Agenda and minutes

Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee - Wednesday, 21st February, 2024 10.00 am

Venue: Diamond Rooms 1 and 2 - Council House. View directions

Contact: Suzanne Bennett, Governance Services - Telephone: 024 7697 2299  E-mail:  suzanne.bennett@coventry.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

42.

Declarations of Interest

Minutes:

There were no disclosable pecuniary interests.

43.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 335 KB

Minutes:

The Minutes of the meeting held on 20 December, 2024 were agreed and signed as a true record.

 

There were no matters arising.

44.

West Midlands Police - Update on Local Policing pdf icon PDF 199 KB

Briefing Note of the Director of Law and Governance

Minutes:

The Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee received a comprehensive presentation from Chief Superintendent Drover and Superintendent Tyrer, West Midlands (WM) Police, which provided detailed information on the Coventry Local Policing Area.

 

The presentation covered:-

 

·  The new Local Policing Model for the WM built on 7 Local  Policing Areas

·  The Coventry Local Policing Area

·  Resourcing levels

·  Area estate

·  Key Performance Indicators (KPI)

·  Reduction KPI

·  Outcome KPI

·  The HMIC Review of the West Midlands Police

·  The Force’s response to the Review

·  The following 4 causes of concern highlighted in the Review and the recommendations for improvement relating to those areas

§  Investigating Crime

§  Protecting Vulnerable People

§  Managing Offenders and Suspects

·  Responding to calls for service

·  Call demand for 999 and 101 calls

·  Demand and performance for call handling (including the significant reduction in call response times for 101 calls)

·  Response time to incidents

·  KPIs for Reduction Crime Figures

§  Total recorded crime (weekly)

§  Burglary dwelling

§  Vehicle crime

§  Robbery

§  Theft from the person

§  Arrest rates – all crimes

§  Positive outcomes – all crime

·  Performance – Positive Outcomes

·  Key Activity

·  Response to Serious Organised Crime and Exploitation

·  Aligning Community Priorities

·  Legitimacy and Scrutiny

·  City Centre Focus

·  Aligning Community Priorities – St Michaels (City Centre and Hillfields)

·  Activating Citizens and Communities – An ask of Elected Members for assistance with this

·  New Commanders Assessment – Quarter 3 Focus:-

§  Neighbourhood Policing

§  Proactive Policing

§  Crime

§  Response Policing

 

The Committee asked questions, sought assurances and made comments on a number of issues including:-

 

·  Resourcing levels in Coventry, the uplift compared to 2/3 years ago, and the number of Police Officers on duty at any one time. It was noted that Officers work to a number of different shift patterns and that there was a selection/range of officers on duty at any one time

·  An update in relation to the Canley site

·  An update in relation to the City Centre site, which will include the closure of the Little Park Street site

·  Arrangements in place at Police Stations for emergency assistance when the Station is closed

·  The use of nomad cameras

·  The turnover of staff and the difficulties this presents in terms of forging relationships with Councillors and the community. It was noted that this wasn’t always an operational decision but related to career choices available to Police Officers

·  Ensuring that all Councillors are informed and regularly updated in relation to Police contacts in their Wards and PACT meetings – In relation to this, Chief Superintendent Drover gave an undertaking that he would ensure this was done

·  The partnership working currently being undertaken between the Council and WM Police, which was acknowledged to be working successfully

·  Work being undertaken in relation to recruitment of new officers and the extensive training provided for those officers

·  Work being undertaken in relation to gang crime (both street and organised)

·  The need to encourage the reporting of crime by residents and work being taken by the WM Police to reach out to communities  ...  view the full minutes text for item 44.

45.

Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee - Work Programme and Outstanding Issues 2023-24 pdf icon PDF 457 KB

Report of the Director of Law and Governance

Minutes:

The Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee received and noted their Work Programme for the Municipal Year 2023/24.

 

Further to Minute 44 above it was noted that offender management would be added to the Committee’s Work Programme for 2024/25. 

46.

Any Other Items of Public Business

Any other items of public business which the Chair decides to take as a matter of urgency because of the special circumstances involved.

Minutes:

There were no other items of public business.