuming and there was concern on the dependency on Windows and the need to adhere to safety and security requirements. This was being looked at with the Home Office.
· Additional and associated expenditure was included in the £14m anticipated for additional police officers including elements such as uniform and equipment.
· It was expected that a new grant would cover the additional spend for National Insurance, but if not then an additional £75k would need to be found.
RESOLVED
The Police and Crime Panel (P&CP):
a) Supported a precept increase of £14 per annum for Band D properties
(5.35%), which is the equivalent of £1.17 per month, or 27p per week. The increase of £14 being the amount that the Government expects all PCCs to increase their council tax precept by in order to deliver the levels of policing expected by the public.
b) Noted that the precept in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight (HIOW) in 24/25 was set at £10 due to the cost-of-living pressures at the time. That was the lowest increase in the country and increased the amount that HIOW was below the national average to £12.64. As all PCCs are expected to increase council tax precept by £14, it was highly likely that an increase of £14 will still keep the HIOW precept level below the national average.
c) Noted the recommendations from the Chief Constable on the operational
requirements for 2025/26 onwards, and the request that the PCC support a precept increase to enable the delivery of those requirements, as set out in Appendix A.
d) Noted that a consultation had been undertaken to determine the public
support for a precept increase, and that the outcome of the consultation
showed that there was support for a precept increase.
e) Noted that 61% of households across Hampshire & IoW (HIOW) were in
properties in council tax bands A-C, and would therefore see a precept
increase of less than £14 per annum as set out in Appendix C.
f) Noted that the total uplift in police officer numbers in HIOW over the three year period 2020/21 to 2022/23 delivered through the Government’s Uplift programme was 498, but that with the support of the PCC, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary (HIOWC) had budget in 2024/25 to increase by a total net additional 725 officer posts and the proposals in this budget increase that number further to 775. Following a further update from Government it was anticipated that further funding for Neighbourhood Policing could increase the number to 815 officer posts.
- Document 2025-01-31 PCP Work Programme 23 Jan 2025
The Chair noted a request to add an item on the National Funding Formula, which would be brought forward to a future meeting. It was also noted that an informal briefing would be set up for the Panel on devolution and local government reorganisation.
RESOLVED:
The work programme was agreed.
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