The Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Panel met to discuss a range of issues, including the Joint Independent Audit Committee Annual Report, an overview of performance in key areas of service delivery, and the Panel's work programme for the coming year. The Panel approved the proposed work programme for 2025/26, with the addition of the topic of dealing with serious anti-social behaviour in Northamptonshire, and requested a report from the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner on performance against the missions and tests in the Commissioner’s Public Safety Plan. The Panel also noted an update on complaints and conduct matters.

Overview of Performance in Key Areas of Service Delivery

The Panel requested that the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner provides a report to the Panel meeting on 4 December 2025 on performance on the three missions and four tests set out in the Commissioner’s Public Safety Plan.

The panel reviewed a report providing a structured overview of key service areas, including 999 performance and recorded crime trends. The report was designed to support the Panel's understanding of service delivery and performance across policing and fire services in Northamptonshire.

The report included data from police.uk on call volumes, rates per 1,000 population, average wait times, and percentage of calls answered within 10 seconds. It also included trend analyses and comparisons with similar forces.

The crime report provided data on public order offences, including year-on-year percentage changes, rates per 1,000 population, and comparisons with similar forces. It also included local trend analyses.

A separate section of the report focused on fire performance, including demand, home fire safety visits, appliance availability, standards of response, and protection activity.

Police, Fire and Crime Panel Work Programme

The Panel agreed the proposed work programme for 2025/26, subject to the addition of the topic of dealing with serious anti-social behaviour in Northamptonshire. The Panel also agreed the proposed approach to tracking responses to resolutions by the Panel.

The Panel considered a report presenting a proposed work programme for 2025/26, which had been drawn up following initial discussion at the Panel meeting on 19 June 2025. The report also invited the Panel to consider and agree to a new approach to tracking the responses to its resolutions.

The proposed work programme includes statutory business such as scrutinising the PFCC's proposed Police and Fire and Rescue precepts, as well as discretionary business such as overviews of selected areas of activity. The work programme also includes business relating to Panel operation, such as reviewing the work programme and receiving updates on complaints and conduct matters.

The Panel agreed to add the topic of dealing with serious anti-social behaviour in Northamptonshire to the work programme. The Panel also agreed to a new approach to tracking responses to resolutions, which will involve including an update on responses to resolutions in future work programme reports.

Joint Independent Audit Committee Annual Report

The Panel noted the Joint Independent Audit Committee's (JIAC) Annual Report.

The JIAC provides independent assurance that adequate corporate and strategic risk management arrangements are in place for the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Northamptonshire and the Chief Constable. The JIAC advises the PFCC and the CC on governance matters as well as good practices.

The report provided the PFCC and CC with a summary of the Committee's activities in the financial year 2024/25. It also sought to provide assurance that the Committee has fulfilled its terms of reference, and added value to the overall governance arrangements that were in place for both the PFCC and the CC.

The JIAC's terms of reference follow Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy's (CIPFA) guidance. The JIAC covers three organisations: the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner (PFCC), the Force and the Northamptonshire Commissioner Fire and Rescue Authority (NCFRA). The Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service (FRS) is part of NCFRA.

Complaints and Conduct Matters Update

The Panel noted the Complaints and Conduct Matters Update.

The Panel was advised that during the period March – August 2025 two new non-criminal complaints relating to the conduct of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner were recorded. These complaints were referred to the Panel Secretariat to convene a meeting of the Complaints Sub Committee to consider the complaints in accordance with the Panel's Informal Resolution Protocol. The Complaints Sub Committee meeting is due to take place on 22 September 2025. There are no other outstanding complaints or conduct matters at the time of writing this report.