Agenda and minutes

To confirm and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 6^th February 2024.

2.1 The minutes of the previous meeting on the 6^th February 2024 were approved as a correct record.

Members of the Committee are invited to declare any pecuniary or personal interests relating to specific matters on the agenda.

Please see note (a) at the end of the agenda.

3.1 Flo Clucas declared that she was chair of the National Lottery’s Local Trust’s ‘Big Local’ in Cheltenham and so held an interest in the ‘Clear, Hold, Build’ programme which was discussed in Agenda Item 5.

3.2 The Chair informed the panel that Cllr Dr Collette Finnegan was no longer a member of the Police and Crime Panel. He thanked Cllr Finnegan for her contribution to the Panel.

To provide an overview of the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner’s collaboration with the Emergency Services and Serious Violence Duty.

4.1 The Chair informed the Panel that due to illness, Jo Arnold, Senior Policy Officer and Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) lead for Emergency Services Collaboration, was unable to attend the meeting and present the Emergency Services Collaboration presentation. Instead, the presentation was taken as read and members had time to ask questions to Ruth Greenwood, Chief Executive of the OPCC.

4.2 Responding to a Member’s question about blue light collaboration with the South Western Ambulance Services, the Chief Executive confirmed that it was harder to collaborate with the South Western Ambulance Services because unlike the Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service (GFRS) and Gloucestershire Constabulary which were both co-terminus, the South Western Ambulance services operated throughout the region. It was confirmed that the South West (Police and OPCC) Collaboration Board had recently written to the South Western Ambulance Services about engagement at force level but it was conceded that more needed to be done to improve collaboration.

4.3 A Member questioned whether the South Western Ambulance Services collaborated more with GFRS as they stationed their vehicles at fire stations. The officer confirmed that she would take this back to officers, but it was suggested that this was unlikely as the South Western Ambulance Service tended to focus its resources into one system rather than focusing on collaborating. 

ACTION – Ruth Greenwood

4.4 The Chair invited Neil Smith, Strategic Violence Prevention Coordinator, to give a presentation on Gloucestershire’s Serious Violence Duty. He was supported by Ruth Greenwood, Richard Ocone, Assistant Chief Constable, and Chris Nelson, Police and Crime Commissioner. The following points were highlighted:

·           The Serious Violence Duty became a statutory requirement on the 31^st January 2023. The Duty makes councils and local services work together to share information and target interventions to prevent and reduce serious violence. A Public Health approach was recognised as national best practice when seeking to create and implement preventative strategic and operational interventions. Within Gloucestershire, there were seven specified authorities: Gloucestershire County Council, the six Local Authorities, Gloucestershire Constabulary, Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service, the NHS Integrated Care Board, His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Services, and the Youth Justice Service. However, the Serious Violence Duty also connected with a wider range of partners.

·           It was explained that Gloucestershire’s plan included four strategic priorities which were reducing the harm caused by Serious & Organised Crime (SOC), reducing the harm caused by Violence & Intimidation Against Women & Girls (VIAWG), reducing the harm caused by Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) and supporting communities to build resilience.

·           There were also data sharing protocols between the Specified Authorities within the Serious Violence Duty to help prevent serious violence. The data was anonymised and added to the Serious Violence Dashboard and shared with Specified Authorities on a monthly basis. 

4.5 Responding to a Member’s question about why serious violence had increased by 23% in the last twelve months compared with 2019 data, the officers confirmed that since the last His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Service  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

To consider His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services’ (HMICFRS) Police effectiveness, efficiency and legitimacy (PEEL) inspection of Gloucestershire Constabulary.

5.1 Assistant Chief Constable (ACC) Richard Ocone was invited to give an update on the Constabulary’s latest HMICFRS PEEL inspection report. He was supported by Ruth Greenwood and the Police and Crime Commissioner. The following information was highlighted:

•      The HMICFRS PEEL inspection was carried out from June to October 2023. Gloucestershire Constabulary were removed from ‘engaged’ in September 2023 and they received the final version of the PEEL inspection report in March 2024.

•      The Officer compared the 2021-2023 PEEL findings with the 2023-2025 PEEL findings to showcase the improvements that Gloucestershire Constabulary had made since the last PEEL inspection in 2021.

•      In the PEEL inspection from 2021-2023, the force received:

5 Causes of Concern with 14 underpinning recommendations

6 Inadequate, 3 good and 1 adequate grading

29 Total areas for Improvement

A combined total of 43 recommendations and AFI’s to be addressed

•      In the PEEL inspection from 2023-2025, the force received:

1 Cause of Concern with 2 underpinning recommendations

1 Inadequate, 4 requires improvement, 2 adequate, 1 good and 1 outstanding grading

Total of 19 Areas for Improvement

•      The Force Control Room including 999 and 101 call response times continued to be graded as a cause for concern.

