The Kent and Medway Police and Crime Panel will meet on 18 December 2024. The agenda suggests that a range of topics are scheduled to be included for discussion, including road safety, neighbourhood policing, and a review of divisional policing. The Panel will also be provided with an update on the work of the Kent and Medway Safer Roads Partnership.

Road Safety - Update

The Panel will be provided with an update on Road Safety in Kent. The report pack contains data on road deaths and serious injuries in the county between 2021-2024. The report pack states that

on average 52 people are killed on Kent’s roads every year, and many more suffer life changing injuries.

The report pack goes on to describe the different teams within Kent Police who are responsible for road safety, before providing information about their activities. The document highlights the work of Kent Police in tackling the 'fatal four' offences of speeding, drink-driving, driving while using a mobile phone and driving without a seatbelt. It also describes the different ways in which Kent Police work with other organisations to try and reduce road deaths and serious injuries in the county, for example through the Kent and Medway Safer Road Partnership. The report pack also details the work of the Community Speedwatch programme, and contains statistics about the number of speeding drivers detected by the scheme. Finally, the report pack describes the support that is available from the road safety charity Brake for victims of road traffic collisions and their families.

Neighbourhood Policing Review - Update

The Panel will be provided with an update on the Neighbourhood Policing model which was implemented by Kent Police in June 2023. The report pack describes the model in detail, outlining the different teams that are responsible for neighbourhood policing in the county, including Beat Officers, Neighbourhood Taskforces and Child Centred Policing Teams. It also provides information about the ways in which these teams have engaged with local communities, and the problem-solving activities that they have undertaken.

The report pack states that the implementation of the model

has been received positively both internally and externally.

The report pack contains numerous examples of recent operational activity that has been undertaken by the Neighbourhood Policing Teams, including a crackdown on illegal delivery drivers in Thanet.

Divisional Policing Review

The Panel will be provided with an update on the progress of the Divisional Policing Review. This review aims to

improve front line capacity and capability, enhance the quality of investigations and provide an improved service to victims of crime.

The report pack explains that the review was prompted by changes to the national policing landscape, and by Kent Police's need to make financial savings. It describes how Kent Police has sought to consult staff and engage with stakeholders throughout the review process. The report pack provides information about each of the changes that have been made to the structure of policing in Kent, and the reasons why these changes have been made. It also describes some of the benefits of the new model, such as larger and more resilient teams. Finally, the document outlines the next steps for the review.

Minutes of previous meeting

The agenda includes the minutes from the previous meeting of the Panel, which took place on 10 October 2024. The minutes note that a number of reports were requested by the Panel at that meeting, including a response from the Commissioner to a question about the representation of different communities within the Neighbourhood Policing model. These reports are scheduled for discussion at this meeting. The minutes also record that the Commissioner is due to provide a verbal update to the panel on a range of issues, including road safety.

Future Work Programme

The Panel will be asked to note the Future Work Programme for the Panel. This suggests that the Commissioner will be asked to attend a meeting of the Panel on 4 February 2025, where the Panel is likely to discuss a range of issues, including the Commissioner's draft budget and precept proposal, and the HMICFRS PEEL 2023-25 Inspection update.

Minutes of the Commissioner's Governance Board Meeting

The Panel will be asked to note the minutes of a meeting of the Commissioner's Performance and Delivery Board that took place on 2 October 2024. These minutes provide a summary of the discussion that took place at that meeting, including a detailed breakdown of the performance of Kent Police against a range of metrics. The minutes record that the Chief Constable, Tim Smith, provided an update on the progress that Kent Police has made against each of the priorities identified in the Police and Crime Plan. The minutes also record that the Chief Constable gave an update on a number of significant operational matters, including an update on the implementation of ‘Right Care Right Person’.