Date: 8th October 2024
Chair: John Campion
Minutes: Nicola Lowery
Attendance
- John Campion – Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC)
- Marc Bayliss – Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner (DPCC)
- Charity Pearce – Senior Policy Officer (CP)
- Nicola Lowery-Policy Officer (NL)
- Anthony Morriss -Deputy Chief Executive OPCC (AM)
- Claire Richardson – Head of Policy & Commissioning OPCC (CR)
- Richard Cooper-T/ Chief Constable (T/CC)
- Rachel Jones -T/ Deputy Chief Constable (T/DCC)
Review of Action Tracker
Actions were reviewed, closed and progressed as per the action tracker
Victims Voice Video The PCC played a video with reflections from West Mercia Police’s Child Exploitation (CE) team providing the voice of the practitioner.
Tackling CSE
Executive overview of CSE prevalence across West Mercia
The T/CC provided a holistic overview on the force’s response and areas of improvement still to be made such as in the delivery of training. The T/CC acknowledged the force’s positive work in implementing the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Exploitation in Telford (IITCSE) recommendations and reflected on the challenge ahead on ensuring the focus across other policing areas in West Mercia.
The PCC questioned how the force will ensure that combined sense of mission across other policing areas to tackling CSE as was achieved in Telford. The T/CC confirmed that the force will be working with other local authorities and that Telford & Wrekin Council have offered to support
with engagement. It was observed that the approach and training applied in Telford could be replicated across the force and acknowledged that the success of this would be affected by the perceived scale of the problem relating to CSE.
The PCC sought reassurance on the audit and scrutiny work to ensure that effective governance is taking place and requested further detail on the delayed delivery of training within the force.
The T/CC outlined the reasons behind the delay, confirmed that the training is mandatory and that delivery will begin in January 2025 to the force. The T/DCC advised that purposeful governance is in place which provides the reassurance required to Chief Officers.
ACTION: T/CC to provide oversight on the timetable for CSE training to provide reassurance for delivery in January 2025.
Assessment of partnership working
Both the PCC and DPCC requested more detail on partnership engagement to ensure that the force is being proactive in their approach to tackling CSE across West Mercia.
The T/DCC confirmed that the force will pursue this engagement initially through local Safeguarding boards and will engage with Chief Executives within each Local Authority.
The PCC sought reassurance that the force is committed to building their intelligence base to identify the signs of CSE related activity in taxis/take away establishments and is proactively working to identify gaps in local prevalence data.
The T/CC provided reassurance that the teams are being proactive and updated on the local authority working groups to identify what gaps in data exist.
Achieving positive outcomes for victims
The PCC questioned the force’s knowledge of vulnerable victims both in understanding their experience and improving the quality of investigations.
The T/CC talked through the force’s audit work which provides an opportunity for feedback and to make improvements. The gap in hearing directly from victims to better understand their experience was recognised and confirmed that there is an opportunity to better capture this potentially through commissioned services.
ACTION: For the force to engage with OPCC to understand how the experience of vulnerable victims can be captured through commissioned services to improve safeguarding, quality of investigations and their experience.
The PCC sought assurance that the levels of reporting are reflective of what is taking place within the community to ensure that there is not a reporting problem.
The T/CC updated on the joint enforcement work and provided reassurance that in the absence of findings to the contrary the recording of offences is an accurate reflection. The T/CC talked through concerns that both online abuse and peer on peer abuse is increasing and gave an overview of the force’s utilisation of diversionary pathways.
The PCC raised the matter of resourcing and the significant resource disparity between LPAs in the force’s Child Exploitation (CE) Teams. Reassurance was sought on how the review will seek to address this and improve outcomes and performance in each policing area.
The T/CC confirmed that the review seeks to improve the consistency of resourcing and re-emphasised the force’s commitment to the CE team in Telford. It was acknowledged that policing areas such as Hereford were not adequately resourced which is being considered within the review.
Summary of actions arising – West Mercia Police
ACTION: CC to provide an update on the delivery of CSE training against planned start date of January 2025.
ACTION: For the force to engage with OPCC to understand how the experience of vulnerable victims can be captured through commissioned services to improve safeguarding, quality of investigations and their experience.
Victims Voice Video – Commissioned services
The PCC played a video which brought to life a case study from of the PCC’s commissioned service Purple Leaf providing the voice of the victim and their experience.
Assurance & Accountability – PCC CSE Commissioned Services
CR provided an overview on commissioned services and highlighted key challenges such as the sustainability and significant risk of funding, growing demand around education and prevention alongside the partnership work required.
Current service and delivery
The PCC sought more detail on early intervention diversionary commissioned services to establish how well they are integrated with statutory agencies and any challenges to collaboration.
CR provided an overview of agency engagement at strategic meetings and the work required to further collaboration. It was noted that some providers identified a gap in service for children that do not meet the Early Help threshold. CR provided assurance that this is being looked at within the OPCC.
Utilisation and effectiveness
The PCC requested more information on the utilisation and governance of OPCC commissioned services to establish its effectiveness and an overview of what good looks like in respect to volume of referrals.
CR confirmed that there is no national benchmark and that the team assess performance based on previous activity. An overview was provided on the OPCC’s approach to governance which included the review of performance reports and quarterly meetings to provide oversight and scrutiny.
ACTION: To provide a progress update on the governance of commissioned services to be raised via OGB.
The PCC confirmed that it was reassuring to see that the victim voice was captured as part of the needs assessment and confirmed that it would be useful to understand where gaps are in current service provision.
CR confirmed that the OPCC is currently in the process of establishing a Lived Experience Group that will greatly contribute to shaping this work.
Future commissioning
The PCC sought views on how the PCC and OPCC can add further shape partnership working and wider challenges on the horizon.
CR provided an overview on the challenge facing the office in respect to central government funding and the additional funding required. An overview was also provided on the current position of commissioned services and what opportunities exist within strategic partnerships.
ACTION: To coordinate the lobbying of central government for additional funding and resource required for commissioned services within West Mercia.
ACTION: To include a progress update following Safer Communities conversation and what opportunities exist with the PCC’s convening powers to further develop strategic partnerships.
Summary of actions arising – OPCC
ACTION: To provide a progress update on the governance of commissioned services to be raised via OGB.
ACTION: To coordinate the lobbying of central government for additional funding and resource required for commissioned services within West Mercia.
ACTION: To include a progress update following Safer Communities conversation and what opportunities exist with the PCC’s convening powers to further develop strategic partnerships.
