Agenda item

A copy of a letter from the Chief Constable to partners is attached for information.

 

The Panel considered a letter from the Chief Constable highlighting a number of high level changes to be made to the structure of Leicestershire Police. A copy of the letter, marked “Agenda Item 5”, and a supplementary high level briefing note from the Chief Constable, is filed with these minutes.

 

The Chairman introduced the item by highlighting that the PCC had previously made several comments in regard to the significant forthcoming changes, including the references made to this in the Police and Crime Plan. Reference was made by the Chairman to some of the concerns made by partners about a perceived lack of consultation on the changes.

 

In support of the Chief Constable’s letter, the PCC delivered a brief statement, as follows:

 

“In order to remain within ever decreasing budgets for policing, and to ensure that the police continue to provide the best possible service to the public, the Chief Constable has been working hard with his colleagues in developing a new model for policing for the coming years.

 

I should stress that this is but the latest phase in a re-engineering of how policing is delivered in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, a process that began some four years ago. I do fully accept that the City Mayor, Sir Peter Soulsby’s concerns and indeed the media coverage that has ensued has led to some anxiety about the possible impact the new policing model may have had on communities, on neighbourhood policing and indeed on the well-established partnership links. For my part, I have tried to address some of those concerns publicly in media interviews and privately in a meeting with Sir Peter that happened last week. Whilst the design of policing services, the configuration of structures and the allocation of resources are indeed matters solely for the Chief Constable, I clearly have a very significant interest in what the model will look like and the impact that it will have. To be fair to Simon, he had only just completed the work in agreeing the general structure of the new model with his senior colleagues when Sir Peter made his concerns public. The intention had always been that, once agreed, he and his colleagues would then begin the next stage – sharing the general overview of the model with internal staff who will be affected, then with partners and key stakeholders and finally with the public at large. Central to this process is seeking the help of partners in designing the detail to ensure that the new target operating policing model is fit for purpose.

 

Much of last week was spent therefore unsurprisingly fast-forwarding to share those proposals with staff and partners and this important piece of work is underway at the moment. As part of that process, Simon will now present the overview of the model to this Panel and he will leave you all with a copy of the slide pack that he’s about to give. Whilst the Chief Constable and his team plan to be speaking to you and your colleagues in the near future to share with you those details I would wish to take this opportunity to reassure you that the impact on local areas will be positive. Neighbourhood, local policing will remain the cornerstone of all of our communities. There will be no separation of local policing and the crime investigation parts of policing and our response to 999 incidents will be strengthened, our approach to non-emergencies will be more consistent and, I believe, appropriate.

 

I would like to hand over to Simon to give you some more flesh to hang on those bones and talk you through the Force Change Programme before we get to questions if we may Mr. Chairman.”

 

The Chairman indicated that, prior to receiving the presentation he would allow Cllr. Russell to ask a question. Cllr. Russell stated that she was pleased that the Chief Constable was present at the meeting to provide more detail as part of the engagement process on the restructuring. However she reaffirmed that the Panel’s role was to scrutinise the PCC, not the Chief Constable and, specifically his responsibilities to secure and efficient and effective police force for the area and bring together community safety and criminal justice partners to make sure local priorities were joined up. On this basis, she asked that, in future, the Panel have a standing item on the Force change Programme on the agenda for all meetings. She stressed that by doing this, the Panel would be enabled to scrutinise the PCC’s engagement role in the Force Change Programme. Accordingly, she asked that the following information be including in future reports on this matter:

 

·                The role the PCC had on the Change Board;

·                The authority the PCC had in relation to decisions made on the Change Programme;

·                How the PCC was assuring himself on the impact each element of the Change Programme would have on securing an ‘efficient and effective’ Force;

·                The impact assessments the PCC had seen/requested/carried out prior to agreement of each element of the Change Programme, including equalities, financial, environmental and community impacts;

·                How the PCC had met his responsibilities for ‘bringing together community safety & criminal justice partners to make sure local priorities were joined up’ regarding the Change Programme and also the variety of, budget forced, changes being made by partners;

·                Any independent assurances the PPC was receiving regarding the Change Programme and the delivery of the Police and Crime Plan;

·                Any impact the PCC believed elements may have on the delivery of the Police and Crime Plan and why.

 

The PCC indicated that he was happy to include this information in a standing agenda item to the Panel.

 

In support of his letter, the Chief Constable indicated that he was aware of the anxiety that the plans had caused amongst partners, that he was sorry that this had happened and that this had not been his intention. Though he acknowledged that it may not have appeared as such, both he and the PCC had always wished to take the Force Change Programme forward in an inclusive way.

 

The PCC stated that he felt that it was unfortunate that the offer he had made to the Panel through the Chairman to hold a briefing in June on, amongst others, this issue had been rejected by the Chairman. He felt that much of the difficulties experienced by partners on the issue of engagement could have been avoided if that briefing had been allowed to take place.

 

In response, the Chairman indicated that he was and remained concerned that the briefing could be perceived to be a “pseudo Panel meeting” behind closed doors. He stated that he had the full backing of the Panel in taking the decision to reject the offer. However, he further stated that he continued to request of the PCC and the Chief Constable a briefing on operational issues to aid the Panel’s understanding of strategic matters. It was felt that the Strategic Partnership Board would have been an appropriate means through which the PCC could have briefed partners on the detail of the Force Change Programme; the PCC had taken that opportunity.

 

Cllr. Palmer asked whether external consultants had been engaged in the Force Change Programme and what their involvement had been thus far. The Chief Constable stated that consultants had been engaged in this work in January 2014 with a brief to bring their methodologies for delivering change within policing services to enable Leicestershire Police to deliver a change with a significant return on investment. The current policing model was unsustainable and the change was required within this financial year. This would equate to a reduction of 90 officers in 2014/15. The consultants spoke to a number of frontline officers and their focus was to work within the Force, rather than to seek advice from partners at this early stage.

 

Arising from the Chief Constable’s presentation, the following comments were noted:

 

·                The changes would hopefully be implemented by early in the New Year;

·                IT capabilities were a key element of the Plan. The Chief Constable was confident that the systems were robust, though some required modernisation. There were significant opportunities in this respect to increase public access through the use of mobile technologies. Mobile signal, particularly in rural areas, was an issue and was highlighted in the risk register;

·                Middle ranks would be removed from Police staff, which would mean that much experience would be lost;

·                Frontend delivery would be maximised as part of the Plan and recruitment going forward would be minimal;

·                The knock-on effect on the career progression of officers was highlighted as an issue which may have an effect on staff morale going forward;

·                Leicestershire’s fleet costs were amongst the lowest in the country. Air support provision was now dealt with nationally;

·                It would be helpful to have greater detail in regard to risk included in the Plan. The Chief Constable was happy to include this in future reports to the Panel.

 

RESOLVED:

 

(a)       That the Chief Constable’s presentation be noted;

(b)       That the Panel receive a standing item on the Force Change Programme at future meetings.