West Mercia Governance Board
Notes of Meeting
Date: 20th June 2024
Time: 14:00hrs
Attendance:
John Campion (JPC) Chair, Police and Crime Commissioner
Alex Murray (AM) T/Chief Constable
Richard Cooper (RC) T/Deputy Chief Constable
Gareth Boulton (GB) Chief Executive Officer
Anthony Morriss (TM) Deputy Chief Executive Officer
Richard Muirhead (RM) Director of Commercial Services
Diane Cleaver (DC) Senior Finance Officer
Rachel Hartland-Lane (RHL) Director of Business Services
Rachel Jones (RJ) Assistant Chief Constable, Crime & Vulnerability
Apologies:
Grant Wills (GW) T/Assistant Chief Constable, Local Policing & Operations
Paul Benfield (PB) Treasurer
Marc Bayliss (MB) Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner
Minutes
Ref/01/20/06/2024
Introduction / Attendance / Apologies. Welcome and apologies were made.
Ref/02/20/06/2024
Minutes and Action Log for the previous meeting
The minutes were recorded as an accurate record with one amendment from Grant Wills previously supplied. The action log was updated accordingly.
Ref/03/20/06/2024
Money Matters- For Decision The paper was presented and discussed.
Interim report – concern re additional cost pressures that have arisen since the budget setting process. Approx £4m over the profiled budget.
Tracking costs re management of change process.
PCC asked for clarity regarding £493k movement in police officer overtime budget, this was confirmed as being due to Hot Spot funding.
PCC sought clarity re narrative on p3 re officer overtime OCON (Operational Contingencies).
PCC and CC will arrange separate discussions regarding overspends and impacts of any operational decisions pertaining to service provision. RM will also brief Paul Benfield separately with further detail.
Decision: PCC confirmed support for Issured spend and roadside toxicology.
Decision: Virements approved as outlined in the paper:
- £1.000m to create Hot Spot Policing budget allocations upon receipt of the Home Office Grant. Funded by the grant.
- £0.834m consolidation of DS budgets into fewer cost centres to reduce coding errors and simplify reporting.
- £0.185m correction of budget profiles in above virement.
- £0.490m temporary movement of Officer post budget into Op Lincoln.
- £0.396m Legal’s contribution to the Insurance reserve.
- £0.355m to create Safer Streets budgets funded by grant.
- £0.224m Funding of SCIU posts from Road Safety, transfer necessary to align spend with funding rather than Origin line management.
£0.170m to separate ARIS top slice grant out from POCA Incentivisation income for clearer monitoring in line with the grant agreement.
Ref/04/20/06/2024
WMGB Review – For Decision The paper was presented and discussed.
CC suggested replacing monthly portfolio updates with bi-monthly. Broadly supported recommendations made. Grateful for the review.
PCC suggested papers submitted for WMGB have often had other purpose, for example a previous submission to Chief Officers regarding operational matters, so getting to strategic point sometimes challenging. He suggested in such instances a covering report/exec summary from the relevant CO would be helpful. The PCC also wants to see more work co-produced between the force and the OPCC.
PCC regarding portfolio updates – feels reporting by exception is helpful rather than the longer reports they have become. Highlighting key issues, but shorter and more focused.
Decision: Recommendations supported:
- Recommendation 1 – PCC and CC to discuss and agree forthcoming WMGB agenda 2 weeks prior to the meeting date.
- Recommendation 3 – Inclusion of a monthly standing agenda item updating the Board regarding progress against the strategic planning cycle.
- Recommendation 4 – OPCC to write a terms of reference for WMGB covering requirements / expectations for paper submissions.
- Recommendation 5 – Chief Officers to invite SMEs (subject matter experts) to WMGB. This would be when required and agreed as part of agenda setting, with a Chief Officer presenting the paper.
- Recommendation 6 – WMGB to remain as a monthly meeting.
- Recommendation 7 – Reintroduction of ‘deep dives’. By exception and agreed either as part of agenda setting or as part of the forward planning section in the meeting itself.
Ref/05/20/06/2024
HMICFRS PEEL Update – For Information The paper was presented and discussed.
HMICFRS have required a significant return of documentation (policies, etc.) and reports from force leads.
RC scrutiny sessions have continued.
CC highlighted confidence in many areas, whilst highlighting some areas such as crime recording timescales and partnership working (including data sharing) which remain at risk.
PCC recognised the focus of the force leadership on this issue.
Ref/06/20/06/2024
Change and Transformation Executive Report – For Information The paper was presented and discussed.
Ref/07/20/06/2024
Portfolio Updates.
Local Policing and Ops PCC would be grateful for updates regarding any known risks for the summer regarding demand, resourcing, etc. CC can bring for a future PCC/CC 1-1 meeting.
Business Services Nothing of note raised.
Crime and Vulnerability Nothing of note raised.
Commercial Services PCC enquired about exit strategy from running dual IT systems (‘greenfield’ and ‘brownfield’). RM outlined 3 pieces of work ongoing to progress decommissioning, and the continued scoping ongoing regarding data storage.
CC outlined planned integration of SAAB and Athena which will be game changing for frontline officers and staff due to significant reductions in double keying / other efficiency gains.
Ref/08/20/06/2024
AOB/Forward Plan. Nothing further raised.
