Minutes:
4.1 Minute 5.1 – Agenda Item, Question by Councillor A Lloyd Jones
An update was requested with regard to the Welsh Government funding for the All Wales School Liaison Programme SchoolBeat. The Police and Crime Commissioner reported that the Welsh Government had agreed to fund the programme for a further 12 months, from April 2019 to March 2020. The Police and Crime Commissioner announced that this timeframe will be used to prepare in collaboration with other forces reports and evidence regarding the benefits of the programme across all of Wales.
4.2. Minute 5.2 – Agenda Item, Question by Councillor M. James
Following the Police and Crime Commissioner’s invitation for Panel Member’s to attend the Chief Constable’s Rural Crime Fora and Partnership meetings, further information regarding the dates of the meetings was requested. The Commissioner announced that invitations with specific dates will be circulated. He also clarified that meetings are currently held at two levels: strategic-level meetings chaired by the Chief Constable, and county-based Rural Crime Team meetings which are multi-agency meetings.
A follow-up question was raised regarding the Dyfed-Powys Police force’s representation at the Royal Welsh Winter Fair, which represents the first anniversary of the launch of the Rural Crime Strategy. The Police and Crime Commissioner reported that the Rural Crime Team will be present at the fair and offered to share details regarding specific events with Panel Members.
4.3 Minute 7 – Agenda Item, Decisions taken by the Commissioner
An update was requested regarding the specific date for the opening of the Carmarthen Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) base and the consistency of NPT opening hours across the force. The Police and Crime Commissioner replied that, to the best of his knowledge, the Carmarthen base had opened and is operational. He also reported that the opening hours of NPTs as well as larger police stations were under review as part of wider demand work, led by Assistant Chief Constable Vicki Evans. The Police and Crime Commissioner was not able to provide a specific date for the completion of this work.
4.4. Minute 8 – Agenda Item, Police Accountability Board
An update was requested as to whether the results of a recent staff survey could be shared with the Panel. The Police and Crime Commissioner responded that the results of last year’s survey will be forwarded to Panel Members and that the results of the most recent survey will be shared once they are available. He pointed out that the most recent survey is based on a slightly bigger sample size and therefore provides more reliable results. The Police and Crime Commissioner also noted that last year’s staff survey registered an increase in staff motivation, which counters the national trend of decreasing police force motivation.
In relation to the quantification of average 101 calls, it was noted that members of the public reported delays with getting through. The Police and Crime Commissioner responded that while average recorded call times in the force is approximately 70 seconds, he was aware that this seemed inconsistent with the experience reported by the public. He announced willingness to inquire into potential sources of this inconsistency and reported that ongoing demand work suggests 101 traffic is partly generated by internal calls that could be redirected elsewhere. The Police and Crime Commissioner pointed out the force’s good levels of timeliness when compared to neighbouring forces in Wales. In response, it was noted that some members of the public reported delays in excess of 10 minutes. The Police and Crime Commissioner declared that such figures were unacceptable and asked for these complaints to be forwarded to him.
4.5 Minute 9 – Agenda Item, Chairman’s Annual Report 2017-2018
A query was raised to circulate more hard copies of the Annual Report in the population. In response, the Legal Services Manager invited Panel Members to note down their desired numbers of English and Welsh copies, which will be sent to them for circulation in their constituency.