The Lincolnshire Police and Crime Panel met to elect a chair and vice-chair, address panel composition, review the Police and Crime Commissioner’s annual report, and discuss the HMICFRS PEEL report. Councillor Chris Cook was elected as chair, and Councillor Graham Marsh as vice-chair. The panel also agreed to co-opt an additional member to meet statutory balance requirements.

HMICFRS PEEL Inspection of Lincolnshire Police

The panel discussed the HMICFRS ¹ PEEL ² report, which led to Lincolnshire Police being placed under enhanced monitoring.

The report, which was conducted in October 2024, graded Lincolnshire Police as 'inadequate' in four areas and 'requires improvement' in another four. The areas of concern included:

• Responding to the public
• Investigating crime
• Managing offenders and suspects
• Leadership and force management

Councillor Allan Beal asked about the apparent contradiction of Lincolnshire being number one in the country for responding to 999 calls while also being deemed inadequate for responding to the public by the Inspectorate.

Mark Jones, the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for Lincolnshire, responded that such reports are:

very good at pointing out critical things, not so good at offering the balance.

He noted that the report did not mention positive aspects, such as Lincolnshire Police's high ranking for case file quality and rape convictions. He also highlighted the financial challenges faced by the force, being the lowest funded in the country, which contributed to some of the criticisms in the report, such as over-reliance on overtime.

The Chief Constable explained that the inspection regime had changed to focus more on compliance with processes rather than outcomes. He also thanked police officers and staff for their work.

Councillor Sean Matthews stated that the report was dreadful but could be used as a tool to focus on what needs fixing.

David Williams, Independent Co-Optee, suggested developing a more iterative relationship between the panel and the police to address such issues, rather than relying solely on formal meetings. This was supported by Councillor Lindsey Cawrey, who suggested a collaborative working group. The PCC responded that any such working groups would need careful consideration to ensure political balance.

The PCC also clarified that the judicial review ³ was ended to allow for more constructive discussions with the Home Office, and that the £5.7 million in funding would last until October. He warned that without further funding, the workforce would need to be cut by at least 20%.

Councillor Sarah Trotter asked about the impact of potential workforce cuts on experienced officers and police staff. The Chief Constable explained that police officers could not be made redundant, so cuts would have to come from natural wastage and police staff reductions. He also warned that reducing the force to 1,000 officers would raise concerns about the safety of the county.

Councillor I H Sheard raised concerns about the cancellation of recruitment and the impact on applicants who had already committed to the process. The Chief Constable apologised and stated that those individuals would be guaranteed positions.

Councillor Stephen Woodliffe asked about the potential to slim down the estate and reduce costs. The PCC responded that a number of buildings had been mothballed rather than sold, and that a new document was being produced to assess the fit-for-purpose estate.

Delivery of the Police and Crime Plan

The panel discussed the delivery of the Police and Crime Plan, with Mr Williams asking about the Keeping Town Centres Safe programme and the Safer Together team. The PCC explained that the Keeping Town Centres Safe programme had strict criteria for eligible areas, and that the Safer Together team had been reduced due to financial challenges. He added that the force was exploring new ways to communicate and engage with the public.

Councillor Trotter requested that retail crime be considered away from high streets, such as at retail parks. The PCC responded that retail crime does matter and should be raised with the local neighbourhood team.

Police and Crime Commissioner's Annual Report 2024-25

The panel reviewed the Police and Crime Commissioner's Annual Report 2024-25. Mr Williams commented that future annual reports should be more focused and specific in terms of achievements and outcomes. He also suggested including panel members' names and locations rather than political affiliation.

Councillor Cawrey suggested putting the report on the council's website for circulation. Councillor Corey suggested ensuring the report was accessible to those whose first language was not English.

Complaints Position Statement

The panel received information on complaints made against the Police and Crime Commissioner for Lincolnshire during the period 25 January – 16 May 2025. Two complaints had been made and were being handled by Lincolnshire County Council’s Monitoring Officer.

Work Programme

The panel discussed the work programme and agreed to undertake the recruitment of additional co-opted independent members.