The Lincolnshire Police and Crime Panel met on Friday 06 February 2026 to discuss the proposed police precept for 2026/27, the delivery of the Police and Crime Plan, and the impact of proposed police reforms. The panel considered a report from the Police and Crime Commissioner regarding a proposed increase in the police precept, which was ultimately noted by the panel. Discussions also covered the ongoing delivery of the Police and Crime Plan, with updates provided on various initiatives and areas of focus.

Proposed Police Precept 2026/27

The Lincolnshire Police and Crime Panel considered the proposed police precept for 2026/27, which included an increase of £14.94 for Band D properties. This proposal was put forward by Marc Jones, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Lincolnshire, as detailed in his report Proposed Precept 2026/27. The Commissioner highlighted that this increase was informed by public consultation, where 73% of respondents were in favour of increased funding for Lincolnshire Police. The proposed increase aims to support the priorities set out in the Police and Crime Plan 2025-2029, which include community safety, listening and accountability, protecting victims, and ensuring effective policing.

The provisional government grant for Lincolnshire for 2026/27 was £99.7m, an increase of £4.1m compared to the previous year. An additional £0.4m was allocated for neighbourhood policing, bringing the total to £3m. The government also confirmed a precept referendum limit allowing an increase of up to £15 per annum for a Band D property without requiring a local referendum. Despite a request for increased flexibility, this limit remained in place for Lincolnshire. The proposed £14.94 increase for Band D properties translates to an additional cost of approximately 29 pence per week for most council taxpayers.

The report also detailed projected income and expenditure for the coming years. For 2026/27, total income is projected at £198.542m, with expenditure estimated at £196.855m, indicating a projected surplus. However, the Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) forecasts a budget gap increasing to £16.6m by 2029/30, necessitating careful financial planning. The report noted that Lincolnshire has the lowest policing costs per head of population in the country, while local funding through the Police Precept is among the highest.

The panel noted the report on the proposed precept.

Delivery of the Police and Crime Plan

The panel received an update on the delivery of the Police and Crime Plan 2025-2029, presented by Marc Jones, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Lincolnshire. The report detailed progress against the plan's key principles: Community Safety and Prevention in Partnership, Listening, Responding and Being Accountable, Protecting and Supporting Victims and the Vulnerable, and Policing that Works.

Under Community Safety and Prevention in Partnership, activities included a taxi licensing campaign in partnership with South Kesteven District Council, and the positive evaluation of The Happening, an educational program for young people focused on knife crime awareness. An independent evaluation of Lincolnshire's Whole Systems Approach to supporting women and girls at risk of involvement with the criminal justice system was also highlighted, noting improvements in well-being and confidence for participants. A countywide review of CCTV infrastructure was completed, providing recommendations for future investment and operational improvements. Projects funded by the Serious Violence Duty grant are ongoing, with a revised strategy to be published.

In terms of Listening, Responding and Being Accountable, the Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner, Sara Munton, engaged in various activities, including providing advice to HMP Lincoln, meeting with local authority leaders, and attending national and regional summits. The annual Crime and Policing survey, which achieved 3,763 responses, was used to gather public opinion on policing and community safety, with an action and communication plan being developed based on the findings. Performance Review Meetings (PRMs) between the PCC and the Chief Constable were noted as a key mechanism for accountability, with a downward trend in neighbourhood crimes being acknowledged, although an increase in anti-social behaviour was observed.

Under Protecting and Supporting Victims and the Vulnerable, a £40,000 funding bid to the Ministry of Justice for a Needs Assessment for children and young people who are victims and survivors of sexual violence in Lincolnshire was approved. The Report Fraud service has replaced Action Fraud as the national platform for reporting cyber-crime and fraud. The government's national VAWG (Violence Against Women and Girls) strategy was published, and officers are working to inform a local plan.

Regarding Policing that Works, the report detailed temporary redeployment of officers to safety-critical functions due to officer shortages. Misuse of Drugs Act (MDA) funding was approved for Drug Testing on Arrest (DToA) to cover DA/VAWG offenders. The Force's improvement plan in response to areas of concern identified by HMICFRS was presented at Police Performance Oversight Group (PPOG) meetings. The National Child Protection Inspection by HMICFRS identified two accelerated causes of concern regarding the effectiveness of investigations into child exploitation and the availability of trained officers, with immediate action being taken.

The panel noted the report.

Discussion on Police Reform

Members engaged in a discussion regarding the impact of proposed police reforms. Concerns were raised about potential democratic deficit and accountability issues, particularly in light of announcements suggesting a reduction in police forces and the potential abolishment of Police and Crime Commissioners without public consultation. Members stressed the importance of maintaining local policing and expressed opposition to the merging of forces. They proposed that the Panel be proactive in putting forward ideas to the Government and MPs on how policing should operate and how scrutiny should be maintained, emphasizing that any changes should benefit communities rather than serve central control.

The Police and Crime Commissioner, Marc Jones, expressed concern over the government's handling of the announcement to abolish Police and Crime Commissioners and move to a Mayoral Governance model, citing a lack of notice and consultation. He suggested that changes could lead to a democratic deficit and that new mayoral systems might lack transparency and accountability. Commissioner Jones supported a Greater Lincolnshire Authority under a democratically elected Mayor with policing responsibility, believing this would provide proper oversight and a stronger lobbying voice. He was also concerned about the potential merging of forces, which could reduce local connectivity and impact victim support services.

The panel agreed that strong, consistent messaging to the Government was essential to protect local policing and accountability. They resolved to maintain a unified approach when lobbying the government and agreed that the Chairman would meet with the PCC and Chief Constable after the funding settlement was announced to discuss a joined-up approach.

Complaints Position Statement

The panel received a report on the complaints position statement, which detailed the procedures for handling complaints against the Police and Crime Commissioner for Lincolnshire. Joanne Davison, Interim Chief Executive for the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, presented the report. It was noted that no complaints were received against the Police and Crime Commissioner during the period of 1 December 2025 to 16 January 2026. The panel noted the report.

National Association of Police, Fire and Crime Panels

Councillor Chris Burke and Councillor Graham Marsh provided an update on their attendance at the National Association of Police, Fire and Crime Panels AGM. They reported that the meeting was informative, with a wide range of common issues discussed across different areas.

Work Programme

Emily Wilcox, Senior Democratic Services Officer, presented the Panel's work programme for 2026-27. The panel discussed the possibility of holding an extraordinary meeting following the publication of the anticipated Police Reform White Paper, given its significant impact on governance. Members suggested that the implications of the White Paper for Lincolnshire be circulated as a starting point for debate. The panel noted the work programme.

The meeting concluded with a discussion on the importance of developing a communications strategy to inform parish and town councils, district councils, and the wider public about the significant debates on governance and policing. This included the potential for updates in Lincolnshire County Council's publication, County News.