This, the Panel’s first proactive scrutiny report, concludes and makes recommendations upon the topic of ‘rural crime’, where Members reviewed the actions of the Commissioner in his aim ‘over three years to reduce by 50% the gap in solved crime rates between rural and non-rural beats, whilst improving existing solved crime rates in non-rural areas’.

The Panel found through a mix of written and oral evidence that more can be done to help inform and empower local communities to protect themselves from rural crime, to increase confidence in rural community policing, and to improve partnership working between agencies with a responsibility for responding to rural crime. Recommendations will be made to the Commissioner from the Panel through this report which aim to contribute to reducing rural crime rates within Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

• Police and Crime Panel rural crime report
• Reply to the Police and Crime Panel rural crime report