The Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Panel met to discuss the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner's annual report and fire and rescue statement, to agree on a work programme for the coming year, and to appoint members to the Panel's Complaints Sub Committee.

Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner's Annual Report 2024/25

The Panel was scheduled to review the Annual Report for 2024/25 produced by Danielle Stone, the Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner (PFCC). The report details the exercise of the PFCC's functions in the past financial year, and the progress made in meeting the police and crime objectives in the police and crime plan.

The report highlights key achievements against the PFCC's Public Safety Plan, Safe and Sound. It is framed around three missions: visible and accessible police and fire services, a strong professional and ethical base, and public safety partnerships with a shared mission.

The Annual Report includes a year in numbers section, with statistics on:

• Fire incidents and response times
• Policing, including calls received, arrests made, and conviction rates
• Victim support services
• Customer service team performance

The report also details initiatives such as:

• The reopening of the front office at Campbell Square Police Station in Northampton.
• Plans for new police bases in Corby and Kettering.
• New fire stations to be built in Kettering and at Moulton.
• The Community Justice programme, which provides an alternative to prosecution for low-level offences.
• Schemes to prevent violence against women and girls, including the ID Scan rollout and Safer Nights Out (SNO) vans.
• Support for young people vulnerable to crime and exploitation.
• Work with the government to tackle retail crime.

The report also covers professionalism and standards, including a vetting review, improvements to customer service, and the Independent Custody Visitors Scheme¹. It also details strong partnerships, including the Local Criminal Justice Board, the Combatting Drugs Partnership, the Public Safety Board, the Violence Against Women and Girls initiative, and the Serious Violence Prevention Partnership.

Finally, the report provides a budget outturn for 2024/25 for policing, the Office of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner (OPFCC), and the Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service (NFRS).

Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner's Fire and Rescue Statement 2024/25

The Panel was also scheduled to review the Fire and Rescue Statement for 2024/25 produced by the PFCC. This statement provides assurance of compliance with the Fire and Rescue National Framework for England.

The statement includes information on:

• Performance against key performance indicators (KPIs) related to fire incidents, casualties, response times, and prevention activities.
• Financial assurance, including the responsibilities of the PFCC as the Northamptonshire Commissioner Fire and Rescue Authority (NCFRA) and the delegation of financial arrangements.
• Governance assurance, including the Joint Corporate Governance Framework.
• Operational assurance, including the Community Risk Management Plan (CRMP) 2025 – 2030 and the His Majesty's Inspectorate of Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) report 2023-25.
• Prevention activity, including community engagement, youth intervention work, and the Arson Task Force.
• Fire protection activity, including working with businesses to ensure compliance with fire safety legislation.
• Emergency response, including the location of fire stations and resources.
• Collaboration arrangements, including mutual aid agreements with other services.
• Training and development, including the Competency Based Training Framework (CBTF).
• National Operational Guidance and Learning.
• Fire Standards.

The statement also lists the key documents setting out the statutory and policy framework for the NCFRA.

Panel Work Programme 2025/26 and Operating Arrangements

The Panel was scheduled to discuss and agree on its work programme for 2025/26. The work programme supports the Panel in carrying out its statutory responsibilities effectively. The report includes an outline work programme, incorporating statutory business, monitoring reports, and items relating to the operation of the Panel.

The Panel was also scheduled to consider whether to continue participating in the East Midlands Police and Crime Panels Network and the National Association of Police, Fire and Crime Panels.

The outline work programme included the following possible topics highlighted by the previous Panel:

• How Northamptonshire Police and Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service engage with different communities in the county and develop the diversity of their workforces.
• Protection of vulnerable adults.
• How the PFCC engages with local communities, including parish councils, schools and different community groups.

The outline work programme also included briefings and training on the development of the PFCC's proposed precepts and budgets, and briefings with the Chief Constable and the Chief Fire Officer.

Appointments to the Police, Fire and Crime Panel Complaints Sub Committee for 2025/26

The Panel was scheduled to appoint members to serve on the Panel's Complaints Sub Committee for 2025/26. The report summarises the Panel's statutory responsibilities for considering non-criminal complaints about the conduct of the PFCC and Deputy PFCC.

The Panel was scheduled to consider appointing four councillor Panel members and all independent co-opted Panel members to the Sub Committee. The councillor members were scheduled to be two from the majority political group, one from the largest minority political group, and one from the other minority political groups represented on the Panel.