The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting including the Lincolnshire Police and Crime Commissioner for Lincolnshire and representatives from his Office.  The Chairman also welcomed Councillor Patricia Bradwell who had replaced Councillor Ray Wooten on the Panel.

The Chairman wished to acknowledge that Councillor Ray Wooten had served as a previous Chairman and longstanding Vice Chairman on this Panel. Thanks were expressed for Councillor Ray Wooten’s hard work and dedication on this Panel.

It was noted that an apology for absence had been received from Councillor Anne Welburn.

At this point in the meeting, Members were invited to disclose any relevant interests. No interests were disclosed.

Nominations were sought for Chairman of the Panel.

It was proposed by Councillor Chris Burke and seconded by Councillor Philip Dilks that Mr. Chris Cook be re-elected as Chairman of the Lincolnshire Police and Crime Panel.

Upon being put to the vote, it was

RESOLVED

That Mr. Chris Cook be re-elected Chairman of the Lincolnshire Police and Crime Panel for the period up to the 2023 June Meeting of the Lincolnshire Police and Crime Panel.

Nominations were sought for Vice-Chairman of the Panel.

It was Proposed by Mr. George Krawiec and Seconded by Councillor Paul Skinner that Councillor Susan Waring be elected as Vice-Chairman of the Lincolnshire Police and Crime Panel.

RESOLVED:

That Councillor Susan Waring be elected Vice-Chairman of the Lincolnshire Police and Crime Panel for the period up to the 2023 June Meeting of the Lincolnshire Police and Crime Panel.

To confirm the Minutes of the Meeting held on 4^th February 2022.

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 4^th February 2022 were confirmed and signed as a correct record.

To confirm the actions following the Police and Crime Panel meeting held on 4^th February 2022.

The Assistant Director Governance and Monitoring Officer confirmed that the Panel had received responses from the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) on all of the actions listed and as such  there was no outstanding actions from 4^th February meeting.

In relation to the 26^th November meeting, there was an action in hand regarding Police Officer retention data and this information was expected to be received shortly.  It was confirmed that this data would be circulated to panel members in due course.

The Chairman informed the Panel that since the last meeting Mr. Krawiec and himself had attended a virtual training session held by the Home Office regarding Police and Crime Panels.

The Chairman reported that the Home Office had issued some guidance to Police and Crime Panels nationally as part of the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Review.

The Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) provided the Panel with an update.

Panel Members were advised that the review had now been finalised and work was ongoing.  The review was now at the delivery stage for Parts 1 and 2 and was being worked through with the Home Office and other partners.  Panel Members were advised that some of the requests/changes included by Government Ministers related to national issues which would be more timely to resolve. The Panel were further advised that the guidance note referred to had now been issued to Panels and as such this was now active and live.

The Chairman thanked the PCC for his update.

The Panel noted that no questions from the public had been received.

To receive an update report from the Police and Crime Commissioner for Lincolnshire on delivery of the Police and Crime Plan.

A report was presented by the Assistant Director Governance and Monitoring Officer which provided an introduction to the Police and Crime Commissioner’s report on the delivery if the Police and Crime Plan 2021-2025.  The report was attached as Appendix A to the covering report presented.

The Chairman invited the Commissioner to address the Committee.

The Police and Crime Commissioner wished to express his thanks to the outgoing Vice-Chairman Councillor Ray Wooten who through his role on the Panel had supported him in his duty as Police and Crime Commissioner.

The Commissioner invited Questions from Panel Members. A copy of the questions and responses are attached at Appendix A to these minutes.

Following which, it was

RESOLVED

That the update report on Delivery of the Police and Crime Plan be noted.

(N.B Marc Jones and Joanne Davison left the meeting at this point).

To receive information on complaints made against the Police and Crime Commissioner for Lincolnshire during the period 22^nd January to 10^th June 2022.

A report was presented by Malcolm Burch, Chief Executive of the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, notifying the Panel that no complaints had been received against the Police and Crime Commissioner during the period between 22nd January to 10^th June 2022.

(N.B Malcolm Burch and Julie Flint left the meeting at 12.18pm).

RESOLVED

That the report be noted.

To receive a verbal update on the work of the National Association of Police, Fire and Crime Panels.

The Panel’s liaison to the National Association of Police, Fire and Crime Panels (NAPFCP), Councillor Susan Waring wished to note that during the pandemic very few meetings had taken place.

It was reported that there had been some ongoing issues with the representatives identified from various panels. It was now a requirement to be nominated by the Panel in order to attend meetings as an observer. 

Councillor Waring advised that she had attended a couple of meetings which had been very constructive. One of the ongoing issues was around ensuring both the Government and  Local Government Association (LGA) were involving the NAPFCP in any future discussions around changes to the Police and Crime Commissioner’s responsibilities.

Councillor Susan Waring advised Panel Members that she had been offered a new position on the Executive Board, this being effective from the next meeting. She assured the Panel that she was doing her best to ensure that the work the NAPFCP was being recognised by government and by the LGA.

The Chairman recognised the importance of Councillor Waring having become an Executive Member on this association and the value gained in contributing to it.

To consider the Panel’s work programme for 2022/2023.

A report was presented that detailed the Work Programme, meeting dates and Training and Development Programme for the Lincolnshire Police and Crime Panel for 2022/23.

The Assistant Director Governance and Monitoring Officer outlined the key agenda items coming forward to the Panel at its next meeting in September, (Appendix 1, page 135 of the report refers).  In addition, it was noted that there had been a number of training and briefing sessions requested by Panel Members that would be taken forward in due course. 

Thanks were expressed to the Panel’s previous support officer Kathryn Walton for the support she has provided to the Panel.  The Panel were advised that the new support officer would be managing the training and briefing sessions going forward.

A Member highlighted on the Work Programme that at the November Panel meeting there was to be ‘scrutiny of a strategic topic of the Police and Crime Plan to be decided’ and asked what timescales were in place for  this.

The Assistant Director Governance and Monitoring Officer advised that the new support officer to the Panel would bring Panel Members together to identify what topic that would be.  Should members have any specific topics that they wished to scrutinise then it was requested that these be either forwarded through to the new support officer to progress, or raised at a future meeting.

A Panel Member suggested a future topic around the subject of serious violence, and considered it would be an interesting topic for the Panel in understanding the whole range of issues this covered, in particular this was a key area of work as mentioned previously by the PCC in his address to the Panel.

The Chairman concurred with this view and considered it an excellent proposal, given that the issues around serious violence were live and developing. This topic was also very serious and affected all of our local communities.

The Chairman proposed that the Panel select this as its topic for their November Panel meeting.

Members of the Panel supported this proposal.

It was suggested that Martin Parker in his role within the Safer Lincolnshire Partnership, and Susan Davies with responsibility for the Serious Violence Portfolio be invited to attend the Panel to provide a briefing paper on this topic.

Following which, it was

RESOLVED

1.    That the Lincolnshire Police and Crime Panel schedule of meetings for 2022/23 and Training and Development Programme for 2022/23 be noted.

2.    That the topic around serious violence be added to the Panels Work Programme for the November meeting.

The programmed date for the next Meeting of the Panel is 9^th September 2022 at 11am.

It was noted that the date of the next programmed meeting of the Lincolnshire Police and Crime Panel was confirmed as 11am on 9^th September 2022.