Agenda item

The Panel considered a report of the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) which provided an overview of his work and the work of his Deputy and Office throughout January 2026 to March 2026 (Quarter 4 2025/26). A copy of the report, marked ‘Agenda Item 10’, is filed with these minutes.

Arising from discussion, the following points were raised:

(i).       A member queried why the update report had been provided for the period January to March 2026. The PCC stated that his update reports were scheduled to be presented at every other meeting. The report was due to be presented at the Panel meeting on 21 April which had been cancelled and so accordingly, no report had been scheduled for this meeting. It was confirmed that the next update report would be presented at the next meeting and that this would cover the period April to June.

(ii).      A member of the Panel highlighted that the engagement activity outlined in the report appeared to consist largely of visits and interactions and questioned whether any priorities or decisions had demonstrably changed as a result of these engagements. In response, the PCC emphasised the importance of maintaining regular contact with residents, businesses and stakeholders between elections, and that informal engagement was essential in understanding local concerns. He emphasised that although it was often difficult to measure the impact and outcome of engagement work, the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) continued to collect data across a number of performance areas in order to measure it against key metrics which had been identified within the Police and Crime Plan.

(iii).    With regards to the reporting of commissioned activity, a member of the Panel suggested that current reporting focused heavily on activity and inputs and requested clearer information regarding the outcomes and impact of funded projects. In response, the PCC stated that he was willing to provide additional detail where requested but emphasised the need to balance this against report length. The OPCC explained that project visits often occurred at early stages to ensure appropriate use of funding, with formal impact reporting provided at later stages, including six-month and twelve-month reports. It was also highlighted that attributing specific outcomes to individual projects could be complex due to the involvement of multiple partners working towards similar objectives.

(iv).    A further question was raised regarding whether there was a strategic approach underpinning the PCC programme of engagements. The PCC advised that a broad direction was set to ensure coverage across all areas and engagement with a wide range of demographic groups, with the detailed planning undertaken by staff. Engagement activity was structured through a Communications and Engagement Strategy, overseen by the OPCC’s Head of Communications, and monitored in order to ensure balanced coverage across geographies, communities and protected characteristics.

(v).     A member of the Panel suggested that, as an interim measure, the report could include a small number of case studies or examples demonstrating impact. The OPCC advised that impact information would be available through an established performance framework and in specific reports on commissioned services, elsewhere on the agenda. Impact reports for funded projects could be provided as they became available, alongside the collection of case studies to illustrate outcomes.

(vi).    A member raised a question regarding comments reportedly made by the PCC on social media regarding the results of a by-election in Gorton and Denton in February 2026. The Chairman advised that this matter was outside the scope of the agenda item and would not be considered at the meeting. The Panel member requested that the PCC provide a report relating to the governance, management and use of the PCC’s official communications channels, including social media, at a future meeting.

RESOLVED:

(a)      That the contents of the Police and Crime Commissioner’s update be noted.

(b)      That the PCC be requested to provide a report relating to the governance, management and use of the PCC’s official communications channels, including social media, at a future meeting.