Councillor Richard Wilson was elected as the new Chair of the Surrey Police and Crime Panel, succeeding Councillor John Robini. The panel also elected Samantha Sheriff as Vice-Chair and discussed the significant Estate Strategy update, which aims to modernise Surrey Police's property portfolio to better support operational needs and achieve financial efficiencies.

Election of Chairman and Vice-Chairman

Councillor Richard Wilson, appointed by Surrey Heath Borough Council, was elected as the new Chair of the Surrey Police and Crime Panel for the 2026-27 year, securing six votes to Councillor Barry Cheyne's five. Samantha Sheriff was elected as Vice-Chair unopposed. Councillor Wilson acknowledged the big shoes to fill left by his predecessor, Councillor John Robini, who sadly passed away recently, and paid tribute to his service. He also noted that the panel would cease to exist in its current form in two years due to local government reorganisation.

Estate Strategy Update

Maureen Cherry, Head of Estates, and Deputy Chief Constable Mark McEwan presented an update on Surrey Police's Estate Strategy, approved in 2022. The strategy addresses the significant challenges posed by the current estate of 28 properties, much of which is in poor repair and costly to maintain, with an estimated £240 million investment needed to bring it up to standard. Doing nothing, they stated, would cost £480 million over 30 years.

The strategy has been adapted to respond to changing operational needs and external influences, including the local government reorganisation and the Policing Reform Bill. Key internal impacts include the move from three to two divisions, reflecting the unitary authority proposals, and decisions made regarding divisional headquarters in Leatherhead and a new policing hub in Redhill. Externally, the strategy must account for the uncertainty surrounding civic centres where police are currently embedded, the potential national or regional policing changes, rising contractor and manufacturing costs, and a nervous property market.

The updated strategy outlines a three-tier accommodation model: policing hubs for key locations, police bases in key towns, and police posts for neighbourhood officers. Key projects include the ongoing development of Mount Brown in Guildford, the Eastern Divisional Headquarters in Leatherhead, and the Redhill Policing Hub. A new Western Divisional Headquarters and custody facilities are also being prioritised. Properties requiring substantial investment and in poor condition will be disposed of to drive savings and generate capital.

Progress reports were provided on Mount Brown, where enabling works are expected to begin after summer, and the Eastern Divisional Headquarters in Leatherhead, where ground-breaking is targeted for late 2026. The Redhill Policing Hub is nearing completion, with enabling works underway and a formal site commencement in mid-July 2026. Site searches for the Western Divisional Headquarters and Custody Super Suite are progressing, with a design team appointed.

During the discussion, concerns were raised about the financial and operational risks of delivery timeline slips. While acknowledging potential challenges, it was noted that much of the planning process was now back within the force's control, and contractors were on board, minimising the risk of significant slippage. Financially, scenario planning had been undertaken, and the strategy was designed with some flexibility.

Councillor Robin Spencer questioned when the public would see the status of their local police stations beyond those mentioned in the presentation. The Police and Crime Commissioner, Lisa Townsend, explained that while residents' opinions were important, a formal consultation process on station closures was not deemed appropriate, as it could be deeply disingenuous. She assured that discussions around estate changes were held at the estates board and that any moves to close a station would involve conversations with local MPs and councillors.

Deputy Chief Constable Mark McEwan addressed concerns about response times, stating that Surrey Police now met Grade 1 response targets over 80% of the time and Grade 2 targets within 60 minutes over 80% of the time. He also highlighted the significant time and cost incurred by police dealing with mental health crises, with officers spending over 12,900 hours in 2025-26 on Section 136 detentions, costing an estimated £335,425. This was identified as a systemic failure requiring partnership solutions.

Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey Annual Report 2025-26

The panel reviewed the draft Annual Report, which details the PCC's functions and progress against the Police and Crime Plan for the financial year April 2025 to March 2026. Commissioner Townsend highlighted the commissioning activity, particularly services supporting vulnerable residents, victims of crime, and initiatives for young people, as key achievements. She expressed significant concern about the future of these services post-2028, when the current PCC model is set to be abolished, and the lack of clarity from the government on future funding and governance arrangements.

Councillor Sam Sheriff asked about the clearest indicators of improving public confidence. Commissioner Townsend explained that confidence is multifaceted and difficult to measure with a single metric, citing variations in public perception based on direct experience versus general observation. She noted that while Surrey's overall confidence rating of 53.6% was in the top third nationally, there was still room for improvement. Deputy Chief Constable McEwan added that Surrey Police excelled in problem-solving and had doubled its charge rate over three years, now sitting mid-table nationally.

Concerns were raised about the potential impact of local government reorganisation and potential police force mergers on the estate strategy and future funding. Commissioner Townsend identified the estate strategy as a particular challenge, given its public interest and the complexities arising from local government reform.

Surrey Police Group Unaudited Financial Report for 2025/26

The panel noted the unaudited financial report for the Surrey Police Group, which showed a gross revenue outturn expenditure of £330.9m, resulting in a slight underspend of £0.9m. This was largely due to one-off financial benefits and slippage in some projects, with the adjusted outturn being £0.1m under budget. The OPCC also reported an underspend of £0.2m. Capital expenditure was £21.4m against an adjusted budget of £27.6m, primarily due to slippage in the Estates Strategy programme. The report highlighted that 80% of costs relate to pay, and that future financial challenges would require difficult decisions, including potential headcount reductions.

Councillor Tony Burrell questioned whether the current financial management was storing up problems for the future, particularly with reduced grant funding. The Chief Finance Officer stated that policing grants were predicted to remain flat, but pay increases would outpace resources, necessitating difficult decisions. He also noted an increase in ill-health retirements contributing to other employee expenses.

Councillor Leslie Rice inquired about the process for financial approval and the inclusion of balance sheets and asset valuations. It was clarified that the Commissioner approves the budget, and annual accounts, including balance sheets and reserves, would be published on 30 June.

Councillor Mike Smith raised concerns about an underspend in training and development, questioning if this was a short-term saving that could lead to future problems. The Chief Finance Officer reassured the panel that work was ongoing to centralise training management and ensure officers received necessary mandatory training.

PCC Forward Plan and Key Decisions

Commissioner Townsend identified the estate strategy as presenting the greatest risk and likely public interest, due to the complexities of local government reform and potential police force mergers. She also highlighted concerns about planning services transferring to unitary authorities and the uncertainty surrounding future policing structures and funding.

Surrey Police and Crime Panel Annual Report 2025/26

The panel approved the Surrey Police and Crime Panel Annual Report for 2025/26. The Vice-Chairman, Councillor Barry Cheyne, noted the panel's focus on scrutinising delivery against the Police and Crime Plan, financial sustainability, police integrity, and emerging crime issues. He also expressed concerns about the future of commissioned services post-2028.

Re-establishment of Sub-Committees

The panel agreed to reconstitute the Complaints Sub-Committee and the Finance Sub-Group for 2026/27. Councillor Mike Smith, Councillor Fiona White, and Councillor Raj Haque were appointed to the Complaints Sub-Committee, with two further vacancies to be filled. Councillor Mike Smith, Councillor Leslie Rice, and Councillor Barry Cheyne were appointed to the Finance Sub-Group, with one further vacancy.

Complaints Received and Forward Work Programme

The panel noted the report on complaints received since the last meeting and the Recommendations Tracker and Forward Work Programme. The formal Surrey Police response to the Peel inspection has yet to be published and will be a substantive agenda item for the September meeting.

The next meeting of the Surrey Police and Crime Panel is scheduled for 24 September 2026, commencing at 9:30 am.