The West Mercia Police and Crime Panel met on Friday 10 July 2026 to discuss a range of topics concerning policing and crime across the region. Key discussions were scheduled to include the Police and Crime Plan performance, the draft annual report of the Police and Crime Commissioner, and road safety initiatives. The panel was also set to review the appointment of co-opted members and the work programme for the upcoming year.

Appointment of Co-opted Members

The panel was scheduled to consider changes to the co-opted membership for Shropshire Council, as well as co-optees from Herefordshire and Telford and Wrekin Councils. This discussion was part of the ongoing process to ensure the panel's composition aligns with the requirements of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011, which mandates a specific number of elected members and co-opted members, including at least two independent lay members.

Road Safety

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to road safety, a topic that consistently features prominently in public engagement and is a key priority within the PCC's Safer Communities Plan. The report was expected to provide an overview of current activity, focusing on the role of the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) in setting direction, supporting delivery, and holding the force to account. It was also intended to highlight how partnership working, commissioning, and engagement are being used to drive improvements. The West Mercia Road Safety Strategy 2026-2030, aiming to make roads free from preventable deaths and serious injury, was to be a central focus. The strategy emphasises a partnership approach, involving local authorities, fire and rescue services, and health partners, and outlines a commitment to reducing harm through prevention, behaviour change, and targeted enforcement. The report was also expected to detail the PCC's investment in road safety, including funding for average speed camera schemes and the acquisition of TruCam technology for enforcement.

Police & Crime Plan Performance, Metrics and Activity Monitoring Report

The panel was scheduled to receive an update on the activity undertaken by the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) in support of his West Mercia Safer Communities Plan. This included updates on the Combating Drugs Partnership, the Crime Reduction Board's work on domestic abuse, serious violence, neighbourhood crime, and serious organised crime. The report was also expected to cover progress on knife crime prevention initiatives, such as the Steer Clear programme, and perpetrator interventions for domestic abuse. Furthermore, discussions were anticipated regarding the police estate, sustainability efforts, and major capital projects. The report was also to include updates on communications and engagement activities, financial management for 2025/26, and support for victims and witnesses, including the Victim Support Gateway and services for victims of sexual violence.

Draft Annual Report of the Police and Crime Commissioner for West Mercia

The panel was asked to review the draft Annual Report for 2025/26. This report is a statutory requirement under the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 and is intended to detail the exercise of the PCC's functions and the progress made in meeting the objectives set out in the Police and Crime Plan. The report provides a high-level overview of the PCC's work throughout the financial year, highlighting achievements in areas such as crime reduction, victim support, and partnership working, despite facing financial challenges and national reform.

Work Programme

The panel was scheduled to consider its work programme for 2026/27. This involves reviewing and agreeing on the priority issues to be investigated throughout the year, taking into account statutory requirements such as the review of the PCC's proposed precept and the annual report. The work programme also includes regular items such as updates on the Police and Crime Plan activity and performance monitoring, as well as specific topics for in-depth scrutiny, such as offenders to justice outcomes and violence against women and girls. The panel aimed to retain flexibility to address any urgent issues that might arise.

Lay Member Appointment

The panel was scheduled to discuss the appointment of a Lay Independent Co-opted Member. The report highlighted that there was a vacancy for one of the two required independent lay members, whose term of office had ended. The recruitment process, which must adhere to principles of merit, fairness, transparency, and impartiality, was to be discussed, with a recommendation for the panel to appoint members to an Appointments Panel to conduct the recruitment.

Road Safety Strategy

A detailed report on the Road Safety Strategy: Driving towards zero 2026-2030 was presented. This strategy outlines the approach to making West Mercia's roads safer by focusing on the Safe System Approach, which acknowledges that human error is possible and aims to design the road system to prevent fatalities and serious injuries. The strategy is built around five pillars: safe road users, safe vehicles, safe speeds, safe roads and roadsides, and post-collision response. It details objectives such as eliminating fatalities, enhancing collaboration, leveraging technology, engaging and educating communities, and strengthening enforcement. The report also outlined the governance framework for implementing the strategy, including internal and external structures, and the role of the OPCC in commissioning funds to support community-centred initiatives, innovative pilots, enforcement capabilities, and public awareness campaigns.

Budget Briefing – 2026/27

The panel was provided with a budget briefing for 2026/27. This included an overview of the budget context, highlighting financial pressures such as pay and non-pay inflation, and government spending priorities. The report detailed the funding settlement, including assumptions about precept increases, and outlined the revenue budget for 2026/27, indicating a budget deficit. It also presented information on changing demand on policing services and the proposed approach to balancing the budget, including reductions in OPCC and force non-pay expenditure, and adjustments to staff pay and officer recruitment. The report also detailed the PCC's precept proposal, which included a 5.2% increase, and the results of the budget consultation.

Exempt Report

An item was scheduled for discussion that would not be open to the press and public due to the likely disclosure of exempt information relating to individuals. The recommendation was that the press and public be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of this item, as the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosure.