The Warwickshire Police and Crime Panel met to appoint a new independent member and chair to the panel, and to discuss the Police and Crime Commissioner's annual report, grants, and the independent review into hunting related activities. Sue Gill was appointed as an independent member of the panel and then elected as Chair. The panel also noted reports on the annual grants and commissioned services operated by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC), and the progress of recommendations made following the Independent Review into the Policing of the Warwickshire Hunt.

Appointment of Chair and Independent Member

Following the decision of Andy Davis to step down as an independent member and Chair, the panel agreed to enter into a recruitment process for a new independent member. Following interviews, Sue Gill was appointed to the independent member role. Councillor Warwick then nominated Sue Gill to be Chair of the panel, which was seconded by Councillor Jimson, and she was duly appointed.

Public Speaking

Two members of the public, Denise Taylor and Martina Irwin, addressed the panel to ask questions.

Denise Taylor spoke about the integrity of the independent review and the subsequent progress report into the Warwickshire Hunt, claiming that both documents contain fundamental flaws, omissions, and factual inaccuracies that undermine public trust. She asked the panel to reject the progress report and demand a new, genuinely independent process. Philip Seccombe, Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner, responded that the report was correct as of its date, and he did not share Dr Taylor's perspective. He also stated that he had asked the Chief Constable to review Freedom of Information Log 41-2024 and was assured that a response was sent at the time.

Martina Irwin raised concerns about the policing of illegal fox hunting in Warwickshire, specifically cub hunting. She asked for assurances regarding how the Police and Crime Commissioner will hold the Chief Constable to account for policing suspected illegal hunting activity, including ensuring full transparency of reporting, monitoring, and enforcement outcomes. Philip Seccombe, Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner, responded that he is unable to direct policing operations and his role is to hold the Chief Constable to account. He stated that he had asked the Chief Constable about the approach to cub hunting, and the Chief Constable assured him that all hunting activities will be policed in respect of the laws that are in place.

Police and Crime Commissioner - Verbal Update on Future Agenda Items

Philip Seccombe, Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner, provided a verbal update on future agenda items, including finance and the Peel inspection¹. He stated that the comprehensive spending review by the government outlines an average of 1.7% real-term increase for Warwickshire Police per year up to 28-29, but this figure includes the council tax precept². He also noted that there is no capital funding for safer streets or capital projects on buildings, fleet, and technology, meaning that next year's budget will be challenging.

The government has given Warwickshire Police two separate grant offers, one for antisocial behaviour and positive action, and the other for neighbourhood policing, for this financial year, bringing in a total of about £2.2 million of funding. £1 million of the funding will be used to tackle antisocial behaviour in 16 hotspot areas across the country, and £1.2 million on the neighbourhood policing guarantee.

The Peel inspection was published in June 2025 and found that Warwickshire Police records crime effectively and is good at prevention of crime and antisocial behaviour, as well as identifying high harm crimes, supporting victims, and reducing re-offending. The report also acknowledges the good progress that has been made in how the force answers 101 and 999 calls. However, the force overall is graded as inadequate for public contact, with the main issues revolving around how quickly officers are taken to respond to calls for service once they have been received.

Councillor Edwards noted that the antisocial behaviour work was focused on the south of the county, and asked why Rugby and Nuneaton and Bedworth were not mentioned. Philip Seccombe, Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner, responded that there are six hot spots in Nuneaton and one in Bedworth, and that Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council did not apply for help for assistance with funding for their patrolling.

Police and Crime Commissioner Annual Report 2024/25

The panel received the Police and Crime Commissioner's Annual Report 2024/25. Philip Seccombe, Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner, confirmed that at the end of March, Warwickshire Police had an establishment of 1,122 officers, representing a growth of 34% since 2016, and that this figure is one of the highest in the country. He also pointed out the Warwickshire retail crime conference with stakeholders to discuss a collective approach to addressing this growing area of concern, and that they are now working to develop a new business and retail crime reduction partnership across Warwickshire.

Councillor Edwards asked for more detail on the new asset management strategy for the next five years, and Philip Seccombe, Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner, agreed to revisit this in more detail. Councillor Edwards also asked for some detail on the serious organised crime strategy for Warwickshire, and Philip Seccombe, Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner, agreed to provide this at some point.

Councillor Adrian Warwick was pleased to see the comments on road safety and the support for community speed watch, and asked for assurance that the commissioner will continue to back and support community speed watch moving forward. Philip Seccombe, Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner, confirmed that he is totally supportive and wants to see them grow right around the country.

PCC Grants and Commissioning

The panel received an overview of the grants and commissioned services operated by the OPCC. Philip Seccombe, Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner, stated that he was oversubscribed in terms of small grants, and was asked about the decision process in terms of how he decides which areas to focus money on. He explained that the small grants and commission services team design the entire small grants process, and set criteria based on the police and crime plan. All applications are evaluated by members of the OPCC, and recommendations are made to the Police and Crime Commissioner.

Councillor Edwards noted that the total grant ask was in excess of £800,000, but the commissioner was only able to make awards of £256,000, and asked how many applications had to be turned down, and whether they were projects he would have liked to have funded if he had the funding. Philip Seccombe, Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner, responded that there were lots of really good organisations he did not have the money to fund, and that he tries to put as much money in that fund as possible, but it has to be balanced against everything else.

Progress Report: Independent Review into Hunting Related Activities

The panel received an update from the OPCC on the progress of recommendations made following the Independent Review into the Policing of the Warwickshire Hunt. Philip Seccombe, Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner, stated that of the 19 recommendations, all but two have been completed. The two that are still in progress are recommendation 12, which is to do with the website, and recommendation 19, which is the force continuing to engage with parties.

Councillor Edwards asked if the force peer review will be made public, and Philip Seccombe, Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner, responded that he did not know, as the Chief Constable commissioned it and it is an operational document. Councillor Edwards also stated that it would be interesting to understand from the police a little bit more about what the stakeholder engagement plan might look like, and Philip Seccombe, Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner, agreed to come back to Amy Bridgewater-Carnall in advance of the next meeting with further details.

Appointment of Members to the Planning and Performance Working Group

Councillor Cliff Brown volunteered to join the Planning and Performance Working Group.

Work Programme

The panel discussed the work programme and agreed to add the finance and the appeal inspection to it. Councillor Edwards requested that the panel revisit the new asset management strategy in a bit more detail, and also requested some detail on the serious organised crime strategy for Warwickshire at some point.