West Mercia Governance Board
Notes of Meeting
Date: 21st March 2024
Time: 14:00hrs
Attendance:
John Campion (JPC) Chair Police and Crime Commissioner
Marc Bayliss (MB) Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner
Richard Cooper (RC) T/Deputy Chief Constable
Gareth Boulton (GB) Chief Executive Officer
Paul Benfield (PB) Treasurer
Richard Muirhead (RM) Director of Commercial Services
Rachel Hartland-Lane (RHL) Director of Business Services
Rachel Jones (RJ) Assistant Chief Constable, Crime & Vulnerability
Gareth Morris (GM) Chief Superintendent, Local Policing & Operations – Guest presenter
Rachael Thorold (RT) Secretary
Apologies:
Alex Murray (AM) T/Chief Constable
Grant Wills (GW) T/Assistant Chief Constable, Local Policing & Operations
Anthony Morriss (TM) Deputy Chief Executive Officer
Minutes
Ref/01/21/03/2024
Introduction / Attendance / Apologies. Welcome and apologies were made.
Ref/02/21/03/2024
Minutes and Action Log for the meeting held on 22nd February 2024.
The minutes were recorded as an accurate record. The action log was updated accordingly.
Ref/03/21/03/2024
Capital Strategy 2024-25 (Paper) – For Decision. The paper was presented and discussed, with the recommendation approved, subject to any further commentary and approval at the forthcoming Joint Audit and Standards Committee.
Decision: The PCC approved the capital strategy, subject to any further commentary and approval at the forthcoming Joint Audit and Standards Committee.
Ref/04/21/03/2024
Treasury Management Strategy (Paper) – For Decision. The paper was presented and discussed, with the recommendation approved, subject to any further commentary and approval at the forthcoming Joint Audit and Standards Committee.
Decision: The PCC approved the capital strategy, subject to any further commentary and approval at the forthcoming Joint Audit and Standards Committee.
Ref/05/21/03/2024
Digital Services Transformation (DST) Business Case (Papers)– For Decision. The paper was presented and discussed.
It was confirmed that any carry forward of funding in relation to DST will be confirmed when financial year end processes are completed.
The recommendations set out in the paper were approved by the PCC.
The PCC also supported a further contingency of up to £200k in capital funding for 24/25 to provide flexibility to the DST project. This additional funding will be accessed by and subject to appropriate governance via the Change and Transformation Board, which is chaired by the T/DCC and attended by both S.151 officers.
Decision: The PCC approved the recommendations as set out in the paper.
A further contingency of up to £200k in capital funding for DST was approved for 24/25, subject to the governance arrangements via Change and Transformation Board.
Ref/06/21/03/2024
Fleet Replacement criteria (Papers) – For Decision. The paper was presented and discussed. The PCC felt the criteria represented a missed opportunity to address considerations around the future affordability of the fleet. Approval for the criteria was however given, as per the paper.
Decision: The replacement criteria as set out was approved.
Ref/07/21/03/2024
PEEL Preparedness – (Paper) – For Information. The paper was presented discussed and noted.
The PCC welcomed the update, and set out a view that the police force appeared to be in a better position than previously seen around PEEL preparation.
Reassurance was sought and provided around validation of Force self-assessments, and how progress will be delivered around key assessment areas.
The CEO asked what would be required in terms of a shift in organisational resources to set the Force up for success in this context. The T/DCC confirmed that is being reviewed and it is likely some changes will be operationally advised in order to set the organisation up for success.
Ref/08/21/03/2024
FLU February 2024 Update – (Papers) – For Information. The paper was presented discussed and noted.
The improvements set out in the papers were noted and welcomed by both the PCC and DPCC.
Whilst acknowledging the improvements delivered, the DPCC gave his view that the issue remains a high priority for the OPCC and local communities, and that further improvements were still required.
There was a discussion in relation to the £200k funding previously provided by the PCC. GM’s view was that approximately half of that would be spent by the end of 2023/24. The PCC requested that an update is provided (cognisant of financial year end) setting out that funding position and options for whether any remaining funding is carried forward into 2024/25. The PCC also requested that the next update to the Board set out delivery of improvements against the criteria that were agreed in the initial decision notice relating to the £200k funding.
Action 2024/62: GW is to provide an update outside of WMGB to enable consideration of how remaining funding from the PCC’s £200k investment may be carried forward to support further improvements in FLU in 2024/25. The next Board update should also set out delivery of improvements set against the criteria that were agreed in the initial decision notice relating to the £200k investment.
Ref/09/21/03/2024
Money Matters (Paper) – For Information. The paper was presented discussed and noted.
Discussion was held around the contributing factors to the anticipated underspend in 23/24.
Ref/10/21/03/2024
West Mercia’s Approach to Strategic Planning (Papers) – For Information. The paper was presented discussed and noted.
Discussion was held around the budgeting process and the relevance and significance of having a wash-up briefing for it.
The CEO asked how much the Force’s horizon scanning processes involve external partners and the political landscape, and whether WMP has the skills and capacity it requires in these respects.
Action 2024/63: RHL is to ask the SP&I team how much involvement there is with external partners and political landscape capturing within the horizon scanning process.
The approach will be further developed by leadership teams from both WMP and the OPCC at the upcoming planning day.
Ref/11/21/03/2024
Workforce Planning Strategic Framework (Paper) – For Information. The paper was presented discussed and noted.
Ref/12/21/03/2024
Talent Management and MyMax (Paper) – For Information. The paper was presented discussed and noted.
Ref/13/21/03/2024
Armed Policing Strategic Threat and Risk Assessment (APSTRA) (Paper) – For Information. The paper was presented discussed and noted.
The CEO raised the observation that the key elements highlighted within the report all seemed to focus on officer welfare, training and equipment, as opposed to the areas of threat and risk in the external environment. This observation was acknowledged by GM, who reinforced the reasoning behind that position.
Ref/14/21/03/2024
Digital Services Prioritisation (Papers) – For Information. The paper was presented discussed and noted.
The PCC sought reassurance on how the programme delivery priorities for both the Force and the PCC are weighted and assessed proportionately, to ensure that OPCC priorities are not at risk of becoming lost as a user of WMP services. Assurance was given that the OPCC will be included in the process to mitigate against any issues. Action 2024/64: RM is to ensure the decision making process is reviewed to include involvement of the OPCC.
Ref/15/21/03/2024
Change & Transformation Update (Paper) – For Information. The paper was presented discussed and noted.
Ref/16/21/03/2024
Assistant Chief Constables/Assistant Chief Officers Updates – Papers – For Information. The papers were presented discussed and noted.
Business Services Portfolio Update – RHL. Discussion was held on the challenges being faced with the recruitment of PCSOs, with reassurance provided actions are being taken to address this.
Commercial Services Portfolio Update – RM.
Crime & Vulnerability Portfolio Update – RJ.
Local Policing/Operational Policing Support/Public contact/Prevention Portfolio Update – GM. The PCC welcomed the increase in purposeful communications for Local Policing.
The DPCC asked what actions are being taken to address high rate of call abandonment. The response provided gave the assurance that various courses of action are being taken.
Discussion was held around the carrying forward of the Safer Streets funding. The PCC sought reassurance that any carry forward has been explicitly agreed by the Home Office.
The Contracts and Procurement team’s award nomination was acknowledged and welcomed by all present.
Ref/17/21/03/2024
AOB/Forward Plan. Nothing further raised.
