Archived decisions

REPORT OF THE

HAMPSHIRE POLICE AUTHORITY

101 SINGLE NON-EMERGENCY NUMBER

Hampshire is one of the five areas selected by the Home Office to pilot this service. The original intention of the Government was to roll out the service nationally but in November 2007 the Home Office announced that it would withdraw future funding. The Authority agreed with the Chief Constable's view that this had been a successful partnership initiative which delivered good service but was of the view that the decision whether to continue the service without Home Office support had to be taken by the local councils who were the partners.

Notwithstanding the fact that some local authorities had reservations about the service, the Authority recognised the value of partnership working and agreed that the service should continue for another year so that it could be evaluated further.

COUNCIL TAX PRECEPT 2008/09

The Authority has approved a council tax increase of 8.1%. The Authority considered that the increase, whilst above the government's 5% capping limit, will provide additional resource to be allocated for frontline policing thus providing a better level of service and reassurance to the communities of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. The increase will allow, amongst other measurers, for the recruitment of 24 additional front line police officers to narrow the gap in front line policing resources against the present demand for calls for services and also the recruitment of six police officers and 30 support staff to provide additional staffing to strengthen management of cell blocks used for custody as well as meeting expected Home Office standards. The Authority was aware of the impact on the public of increased council tax bills and had carried out consultation which had supported an 8.1% increase. The Authority acknowledged the difficulties which would be faced by some households but recognised that it had a duty to provide an efficient policing service to the public and a duty of care to its employees to ensure they were adequately funded. The 8.1% increase equates to an 18p rise for the majority of householders in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight who occupied below Band D rated households. Jean, do you mean this? Normally the figure quoted is for Band D properties.

POLICING PLAN 2008 - 11

The Authority has approved the draft of its first three-year plan of local policing in accordance with new government requirements; previously the plan was produced on an annual basis.

The three year plan follows Home Office draft guidance. It is a rolling plan which sets out broad strategic priorities that reflect both mandatory elements from the National Community Safety Plan and Public Service Agreements and those areas locally identified by the Police Authority and the Constabulary.




The Authority has delegated responsibility for final approval of the plan to its Chairman and Chief Executive and noted that it will be published on the Police Authority and Constabulary websites by the end of March.

INDEPENDENT CUSTODY VISITING SCHEME

The Authority has received a report on the operation of its Independent Custody Visiting Scheme for the period July to December 2007. It is a requirement under the Police Reform Act 2002 for police authorities to make arrangements for detainees held in police custody to be visited by independent custody visitors. The purpose of these custody visiting arrangements is to enable members of the communities of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight to observe, comment and report on the conditions under which persons detained at police stations and the operation in practice of the statutory and other rules governing their welfare. This is done with a view to securing greater public understanding and confidence in these matters and thereby providing an independent check in an open and transparent manner, on the way police officers carry out their duties.

The Authority welcomed the report which indicated that custody visitors had made the required number of visits to police custody suites and had not reported any breaches of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act Code C which governs detention in police custody. The Authority endorsed its commitment to custody visiting and recorded its thanks to the volunteers who carry out this role on its behalf. The Authority noted that, whilst an adequate number of suitably trained volunteers exists within Hampshire, this was not the case for the Isle of Wight where new volunteers were actively being sought.