5.2 Responding to a member’s question about why there had been a deterioration in the PEEL report Q.9 ‘Creating a Positive Workplace’ score, the Officer confirmed that there had been a lot of change in public opinion about the Constabulary nationally which has caused a reduction in the trust and confidence in policing. Furthermore, it was explained that most people did not enjoy change and due to the ‘engage’ special measures rating, there had had been a lot of change within Gloucestershire Constabulary which had caused some discontentment among staff. It was confirmed that it was hoped that this would improve now that the Constabulary were out of ‘engage’.

5.3 A member asked when HMICFRS were expected to visit the Force Control Room again. The Officer confirmed that they had written to HMIC to ask them for a timeframe of when they would be able to inspect the Force Control Room again to make a judgement on whether it should remain a Cause for Concern. It was hoped this would be later this year.

5.4 Responding to a Member’s question about the Force Control Room, the officers confirmed that the target number for the Force Control Room was 123.59 staff members, however currently there were 110 staff members. It was explained that one of the challenges of the Force Control Room was that staff often sidestepped into other parts of the organisation. However, officers confirmed that there were training programmes running throughout 2024 and 2025 so they felt they would be able to achieve the target of 123.59 staff.

5.5 One of the Member’s asked if police staff had been thanked for their contribution to the Constabulary being removed from ‘engage’.  The officers confirmed that the staff had been thanked and that the Chief Constable held regular  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

To note the attached report and receive a verbal update from the PCC on

current activity.

6.1 The Police and Crime Commissioner’s report was noted.

6.2 The Commissioner thanked the Police and Crime Panel members and the OPCC for their hard work over the last three years.

To consider the attached report.

7.1 The Chief Executive report was taken as read and members were given the opportunity to ask questions. Ruth Greenwood was supported by the Commissioner, ACC Richard Ocone and Kirsten Fruin, Assistant Chief Executive - Victims and Commissioning.

7.2 One of the members questioned the use of wording in the Chief Executive’s report. The OPCC had decided that they would continue to use the wording regarding the increase in sexual offences being reported because it was so widely underreported. It was explained that there was a comment at the bottom of the data chart in the Chief Executive’s report which explained why the data had been reported in this way.

7.3 Responding to a Member’s question about why non-fatal strangulation was separate to attempted murder in the report, the officers confirmed that non-fatal strangulation was a specific offence in law which is why it had its own category.

7.4 Answering a question about Gloucestershire’s OPCC being chosen as a pilot for a Domestic Homicide Review oversight mechanism, it was explained that across the country there were two mechanisms being tested, one was using OPCCs as the lead for Domestic Homicide Reviews. The other mechanism was using Community Safety Partnerships to lead the Domestic Homicide Reviews. The Domestic Abuse Commissioners Office were hoping that through reviewing the different mechanism, they would be able to identify best practice to be rolled out throughout the country.

7.5 A Member asked whether the Serious Violence Strategy would be available to the Panel to review. The officers confirmed that they were happy to bring the strategy to a future meeting and answer questions on the paper.

Action – Democratic Services/ Kirsten Fruin

7.6 A Member asked a question regarding the Clear, Hold, Build programme, the officers confirmed that they would prepare a closed session briefing outside of the meeting.

Action – Democratic Services/ Ruth Greenwood

7.7 Responding to a Member’s question regarding a list of underutilised buildings in the county, the officers confirmed that there was a small piece of land at the Waterwells Headquarters which had no planned usage, but they clarified that Wheatstone House which the Member had mentioned was being used. However, the Chief Executive confirmed that she would confirm whether the former Magistrate’s court in Stroud was being used.

ACTION – Ruth Greenwood

To review the committee work plan and suggest items for consideration at

future meetings.

8.1 The Chair confirmed that Force Control Room and Custody Suite visits had been planned for June and October.

8.2 The Chief Executive also confirmed that at a Member’s previous request, she had included the forthcoming decisions that would be taken by the OPCC in her report.

8.3 It was confirmed that a briefing on data analysis at the OPCC Headquarters should be added to the workplan.

ACTION – Democratic Services/ Ruth Greenwood

8.4 Following Cllr David Willingham’s question at GCC’s February Full Council meeting, the Chair asked the OPCC to give a briefing on Operation Snap. Richard Ocone confirmed that Operation Snap was the digital video assessment programme which allowed cyclists to send in video footage of potential offences. It was confirmed that there had been incorrect data circulated which showed low levels of response, the data that had been shared through the freedom of information act had not included any cases that were in progress. The Officer informed the Panel that in 2023, there had been 25% positive enforcement outcome, meaning that for every four videos sent in, one resulted in either prosecution, a fixed penalty notice or a formal warning letter. The Officer explained that whilst this may seem low, often the videos sent in were not able to prove the offence as the law was very prescriptive. Likewise, he stated that because the Operation Snap team were small, they were unable to engage in lengthy discussions with residents to explain why their video was not accepted.

8.5 The Chair also confirmed that the Panel had taken receipt of the February GCC Full Council question from Gareth Kitchen from Stroud Against Racism, regarding the Constabulary’s ‘Stop and Search’ figures. It was explained that additional information would be obtained before providing a more comprehensive response.