The Warwickshire Police and Crime Panel met on Monday 15 June 2026 to discuss the Police and Crime Commissioner's Annual Report, review working group activities, and consider future work programmes. Key discussions included the ongoing impact of national policing reforms, strategies for tackling violence against women and girls, business and retail crime, and rural crime, as well as the effectiveness of police response times and the criminal justice system.

Report of the Police and Crime Commissioner

Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Seccombe presented his Annual Report for 2025/26, highlighting the continued focus on strengthening policing, supporting victims, and preventing harm in Warwickshire. He noted that Warwickshire Police now has the highest number of police officers in its history, with significant investment in frontline policing and neighbourhood teams. The report detailed progress against the Police and Crime Plan 2025-2029, covering areas such as increasing police effectiveness, enhancing neighbourhood policing, building trust and confidence, and improving justice outcomes.

The Commissioner addressed concerns regarding the government's proposals to abolish Police and Crime Commissioners, expressing disappointment that this could make policing less accountable and more distant from communities. He also discussed the Policing White Paper, which proposes major changes to how policing operates, and reiterated his concern that reducing the number of police forces and creating large regional structures might shift focus away from local priorities. He stressed the importance of fair funding for Warwickshire, which receives the lowest central government funding per head in England and Wales.

The report also detailed the work of Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner Emma Daniell, who leads on victim services and chairs the Combating Drugs Partnership. She has also led work on embedding trauma-informed approaches and chaired a task and finish group examining women and girls in the criminal justice system.

Discussions also touched upon the PEEL inspection of Warwickshire Police, which found the force to be inadequate in responding to the public due to slow officer response times, although progress has since been made. The Commissioner acknowledged that many issues stemmed from insufficient officer numbers to meet rising demand.

Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG)

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to the issue of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG). Councillor Natalie Gist raised concerns that VAWG still constituted 20% of recorded crime and emphasised the need for more reporting. She highlighted periods like the World Cup as potentially increasing incidents of domestic violence. Deputy PCC Emma Daniell confirmed that policing nationally is cognisant of potential increases in domestic violence during such events and that media campaigns are underway.

Councillor Jim Sinnott inquired about the lived experience of women and girls, beyond the statistics. Commissioner Seccombe acknowledged that he could not fully understand this experience but stated that fear for women and girls in certain areas of Warwickshire is a reality. He stressed the importance of reporting incidents to build an intelligence picture and formulate an appropriate response.

Councillor Stuart Green asked for a report on why sexual crimes and VAWG are increasing. Commissioner Seccombe suggested that societal divisions and social media may contribute, alongside a worrying growth in domestic violence. He emphasised the duty of local representatives to promote good behaviour and support vulnerable individuals. The Commissioner also mentioned the recommissioning of the Sexual Abuse Referral Centre (SARC) in Nunnyton.

Business, Retail, and Rural Crime

Councillor Adrian Warwick raised concerns about the rise in business and retail crime, particularly shoplifting, and asked for an update on the strategy to tackle this. Commissioner Seccombe confirmed the establishment of a specific business crime team, which has made arrests and improved intelligence sharing.

Councillor Warwick also highlighted an epidemic of vehicle crime in rural areas, with daily incidents of car doors being opened and attempted vehicle thefts. While acknowledging statistics showed a reduction in vehicle crime across the county, he expressed concern about the impact on local residents. The Commissioner stated that the force is working with surrounding forces and the West Midlands Regional Organised Crime Unit on this issue and that education on vehicle safety is being promoted.

Councillor Cliff Brown noted the link between retail crime, rural crime, and organised crime groups, suggesting that some criminal activities are becoming easier to conduct under the radar. He questioned the strategy for dealing with these issues as a generic problem. Commissioner Seccombe confirmed the publication of a new rural crime strategy, developed with extensive consultation, and highlighted the importance of inter-force collaboration.

Police Response Times and Criminal Justice System

Councillor Jim Sinnott questioned the response times for 999 and 101 calls, seeking clarification on the tails of these statistics – the longest response times. Commissioner Seccombe stated that long response times are investigated and that efforts are being made to ensure adequate coverage during peak times. He committed to finding out more specific details on the longest response times.

The Panel also discussed the criminal justice system, with Councillor Andrew Davies referencing the ongoing challenges of court backlogs and delays. The Panel agreed to request more detailed data on the local criminal justice board's performance, covering the entire process from offence reporting to court outcomes, to understand the impact on victims. Councillor Keith Kondakor specifically asked for data on the percentage of cases that fail at each stage of the process, not just the waiting times. Commissioner Seccombe acknowledged the significant backlog in the courts and the underlying problems within the system, stating that while he cannot solve them, they are discussed at the Warwickshire Local Criminal Justice Board.

Other Matters

The Panel affirmed the continuation of the Planning and Performance Working Group and the Budget Working Group. Discussions also took place regarding local government reform, with an expectation of hearing government decisions in mid-July. The work programme for the Panel was reviewed, with topics such as rural crime, VAWG, communications, and antisocial behaviour identified for future discussion. The dates for future meetings were also noted.

The meeting concluded with the appointment of Sue Gill as Chair and Councillor Cliff Brown as Vice-Chair.