The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting including the Lincolnshire Police and Crime Commissioner for Lincolnshire and representatives from his Office.  He also welcomed the Chief Constable for Lincolnshire, Chris Haward.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Sarah Trotter, and Malcolm Burch (Chief Executive, Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Lincolnshire).

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

To confirm the Open Minutes of the Meeting held on 18^th November 2022.

The Open and Exempt Minutes of the Extraordinary Meeting held on 12^th December 2022  will be tabled at the Meeting.

The Open Minutes of the Meeting held on 18th November 2022 were confirmed and signed as a correct record.

The Open and Exempt Minutes of the Extraordinary Meeting held on 12th December 2022 were tabled at the Meeting and signed as a correct record with an amendment that Councillor Richard Butroid had submitted an apology. 

To confirm the actions following the Police and Crime Panel meeting held on 18^th November 2022.

The Actions of the meeting held on 18^th November 2022 were confirmed. 

In respect of Action 24, clear up rates on burglary it was confirmed that information was expected in due course and would be shared with the Panel.

The Chairman informed that there were no communications.

To consider any written questions submitted by members of the public addressed to the Chief Executive of the Host Authority no later than midday five working days in advance of the meeting.

There were no questions from members of the public.

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

A report was presented to introduce the Police and Crime Commissioner’s report on the Delivery of the Police and Crime Plan 2021 - 2025. The report covering the period to January 2023 was attached as Appendix A.

During discussion reference was made to the serious violence duty and the role of local authorities and the Police and Crime Commissioner in this, police behaviour and conduct, and the announcement regarding the reduction in PCSO numbers for Lincolnshire.

Questions were invited from Panel Members.  A copy of which is 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.

To consider a report from the Police and Crime Commissioner for Lincolnshire regarding the proposed Policing Precept 2023/24.

A report was presented to enable the Lincolnshire Police and Crime Panel, to review and make recommendations regarding the Police and Crime Commissioner’s proposed Police Precept for 2023/24.  The Police and Crime Commissioner for Lincolnshire (the Commissioner) had proposed an increase in the Police Precept of £14.94 for Band D properties for 2023/24.  Details of the proposal were attached to the report at Appendix A and Annexes A, B and C.

It was noted that under Schedule 5 of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 the Lincolnshire Police and Crime Panel (the Panel) must review the Commissioner’s proposed Police Precept and report on it.  The guidelines for this process were detailed within Appendix 2 to the report.

During discussion reference was made to the recent budget briefing held for Panel Members to ensure that ahead of the meeting they had all the information available to them.

The Commissioner then invited Julie Flint, the Chief Finance Officer, Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, to deliver her presentation.  Julie displayed slides which, she informed Members, would underpin the Commissioner’s Precept Proposal. 

The slides were divided under five main headings:

·        Police Grant Settlement

·        Expenditure Plans & Funding

·        Future Funding Landscape

·        Risk Management

·        Impact on Precept

Unusually, at this point in the cycle, the police grant settlement had now been confirmed.  This figure had not changed from the provisional settlement, and Lincolnshire had maintained its share of the overall funding that is available for policing – that was a 0.83% share of the £8.6bn that was available nationally, equating to £71.6 million for Lincolnshire.  This represented an increase of £200,000 in the police grant from last year.

In addition to the police grant, the Panel was advised of a ringfenced allocation of £2.3 million which was dependent upon maintaining officer numbers.  At the provisional settlement there was no clarity about how that might work, since then there had been more information but not total clarity.  It appeared the government was going to count officer numbers in September and then the following March, and then half of the grant would be payable if numbers were sufficient to meet the target, which for Lincolnshire was 1,186 officers.

The pension top-up grant had been maintained as £1.2 million, and the settlement confirmed that precept flexibility of up to £15 per annum increase for a Band D property.

On expenditure plans and funding the Panel was shown a graph that outlined the provisional expenditure plans for Lincolnshire, which showed that the majority of the spend (46%) went on police officers, and the next biggest item (26.7%) was for police staff & PCSOs, then other costs including custody, fleet, premises, and regional collaboration at 23.2%, capital financing at 3.4% and the office of the Police & Crime Commissioner (0.9%).  The overall spending shown was £162 million currently planned.

Expenditure increases in 2023/24 were shown to include:

·        Investment to support critical services, £2.0m

·        Police Officer – increase in average salary and pay awards, £1.9m

·        Police Staff – impact of unbudgeted  ...  view the full minutes text for item 43.

To receive information on complaints made against the Police and Crime Commissioner for Lincolnshire during the period 1 November 2022 to 9 January 2023.

A report was presented that provided details of the procedures in place for dealing with complaints made against the Police and Crime Commissioner for Lincolnshire and an update on the number of complaints received during the period 1 November 2022 to 9 January 2023.  The Complaints Position Statement was attached as Appendix A.

It was noted that none (zero) complaints were made against the Police and Crime Commissioner during the period Tuesday 1 November 2022 to Monday 9 January 2023.

RESOLVED

That the Complaints Position Statement 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 advised that the Panels were continuing to meet regularly with the aim of improving the visibility and recognition of the association nationally.

To consider the Panel’s meeting dates and work programme for 2023/24.

A report was presented that detailed the Work Programme 2023/24 and proposed meeting dates for the Lincolnshire Police and Crime Panel for 2023/24.  The report also included details of the Panel’s training and development programme.

RESOLVED

That the Lincolnshire Police and Crime Panel schedule of meetings for 2023/24 be approved.

The proposed programmed date for the next Meeting of the Panel is 11am on Friday 9 June 2023.

The programmed date for the next Meeting of the Panel was noted as 11am on Friday 9 June 2023.