The Lincolnshire Police and Crime Panel met on Friday 12 June 2026, re-electing Chris Cook as Chair and Councillor Graham Marsh as Vice-Chair. The panel discussed the Police and Crime Commissioner's Annual Report, the delivery of the Police and Crime Plan, and the refreshed Safer Communities Plan, alongside receiving updates on complaints and the panel's composition.

Election of Chairman and Vice-Chairman

The meeting began with the election of the Chair and Vice-Chair for the upcoming year. Councillor Chris Cook was re-elected as Chair, and Councillor Graham Marsh was re-elected as Vice-Chair.

Police and Crime Commissioner's Annual Report 2025-26

The panel considered the Police and Crime Commissioner's Annual Report for 2025-26. The report highlighted significant progress in securing additional funding for Lincolnshire Police, with an extra £16 million announced for 2026/27 and further funding for the following two years. This funding is intended to support the recruitment of 148 police officers, 20 Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs), and vital police staff, as well as investment in equipment and technology.

Despite this positive development, the report also acknowledged ongoing challenges, including the impending abolition of the Police and Crime Commissioner role in May 2028, with governance transferring to mayoral authorities. Potential mergers of police forces were also discussed, raising concerns about the impact on local accountability and resource allocation for rural areas like Lincolnshire.

The Commissioner, Marc Jones, expressed his commitment to driving innovation and improving services during his final term. The report detailed achievements in community safety, including increased hotspot patrols which led to reductions in anti-social behaviour and serious violence. Initiatives funded through the Proceeds of Crime Act were also highlighted, such as the 'Being Dad' course for prisoners and the distribution of 'Truecall Call Blockers' to protect vulnerable residents from scam calls.

The panel heard that despite the increased funding, Lincolnshire Police remains the second lowest funded force in the country per head of population. The Commissioner stressed that while the new funding was a significant step forward, it was not a silver bullet and that the fight for fairer funding would continue. He also noted the challenges in explaining the severity of past underfunding to national bodies, stating that turning around decades of underinvestment would take time.

Discussions also touched upon innovative approaches, including the use of video technology for victim engagement and the potential for artificial intelligence and machine learning in policing. The report detailed work with the Armed Forces, including training for their investigators and joint operations.

Regarding community safety, the report highlighted the success of the 'Being Dad' course, which was recognised as good practice by Ofsted. The PCC also noted the ongoing challenges in securing adequate adult education budgets for prisons, particularly for basic literacy and numeracy skills, which are crucial for reintegration.

The panel was informed about efforts to improve road safety, including the use of a police motorbike for speed monitoring in areas where vans cannot park. Operation Snap, which uses dashcam footage, was also discussed as a valuable tool for enforcing road safety.

The Commissioner also addressed the significant increase in cybercrime reports, attributing it to improved reporting mechanisms rather than an increase in actual crime. He outlined plans for a new national policing centre to handle cybercrime more effectively.

Delivery of the Police and Crime Plan

An update on the delivery of the Police and Crime Plan was presented, focusing on the Protecting and supporting victims and the vulnerable pillar. The report detailed the commissioning of victim services, with nearly 21,000 victims and survivors receiving support in 2025-26. The strategy aims to provide accessible and responsive services tailored to individual needs, with a focus on evidence-based commissioning and continuous improvement.

The panel heard about the Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC), Spring Lodge, which offers medical, practical, and emotional support. Refurbishments had been completed to improve the service. A regional conference on Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) was held, highlighting best practices and preventative strategies. A needs assessment for Children's Independent Sexual Violence Advisors (CHISVA) was also commissioned.

The report detailed work on Honour-Based Abuse, including a public awareness campaign. The 'Drive Project' for domestic abuse perpetrators was highlighted for its success in reducing abuse. Fraud prevention packs had been distributed to over 8,000 residents.

The panel was informed that the Force had implemented Domestic Abuse Risk Assessments (DARA) to help frontline officers identify and evaluate domestic abuse situations. This initiative, combined with targeted training, had led to a significant increase in website engagement for domestic abuse support services.

The report also addressed the under-representation of certain groups, such as the travelling community, men and boys, ethnic minorities, the elderly, and disabled individuals, in accessing victim services. Focus groups were planned to understand the reasons for this and to co-produce resources to improve awareness and trust.

Safer Communities Plan for Lincolnshire 2025-2029

The panel reviewed the refreshed Safer Communities Plan for Lincolnshire 2025-2029. The plan acknowledged the significant changes in the political and financial landscape, including the impending abolition of the PCC role and potential police force mergers. The plan reiterated the commitment to driving innovation and ensuring the best possible services for Lincolnshire residents, despite the uncertainties.

Key principles outlined in the plan include:

• Community safety and prevention in partnership: Emphasising collaboration with statutory partners and early intervention to reduce reoffending.
• Listening, responding and being accountable: Focusing on effective two-way communication, community engagement, and amplifying community voices.
• Protecting and supporting victims and the vulnerable: Ensuring accessible and responsive services tailored to individual needs.
• Policing that works: Ensuring crime and community safety needs are met effectively and efficiently, with a focus on visible policing, investment in technology, and improving outcomes.

The plan also detailed specific objectives within each principle, such as tackling heritage crime, supporting the Serious Violence Strategy, promoting road safety, and investing in technology like facial recognition and artificial intelligence.

Complaints Position Statement

The panel received an update on complaints made against the Police and Crime Commissioner. During the period 17 January to 29 May 2026, one complaint was received. The report stated that this complaint did not constitute a matter to be recorded as a formal complaint. The panel was informed that the complaint and the response had been shared with panel officers. A subgroup looking at the management of complaints would be reformed.

Balanced Panel Objective

The panel discussed its composition in light of changes to the political make-up of the eight constituent local authorities. The report indicated that the current panel of 10 elected members and 3 independent co-opted members was not politically balanced according to the calculated proportionality. Councillor Philip Maurice Dilks argued that more information was needed to make a decision, specifically a table detailing the political balance across all eight authorities. Allan Beal proposed maintaining the status quo, arguing that political balance was not essential and that the panel's focus should be on holding the Commissioner to account. Councillor Burke countered that the current composition was legally sound and that the proposed changes might not improve the situation. After considerable debate, a proposal to maintain the status quo was carried by four votes to one, with one abstention.

Lincolnshire Police and Crime Panel Annual Report 2025/26

The panel considered the draft annual report for 2025/26. The report summarised the panel's work, including its scrutiny of the Police and Crime Plan, budget, and the Force's improvement activity following HMICFRS inspections. It highlighted the ongoing focus on funding challenges, community safety, and member development. The panel approved the publication of the annual report.

National Association of Police, Fire and Crime Panels

Councillor Chris Burke provided an update on the work of the National Association of Police, Fire and Crime Panels. He reported on discussions regarding the proposed abolition of the PCC model and the transfer of policing governance to mayoral strategic authorities or policing and crime boards. The panel was informed about concerns regarding the shortage of legally qualified advisors due to a lack of liability protection, which was leading to lengthy complaint durations. The chair of the National Association would be raising these concerns with the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC) and potentially the government.

Work Programme 2026/27

The panel reviewed its work programme for 2026/27, which included scheduled meetings for confirmation hearings and discussions on the proposed precept. No significant changes were proposed to the existing programme.

The meeting concluded with the announcement of the date for the next meeting, Friday 24 July 2026, which would include a confirmation hearing for the PCC's Chief Executive.