696. |
Public Questions or Statements to the Panel
·
Any member of the
public, who lives, works or studies in North Yorkshire and York can ask a
question to the Panel. The question or statement
must be put in writing to the Panel no later than midday on Monday, 9th
October 2023 to Diane Parsons (contact details below).
·
The time period
for asking and responding to all questions will be limited to 30 minutes. No
one question or statement shall exceed 3 minutes.
·
Please see the
rules regarding Public Question Time at the end of this agenda page. The full protocol can be found at
www.nypartnerships.org.uk/pfcp.
Minutes:
A question had been received in advance of the meeting and
agreed through the Chair from Councillor George Jabbour of North Yorkshire
Council, as follows:
I
represent the rural division of Helmsley and Sinnington
in Ryedale, North Yorkshire. The lack of visible policing is nothing
new and residents regularly highlight this issue.
Since my
election last year, I have held regular meetings with North Yorkshire Police
officers to raise the concerns of local people. I joined them in
conducting community engagement activities. They also attended a public
meeting in Helmsley.
As
communicated to Commissioner Zoë Metcalfe when we met recently, our community
is grateful for the support and engagement that we have been receiving from the
dedicated team of police officers.
Following
my conversations with the police, it was concluded that having a new
police hub in our part of Ryedale would provide critical additional cover and
reassurance for a number of communities given the gap
in response times between urban centres and rural locations in North Yorkshire.
Several
options were explored. I was very pleased when I was informed recently
that a new police hub will be located at Kirkbymoorside Fire Station to address
the threat and risk with response times to several towns and villages on the
A170.
Although
it is outside the Helmsley and Sinnington division,
Kirkbymoorside occupies a strategic location for the various parishes that I
represent as it is situated between Helmsley and Sinnington.
I am
wondering when this new hub is going to be fully operational, how often will
police officers be present there and what estimated impact this initiative will
have on response times.
Are there
similar hubs across the wider Ryedale and North Yorkshire areas that are being
introduced?
It was acknowledged that the question related to operational
policing rather than Panel business. The
Commissioner agreed to relay the question to North Yorkshire Police to seek a response
for Councillor Jabbour.
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697. |
Decision-Making Process regarding the Recruitment for Chief Constable  PDF 149 KB
A paper regarding the Commissioner’s decision-making process
for recruiting a Chief Constable was submitted to the Chair of the Police, Fire
and Crime Panel on 10th October 2023 by the Commissioner and the
request made that it be considered at the meeting of the Panel on 12th
October 2023. The Chair of the Panel has
accepted by reason of special circumstances, which shall be specified in the minutes,
that the item should be considered at the meeting as a matter of urgency.
Minutes:
A paper regarding the Commissioner’s decision-making process
for recruiting a Chief Constable was submitted to the Chair on 10th
October 2023 by the Commissioner and the request made that it be considered at
the meeting on 12th October 2023.
By virtue of the significance of the issue and the level of public
interest in this matter, the Chair accepted by reason of special circumstances
that the item should be considered at the Panel meeting.
In outlining her rationale for the decision made to recruit
a Chief Constable, the Commissioner highlighted that she had taken professional
advice from her senior team and also consulted with a range of national
stakeholders. She was not satisfied that
deferring the decision to the incoming Mayor would be the right decision for
the force as it would result in a delay in getting stable leadership to
continue the progress against improvements already made. The Commissioner
highlighted that the recruitment process will be rigorous to ensure the
strongest possible field of applicants.
Panel members conveyed a range of different views on the
decision, including:
·
It may be a disadvantage for a new Chief Constable
to be appointed now if they do not know who will be Mayor or what the incoming
Mayoral priorities will be;
·
A Chief Constable has to be independent and
strong so if they struggle to get on with an elected official then they may not
be a good fit for the job anyway.
·
Having a Deputy Chief Constable ‘act up’ for a
lengthy period is not the best solution for the area and this is what would
result from awaiting the Mayor’s appointment to the role.
·
Are there risks inherent to the strength of the
field of candidates coming forward if recruiting during a period of change?
In response, the Commissioner emphasised that if the
decision awaits the election of Mayor then the Deputy Chief Constable is
compelled to step up for a prolonged period, which has knock-on effects on the
senior team beneath and leaves gaps. The
Commissioner felt this presented risks in view of the level of change and
improvement underway and underlined that stakeholders such as the College of
Policing and HMICFRS did not see a problem with recruiting at a time of change.
A recommendation was proposed – and seconded - that the
Commissioner considers pausing the recruitment process until after the Mayoral
election and that under Section 29 of the Police Reform and Social
Responsibility Act 2011 (the PRSRA), the Commissioner is asked to respond
formally to this recommendation in writing.
A named vote was requested by a Panel member on this
recommendation. A unanimous show of
hands confirmed support for a named vote.
The results of the vote were as follows:
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Cllr Chris Aldred
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Against
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Cllr Lindsay Burr
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For
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Cllr Tim Grogan
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For
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Cllr Emilie Knight
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Against
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Cllr Carl Les
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For
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Cllr Rich Maw
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For
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Cllr Danny Myers
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For
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Cllr Michael Pavlovic
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For
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Cllr Malcolm Taylor
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For
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Cllr Peter Wilkinson
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For
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Fraser Forsyth
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For ... view the full minutes text for item 697.
