Agenda item

The Police & Crime Commissioner for North Wales, Mr Arfon Jones, has been invited to attend the meeting to give a short presentation and to respond to Members’ questions.

(a)       That the presentation be received;

(b)       That the Police & Crime Commissioner, and the Chief Executive of the Office of the Police & Crime Commissioner, be thanked for their attendance and contribution to the meeting; and

(c)        That the Commissioner’s offer for the North Wales Police cyber-crime specialist to attend a future meeting be accepted.

The Chief Executive welcomed and introduced Mr. Arfon Jones, Police & Crime Commissioner for North Wales, and Mr. Stephen Hughes, Chief Executive of the Office of the Police & Crime Commissioner, to the Committee.  He invited the Police and Crime Commissioner to give a short presentation on the role, impact and operation of the Police and Crime Commissioner and how his office and the Police and Crime Plan work in partnership for Flintshire.  The Chief Executive explained that the answers to the questions which had been submitted in advance of the meeting to the Commissioner had been circulated to Members prior to the meeting. 

The Police and Crime Commissioner thanked Members for their invitation and gave an overview of his role, powers, and responsibilities as Commissioner for North Wales.  He outlined his priorities and key tasks and commented on the need to work closely with partners to secure long term solutions to crime and disorder.  The Commissioner referred to the many different types of organisations he worked with to ensure improved services to the people of North Wales. He advised that his role specifically involved working in partnership with the four Public Service Boards to deliver an effective response to crime and disorder.  His primary concern was to ensure that the community safety outcomes the Public Service Boards aimed to achieve supported the priorities of the police and crime plan.  The Commissioner also explained that he attended the Safer Communities Board, Regional Leadership Board and the Local Criminal Justice Board.

The Commissioner reported on his vision for the future and the outcomes he sought to achieve which were ensuring that public priorities were acted upon, victims were consulted and the most vulnerable individuals were not overlooked.  He cited modern-day slavery and cyber-crime as examples of some of the main challenges facing the North Wales Police Service in the future

The Chairman thanked the Commissioner for his presentation and invited Members to raise additional questions. 

During discussion the Commissioner responded to the questions and concerns raised around the work being undertaken to engage and work with young people to reduce anti-social behaviour, the diminishing presence of police offices on local streets, unlawful encampment in local areas, and passport control in North Wales as a result of Britain leaving the European Union

In response to the question concerning the number of police offices employed per head of population in each Council area, the Commissioner explained that in addition to a formula, a professional view on the number of police officers employed in an area was taken.  He said that whilst there was less crime reported in rural areas a minimum level of policing had to be maintained.  The Chief Executive commented on centralised operations which were not reported in the data.  Mr. Hughes explained that more police officers were based within central operations than locally and referred to the investigation work undertaken into cyber-crime as an example.   Responding to the further concerns raised by Councillor Robin Guest on fraud and cyber-crime the Commissioner suggested that the North Wales Police cyber-crime specialist be invited to attend a future meeting of the Committee.  

In conclusion the Commissioner referred to the opportunity presented through his online consultation survey on the Police and Crime Plan, for Flintshire residents to have their say about keeping North Wales a safe place to work, live and visit.   He said the views/responses to the survey would be used to assist him in reviewing the Police and Crime Plan for next year and agreeing the policing priorities for North Wales. 

The Chairman thanked the Commissioner and the Chief Executive of the Office of the Police & Crime Commissioner for their attendance and contribution to the meeting.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the presentation be received;

(b)       That the Police & Crime Commissioner, and the Chief Executive of the Office of the Police & Crime Commissioner, be thanked for their attendance and contribution to the meeting; and

(c)        That the Commissioner’s offer for the North Wales Police cyber-crime specialist to attend a future meeting be accepted.