The Wiltshire Police and Crime Panel met on Thursday 12 March 2026 to discuss the Chief Constable's update, the Police and Crime Plan highlight and performance report, and commissioned services, grants, and partnerships. The Panel also considered how to improve its communications with the public and discussed future topics for discussion.

Chief Constable Update

The Panel received a verbal update from Chief Constable Catherine Roper. While specific details of this update were not included in the provided documents, it is understood to be a regular part of the Panel's oversight of Wiltshire Police's operations.

Police and Crime Plan Highlight and Performance Report

The Panel reviewed the Police and Crime Plan Highlight and Performance Report, which detailed progress against the plan's priorities. Key areas of focus included:

• Priority 1: A police service that meets the needs of its community: The report indicated improvements in response times for both 999 and 101 calls, with average 999 answer times reducing to 5 seconds and 101 calls to 36 seconds in the 12 months to January 2026. Immediate response times also saw a decrease. However, areas for improvement were noted in victim care and investigations. The Force Transformation plans were highlighted as vital for meeting financial and service parameters, with national and legislative changes presenting ongoing challenges.
• Priority 2: Reduce violence and serious harm: Progress was reported on the Serious Violence Reduction strategy, with early intervention and violence reduction meetings taking place. The Blunt Truth knife crime education intervention was being delivered in schools. The strategic Board for Violence Against Women and Girls in Wiltshire was re-established. However, concerns were raised about future funding for serious violence and victims' services, with the Ministry of Justice grant for domestic abuse and sexual harm support confirmed only until March 2026.
• Priority 3: Tackle crimes that matter to local communities: The report detailed efforts to tackle various crime types. Violence with Injury (VWI) offences saw an increase of 5.2% in the 12 months to January 2026, with higher rates observed in Swindon. Domestic Abuse (DA) crime volume also increased by 2.8% over the same period. Rape and Serious Sexual Offences (RASSO) crime volume saw a significant increase of 16.8%. Anti-social behaviour (ASB) incidents showed a decrease of 9.4%. The Hotspot Funding, used for targeted patrols to tackle ASB and serious violence, was confirmed to cease at the end of March 2026, posing a risk to frontline services.
• Priority 4: Improve the experience of victims and deliver justice: Overall victim satisfaction stood at 73.7% in the 12 months to January 2026, a slight decrease. While Treatment by Police achieved a high outcome rate, repeat victim check was the lowest. The report highlighted ongoing work to improve victim services, including the development of a new victim service model and procurement for a new victim satisfaction survey. Challenges remain within the criminal justice system due to court delays and limited resources.

Police and Crime Commissioner Commissioned Services, Grants and Partnerships

The Panel received an update on the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner's (OPCC) commissioning plans for non-policing services for the financial year 2026/27. The OPCC's commissioning function is divided into three portfolios: Victims and Vulnerability, Criminal Justice and Reoffending, and Community Safety and Youth.

• Victims and Vulnerability: This portfolio focuses on ensuring victims' rights and needs are met. Plans for FY26/27 include continuing to oversee services such as the Horizon Witness and Care Service, the Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC), independent sexual violence and domestic abuse advocates, and victim support services. Capital works at the SARC site in Swindon are planned to achieve national accreditation.
• Criminal Justice and Reoffending: This portfolio aims to improve the criminal justice system and reduce reoffending. For FY26/27, priorities include improving the experience of priority groups (females, military personnel/veterans, and neurodivergent individuals) within the CJS, delivering health and wellbeing services, and providing rehabilitation services. The impact of the Sentencing Act 2026 on the criminal justice system and the potential for increased offender management in the community were discussed.
• Community Safety and Youth: This portfolio focuses on community safety, reducing serious violence, and preventing youth offending. Plans for FY26/27 include continued delivery of interventions under the Serious Violence Duty, such as Focused Deterrence and Synergy projects, and the Blunt Truth knife crime education programme. Funding for the Hotspot Action Fund will cease, impacting targeted patrols. The portfolio will also continue to support Youth Justice Services and develop the Business Crime Reduction Partnership.

The PCC Community Action Fund, which provides grants to local organisations, awarded £52,396 to 11 organisations in FY25/26 and will continue in FY26/27.

Communications

The Panel discussed how to improve its communications with the public. It was agreed that the Chairman and the Police and Crime Commissioner would release a joint statement regarding the policing precept.

Future Topics and Forward Work Plan

The Panel was presented with a list of potential topics for future strategic briefings in 2026/27, including updates on the Hotspot Action Fund, supporting offenders to break the cycle of reoffending, supporting victims through the criminal justice system, the delivery of the Serious Violence Duty, specific policing areas such as rural crime and neighbourhood policing, and updates on retail crime and road safety. The Panel was asked to identify three topics of particular interest for future meetings. The forward work plan for the remainder of 2026 was also noted, with upcoming meetings scheduled for June, October, and November.