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698. |
Members' Questions - Other Matters
An opportunity for Panel members to ask questions of the Commissioner
on other issues around the exercise of the Commissioner’s functions.
Minutes:
The Commissioner was asked what reassurances she could give
regarding the quality of the Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) in North
Yorkshire, following national reporting around quality concerns. In response, the Commissioner spoke in detail
to the rigorous testing and cleaning protocols in place at the SARC to ensure
it is forensically clean and that staff are provided with appropriate training
and undertake relevant qualifications to ensure the highest standards.
Members asked about the approach towards handling of those
businesses who are ‘repeat offenders’ in terms of callouts for automatic fire
alarms, to identify whether the potential for applying a charge is an effective
sanction or not. The Chief Fire Officer
acknowledged that for some it will be cheaper to pay the charge
but that education is the focus. It was
agreed that data would be provided to the Panel around how many businesses have
four or more false automatic alarm call-outs and are
charged.
The Commissioner was asked whether she’d had opportunity to
review North Yorkshire Police’s response to the Greenpeace protest on the roof
of the Prime Minister’s house. The
Commissioner clarified that Homeland Security have responsibility for security
for the Prime Minister, not North Yorkshire Police, however she was satisfied
that the response from the Force Control Room had been swift
and officers had dealt with the situation effectively. The Home Office and Homeland Security had
also been content with the response provided.
Members also commended the new Community Messaging service
from North Yorkshire Police.
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699. |
"Right Care, Right Person" Update PDF 187 KB
Briefing update from the Commissioner regarding implementation
of the model and welfare checks for vulnerable adults.
Minutes:
Considered –
The briefing from the Commissioner on the implementation of
the “Right Care, Right Person” model in North Yorkshire.
The Commissioner sought to emphasise that where there is a
need for mental health/welfare checks to be undertaken that this is a health
commissioning gap in service and not a police commissioning gap. A multi-agency panel including OPFCC representation
meets monthly to discuss cases and concerns, to ensure that processes are
monitored and honed further.
Members acknowledged the need to ensure resources are diverted
to tackling key policing priorities and that a police officer isn’t always the
most appropriate person to check on a vulnerable individual. However, concerns were reiterated from the Panel
around how clients linked in to third sector agencies are being served within
this model and the process for triage and support for such individuals when
welfare calls come in to the Force Control Room (FCR). The Commissioner offered to provide further information
to support that appropriate triage is happening.
The Chair requested that a further report be brought to
Panel in due course in this matter.
Resolved –
That the Panel:
(a)
Notes the briefing provided;
(b)
Receives further data and information for the
next meeting to support that appropriate triaging of welfare calls from the Force
Control Room is taking place;
(c)
Revisits progress on implementation of the Right
Care, Right Person model in a year’s time.
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700. |
Updates on Inspection, Risk and Resource Model Implementation and Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity. PDF 238 KB
Composite report from the Commissioner outlining the fire
service’s progress against:
·
the recent HMICFRS inspection outcomes,
·
the implementation of the Risk and Resource
Model; and
·
work undertaken to promote and embed equality, diversity and inclusivity.
Minutes:
Considered –
The composite report from the Commissioner regarding the
fire and rescue service, updating the Panel on progress in relation to the
HMICFRS inspections, implementation of the Risk and Resource Model (RRM) and
work to enhance equality, diversity and inclusivity.
The Commissioner highlighted that positive feedback had been
received from HMICFRS following a re-visit but that the report will be confidential
until later this month. Implementation
of the RRM at Huntington station has moved forward, with wholetime staff
relocation to be completed by the end of November. A number of elements
have been progressed around equality, diversity and inclusivity (EDI) including
a Framework for Change project in collaboration with Huddersfield University.
Concerns were raised by the Panel that North Yorkshire Fire
and Rescue Service (NYFRS) had the slowest average response time nationally last
year at 13 minutes and 9 seconds; almost 90 seconds longer than the previous
year and more than two minutes slower than in 2012. The concern raised was that this represents a
downward trend and that the RRM may adversely impact this further. The Panel has been awaiting data to help
understand the impact of the RRM on Huntington station. By way of response, the Chief Fire Officer
spoke to the rurality of the area and lack of stations, proportionally,
compared to other areas, thereby affecting response times. Improvements are being made around NYFRS data
capture to better support the RRM in 2025.
The Commissioner agreed with the view expressed that additional funding into
the NYFRS would be of benefit and she has again written to the Minister on this
point.
The Chief Fire Officer offered a briefing on the context to
the RRM for Panel members if helpful as it was felt that there may be
misconceptions around the risk modelling and how this had been developed.
The Commissioner was asked whether she feels confident that
the new independent reporting line for the NYFRS will be advertised widely
enough. By way of response, the
Commissioner outlined the various ways – in addition to the reporting line -
that staff can report concerns.
Resolved –
That the Panel:
(a)
Notes the report provided; and
(b)
Receives a further briefing around the Risk and
Resource Model in due course, either as part of a Panel meeting or during a
separate seminar opportunity.
