Minutes:
1) Crisis care response
A question was put to the Panel on behalf of Councillor Andrew Lee in his capacity as Chair of the North Yorkshire Council Scrutiny of Health Committee, as follows:
“At the NYC Scrutiny of Health Committee’s Mid-Cycle Briefing on Friday 19 July, we were presented with concerns surrounding the crisis care response for individuals with complex mental health needs. Councillor Paul Haslam (NYC) has raised his concerns with the Scrutiny of Health Committee on behalf of a particular resident in crisis who was met with an armed police response. Councillor Haslam is of the view that the case presented is not an isolated one and is keen to identify how the different agencies link up around such cases and whether the support in place is working effectively. Clearly such an issue does not just involve one agency or scrutiny committee.
To this end, I have agreed that I will facilitate co-ordination of a meeting among partners to better explore and consider the following:
· Is the ‘Right Care, Right Person’ (RCRP) model monitored and reviewed internally within NYP? Has it been effective in North Yorkshire and York thus far?
· What challenges has RCRP faced, and how have these been addressed?
· What processes are in place to co-ordinate between North Yorkshire Police and Tees Esk and Wear Valley NHS Trust, both operationally on individual cases, and strategically?
· Are the funding levels supporting mental health care adequate, and how do they compare to funding levels across other ICBs?
I am aware that the Police, Fire and Crime Panel has a longstanding interest in scrutiny of the Mayor’s (previously Commissioner’s) oversight of the RCRP policy in terms of its implementation and efficacy. I am therefore writing to invite the Panel Chair and Vice Chair (or other suitable representative) to attend a meeting of partners to discuss this further. I intend that this meeting includes the following:
· North Yorkshire Police (NYP)
· Deputy Mayor for Police, Fire and Crime from York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority (Y&NYCA)
· Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust (TEWV)
· Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB)
· Chair and Vice Chair of North Yorkshire Council’s Scrutiny of Health Committee (SOH)
· Chair and Vice Chair of North Yorkshire Council’s Care and Independence Scrutiny Committee (C&I).
I will be writing to representatives of the above groups and agencies with the aim of meeting later in the year to explore these issues further. The meeting would be internal, with a written summary provided to the public meetings of the two council Scrutiny Committees.”
Members considered the issues raised by Councillor Lee’s correspondence, noting that recent visits to the Force Control Room had highlighted an efficient triage operation. Members raised that it would be helpful to see data behind the Right Care, Right Person (RCRP) model and whether it is evidence-based. Concerns were raised that support through Tees, Esk and Wear Valley NHS Trust is not available 24 hours a day. The Deputy Mayor for Policing, Fire and Crime (‘the DMPFC’) acknowledged the issues raised and that further discussions should also include the relevant portfolio holder on City of York Council. DCC Bisset commented on the strategic and tactical governance arrangements in place around RCRP to review demand but noted that it’s often not police officers who should be attending where someone is in crisis.
The Panel agreed that the Chair and Vice Chair will attend a multi-agency meeting to discuss these issues further.
2) Bailing of perpetrators
The DMPFC was asked whether she felt assured that operational policing decisions around bailing perpetrators to addresses in the immediate vicinity of alleged victims wasn’t re-traumatising victims. The DMPFC responded that she was aware of the pressures in the system and could explore these further but acknowledged the impact on victim safety and confidence. DCC Bisset invited detail on specific cases to be fed through to the force.
3) Force Control Room – staffing and CCTV access
Following recent Panel visits to the Force Control Room (FCR), Members highlighted concerns that the FCR is operating at about 20% fewer staff than there should be, especially around dispatch. The FCR also doesn’t have access to live CCTV feeds in some key areas of North Yorkshire. DCC Bisset highlighted that dispatch roles are harder to recruit to as the role is more complex and/or the training is difficult; whereas the FCR currently has the highest number of communications officers it has ever had. York is also a difficult labour market for such roles as there are many customer service-type roles available, although the service has tried to adjust salaries to assist. It was also highlighted that staff in the FCR often see this as a stepping stone to other roles within the service. The concerns around CCTV were acknowledged and the DMPFC will explore this aspect further.
4) County Lines
The DMPFC was asked about work around County Lines issues in Malton and Scarborough. The DMPFC acknowledged the need for investment in prevention and early intervention and noted that the issue is much wider than just a policing matter. The Mayor reinforced the need for an economic framework which will support communities in all aspects.
5) Induction programme for DMPFC
In response to a question regarding induction training, the DMPFC highlighted the range of events and briefings she has received, such as on VAWG, briefing on the early release of prisoners and starting to better understand the law around some of the aspects of work. Simon Dennis added detail around a programme including meeting and listening to victims and an induction curriculum provided by the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners. Members highlighted the importance of the DMPFC engaging with staff associations and unions as part of her induction, in addition to attending the FCR. The DMPFC thanked the officers and staff of North Yorkshire Police for their work.
6) PCSOs
In response to a query on the development plan for PCSOs and whether recent recruitment had been effective, Panel were advised that the service is in the middle of a neighbourhood policing review but that communities have been put at the centre of this. There is a need to ensure the correct blend of officers and targeting those areas with most need; some areas require further work with partners to tackle issues rather than necessarily drawing on additional PCSOs.
7) Retail crime
Members raised concerns regarding retail crime and being able to get investigating officers engaged. The DMPFC highlighted that this will be reviewed and the Mayor outlined that the High Street Fund is aimed at getting businesses to invest and make communities safer.