The West Mercia Police and Crime Panel met to discuss the Police and Crime Commissioner's (PCC) activity and police performance, review the draft annual report, and set the work programme for the coming year. The panel heard updates on PCSO deployment, road safety initiatives, cybercrime strategies, and financial challenges facing West Mercia Police. The panel also noted the appointment of Jocelyn Anderson as a Lay Independent Co-opted Member.

PCSO Deployment

A key point of discussion revolved around proposed changes to the deployment of Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) within West Mercia. The changes involve adjusting the times PCSOs are on duty, but John Campion, the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), clarified that there would be no reduction in their hours.

The numbers of PCSOs in our state-enabled teams are not changing, it is the hours to which we will see them on duty that is being altered, augmented by the additional resources that I have referred to.

The PCC addressed concerns that these changes would reduce police visibility, assuring the panel that the changes were necessary to put more officers into front-line teams, and that overall police visibility would improve.

Road Safety

The PCC highlighted ongoing efforts to improve road safety, including writing to leaders in Worcestershire and Shropshire to align road safety activities. He also mentioned the engagement of a sector expert to develop a new partnership approach to road safety. Councillor John Gallagher raised the idea of encouraging young drivers to participate in programmes such as the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM), to which the PCC responded that he was already an IAM member and that he believed education and skills should be at the heart of shifting the terrible harm caused on our roads.

Councillor Emma Stokes asked about collaboration with highways teams, and the PCC responded that tactical responses to crash sites were as expected, but strategic alignment needed improvement. He also clarified that road safety initiatives were funded via income from speed awareness courses, not from the general police fund.

Cybercrime

The panel discussed the increasing problem of cybercrime and the resources available to combat it. Councillor Chris Rogers expressed concern about the fast-moving nature of cybercrime and the need for experts to understand and address the issues. The PCC acknowledged that cyber-enabled crime was a significant challenge and that prevention was key. He also mentioned the Cyber Resilience Centre for the West Midlands as an online resource to help businesses with digital security.

Budget Metrics and Financial Management

The panel reviewed the budget metrics report, which highlighted an overspend in the revenue budget. Councillor Vivienne Parry voiced concerns about the recurring nature of budget overspends and questioned the honesty of budget forecasts. The PCC responded that budgets are frameworks and that external variables can have an impact. He committed to strengthening the balance sheets to absorb these variables.

Councillor Alex Kinnersley inquired about a contribution to decarbonisation efforts, and the PCC agreed to share more details on the business case and develop a meaningful indicator for decarbonisation.

Draft Annual Report

The panel reviewed the draft annual report of the PCC, with Councillor Liz Harvey noting the positive tone but requesting more clarity on areas where issues remain. The PCC acknowledged the feedback and stated that the statutory requirement was for an activity report, not a state of the nation address. He did however agree that some of the SWOT¹ analysis weaknesses could be included.

Councillor Julian Dean suggested including more infographics to illustrate the scale of policing and crime in West Mercia. The PCC clarified that the activity report was intended to report on activity against the police and crime plan.

Work Programme

The panel discussed the work programme for the coming year, with Councillor Liz Harvey requesting that the review of the complaints procedure and the annual complaints report be scheduled for the same agenda. Councillor Stephen Reynolds requested monthly updates on actions taken to improve following the HMICFRS² inspection report. Councillor Chris Rogers suggested including an item on race crime, and Councillor Jon Tandy requested an item on leadership and force management.