At this point in the meeting (11:55am), the Chair
requested that the meeting be formally adjourned to enable a short comfort
break.
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701. |
Strategy to Address Violence Against Women and Girls - Annual Update to Panel PDF 300 KB
Report from the Commissioner providing an annual update on
progress against the strategy for Addressing Violence Against Women and Girls.
Minutes:
The meeting re-convened at 12:08pm.
Considered –
The Commissioner’s report regarding progress against the
Addressing Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy.
The Commissioner outlined some of the services and interventions
which are commissioned through her office. It was highlighted that demand continues to
grow for specialist support for victims and survivors of domestic abuse and
sexual violence but that a there had also been a significant increase in those
accessing these services reporting positive outcomes. Joint working with partners has been
effective.
The Panel highlighted that there is a much greater number of
referrals for specialist support than the published figure and the Commissioner
was asked about how this intelligence on the ground is being adequately picked
up. It was outlined to the Panel that the
Commissioner is mindful of longer term demand and wanting victims to come
forward but also being conscious of service capacity to deal with this increase. The office is looking at long-term funding
strategies. In terms of intelligence, the
office is using a range of methods such as surveys, working with commissioned providers
and the Strategic Sexual Violence Group.
The Commissioner was asked if she could share the North
Yorkshire results from the recent Operation Soteria Bluestone survey of
victims/survivors of sexual violence and what is being done to address any
shortcomings. The Commissioner reported that
the North Yorkshire findings were broadly across the national average and most
victims felt treated with dignity and respect by police officers. Satisfaction does fall off over a longer
period where cases take longer to move through the criminal justice
system. North Yorkshire Police (NYP) has
not yet adopted the findings as they are awaiting to receive a self-assessment package
shortly and a project team will then implement over the following 12 months.
The Panel asked the Commissioner about what is being done to
encourage people to come forward and report domestic abuse and sexual violence and
how intelligence is being captured within the police system. By way of response, the Panel was advised of
the partnership mechanisms in place, in addition to Crimestoppers, which assist
the police in reviewing trends of perpetrating behaviour and linking up with
relevant commissioned services.
The Commissioner was asked how she will assess public trust
and confidence in the police, in addition to questions regarding action to
review and scrutinise the numbers of reported rapes going to prosecution. The Panel were advised that the Commissioner evaluates
trust and confidence through her rolling public survey and has also done an
anonymous survey about experiences. In
terms of rape prosecutions, the file quality for the CPS has improved and this
has cut down on the time victims must wait to get to prosecution. Additionally, there are two scrutiny panels
which focus on domestic abuse and rape/sexual offences cases that haven’t been
put forward to the CPS, particularly wanting to look at where the victim has
withdrawn from the process and learning is shared with NYP.
The Panel asked about perpetrator programmes and how these
might ... view the full minutes text for item 701.
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702. |
Tackling Hate Crime in North Yorkshire and York PDF 221 KB
Report from the Commissioner updating on the picture across
the force area and how hate crime continues to be tackled.
Minutes:
Considered –
The Commissioner’s annual report on how effectively hate
crime is being tackled in North Yorkshire and York.
The Chair thanked NYP for the recent informal briefing
provided to Panel members on hate crime, as this had been very informative.
The Commissioner outlined the key issues from the report,
including highlighting that most hate crimes occur within the night-time
economy and that Restorative Solutions have been commissioned to address and
challenge offending behaviour.
Members asked the Commissioner whether she felt that the
hate crime unit is sufficiently staffed and resourced given its prioritisation
as an issue. The Commissioner
acknowledged that hate crime is unfortunately a ‘growth area’ and that the
Panel can expect to see that come through the NYP organisational re-design.
Resolved –
That the Panel notes the report provided.
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703. |
Work Programme PDF 198 KB
Report by the Panel Secretariat.
Minutes:
Considered –
The report of the Panel Secretariat outlining the Panel’s
programme of work.
It was agreed that work will continue with the Commissioner’s
office to identify a suitable date for a confirmation hearing for Chief Constable.
The Panel agreed to formally postpone the scheduled meeting
date in April 2024, to avoid the pre-election restrictions.
Resolved –
That the Panel agrees the outline work programme.
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704. |
Any other items
·
Verbal update from Martin Walker – Meeting with
the Rural Task Force (August 2023).
Minutes:
Having received notice prior to the meeting, the Chair invited
Martin Walker to update the Panel on his recent familiarisation meeting with
the Rural Task Force. Martin outlined
how they discussed a range of challenges to detection and prosecution,
including the sometimes violent (and armed) nature of wildlife crime perpetrators
and the fact that witnesses can be too afraid to come forward. The discussion also raised the issue of
acquisitive crime in rural areas, often involving high-value remote control
tractor equipment. Martin thanked the
Task Force and commended other Panel members to take up this opportunity.
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705. |
Date of Next Meeting
Thursday, 11 January 2024 at 10:30am – County Hall, Northallerton
Minutes:
Thursday, 11th January 2024 at 10:30am – County Hall,
Northallerton.
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