Mr John Campion
West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner
Hindlip Hall
Worcester
WR3 8SP
7 August 2023
Dear Mr Campion
In accordance with the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011, I write to
confirm that the West Mercia Police and Crime Panel reviewed your draft Annual
Report on 27 July 2023 in a public meeting at County Hall, Worcester. Thank you
for attending and answering questions.
As required in the Act, please accept this letter as the report of the Panel following
its consideration of your draft Annual Report 2022-23.
During the consideration of the draft report, the Panel:
- noted the improvements highlighted in your report and shared your
frustration about the pace of the delivery of improvement and change within
some areas of West Mercia Police. - welcomed the additional 500 police officers that had been recruited,
nevertheless highlighted the need for more visible policing in towns,
parishes and rural areas to improve public confidence and perception.
Members of the Panel were grateful to you for your offer to work with them
to improve public perception. - noted the success of the partnership working with Telford & Wrekin Council
to deliver the Safer & Stronger Communities programme.
The Panel raised a couple of points for which a response is formally requested:
- Page 4 of your report refers to the 500 police officers that have been
recruited, and you confirmed during the meeting that the number of police
officers is the highest establishment figure on record in West Mercia. Please
supply the detail around the number of new recruits in front line facing roles. - With reference to page 7 of your report (The Year in numbers 2022/23), in
future reports please could you include comparative figures from previous
years and some context, as to whether progress was ‘on track’ for these
indicators.
I note that you are required to have regard to the Panel’s report and provide a
response which will be published; I look forward to receiving this response in due
course.
Cllr Barry Durkin Chairman, West
Mercia Police and Crime Panel
c/o Legal and Governance
Worcestershire County Council
County Hall
Spetchley Road
Worcester
WR5 2NP
