This meeting was scheduled to include an update by the Police and Crime Commissioner, Emily Spurrell, on her Safer Communities priority, as well as updates about changes to governance and business change cases. The Police and Crime Commissioner's decisions since the last meeting were scheduled to be considered by the panel, along with an update on actions from the previous meeting. Finally, the panel were scheduled to discuss the recruitment of an independent member to fill a vacancy on the panel.

The most significant item scheduled to be discussed was an update on Ms Spurrell's Safer Communities priority, which included updates on Anti-social Behaviour, Modern Slavery, and Community Engagement.

Antisocial Behaviour

The meeting was scheduled to consider a report about several initiatives aimed at tackling antisocial behaviour, including:

• ASB Awareness Week, which took place in November.
• Community walkabouts with local authorities and emergency services.
• A £500,000 Youth Empowerment Scheme.
• Advice surgeries.
• An update on the Anti-Social Behaviour Immediate Justice Pilot.

The report noted that no ASB Case Reviews had been received from the public, indicating that they did not feel the need to escalate any complaints to the Commissioner.

The Anti-Social Behaviour Immediate Justice Pilot, which is scheduled to end in March 2025, was discussed in detail. The report noted that 323 people had either completed or were in the process of completing reparation as part of the scheme. Examples of the scheme in action included perpetrators cleaning and repainting an underpass in Aigburth, as well as clearing an overgrown garden in Bootle Library.

Modern Slavery

The panel was scheduled to receive an update about the work of the Modern Slavery Network, which is chaired by Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner, Jeanie Bell. The Network, which includes representatives from the Police, Border Force, Home Office, and local authorities, published a delivery plan setting out how the group planned to tackle modern slavery. As part of this work, the Network organised an event called the Freedom Bus in which a bus travelled around Merseyside, and members of the Network engaged with the public to discuss how to identify and report Modern Slavery.

Community Engagement

The Police and Crime Commissioner was scheduled to update the panel about her work engaging with the LGBTQ+ community, particularly during the summer pride events. The report also mentioned work done to engage with communities in Southport following a series of hate crimes, including the murder of a man outside the town's mosque.

Change Governance and Business Change Update

The Panel was scheduled to receive a report on the Police and Crime Commissioner's role in approving or noting proposed changes to the governance and business of Merseyside Police. The report included an appendix detailing the change governance process, which makes clear that:

Formal PCC approval is required if investment levels exceed the threshold outlined in the Corporate Governance Framework (£300,000 annually on a cumulative basis). Should the threshold not be exceeded at the point of a business case or decision being considered then the PCC ‘notes’, rather than ‘approves’ the cases or decisions.

The panel was also scheduled to consider summaries of five business cases:

1. Crime Scene Investigation Review.
2. Nominal Management Review.
3. FIB Research, Analysis and Development Review.
4. Force Resourcing Unit.
5. Auto Redaction.

Police and Crime Commissioner Decisions

The panel was scheduled to note that four decisions of significant public interest were made by the Police and Crime Commissioner since the last meeting:

1. PCC to sign TP1 to Transfer a Strip of Land to 73 Bromborough Village Road’s Title.
2. Disposal of Smithdown Lane Police Station.
3. Treasury Management – 2024/25 Mid-year Performance Report.
4. Proposed Utilisation of Invest to Save Reserve - Customer Relationship Management System and the pilot of the Auto Redaction system.

The panel was also scheduled to note two other decisions:

1. OPCC Budget – Budget Monitoring 2024/25 Quarter Two.
2. Victim Support Services – Budget Monitoring 2024/25 Quarter Two.

Actions From Previous Panel Meeting

The panel was scheduled to consider a report about actions taken in response to issues raised at the previous meeting. The report noted that:

• Work continues to develop the Police and Crime Plan and associated performance framework.
• The Commissioner has corresponded with Councillor Allen Makin about specific examples of victim support.
• The Commissioner's office is continuing to liaise with the Domestic Abuse Commissioner's office about a pilot oversight mechanism for Domestic Abuse related Death Reviews, with the outcomes expected to be known in early 2025.
• Despite a lack of long term comparative data, the Merseyside Violence Reduction Partnership Website has seen an approximately 11% increase in visitors between April-June 2024 and July-September 2024.

Recruitment of Independent Co-opted Member

The panel was scheduled to discuss the ongoing recruitment to fill a vacancy for an Independent Co-opted Member. The report notes that the panel:

...must ensure that the Panel’s overall membership achieves the necessary balance in skills, knowledge and experience to discharge its functions effectively.

The report described the process for appointing to this vacancy and noted that:

...the vacancy for the further Co-opted Member has been advertised since March 2023...

The report requested that panel members suggest any additional ways that they can promote the vacancy to maximise the chances of filling it.

The report also requested that the panel agree to appoint a selection panel, consisting of the Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson (Brian Tadeo), and up to two other panel members.