People in Wiltshire and Swindon are being given the chance to have their say about a new Police and Crime Plan designed to chart the course for Wiltshire Police to follow over the next four years.
The draft document, launched today (3 January 2017) by Police and Crime Commissioner Angus Macpherson, sets the priorities for Wiltshire Police between now and 2020.
Mr Macpherson said: “Since I was re-elected last year I have been reviewing the priorities and thinking about the big issues that the communities of Wiltshire and Swindon are facing.
“Chief Constable Mike Veale has given me his professional advice about potential risks and threats, which has guided me in writing my plan.”
The four priorities
The Commissioner’s four priorities for the next four years are to:
- Prevent crime and keep people safe
- Protect the most vulnerable in society
- Put victims, witnesses and communities at the heart of everything we do
- Secure a trusted, quality and efficient police service
Mr Macpherson said: “My focus is on protecting vulnerable people – young and old; working closer with partners to improve services and harnessing the power of communities against crime.”
He has begun a month-long public consultation about the draft plan. Please see below for more details.
Precept proposal
Mr Macpherson is also consulting on a proposal to increase by 1.9 per cent the police part of council tax (known as the policing precept) for 2017-18.
That would mean an extra £3.17 a year (or 6p a week) for the average band D property. At present, band D homes pay £167.10 a year.
Mr Macpherson said: “Out of the 43 forces in England and Wales, only four receive less money per person than Wiltshire. The money I receive from the Home Office equates to £96 per person – the national average is £121 per person.
“The cost of policing to the people of Wiltshire and Swindon is the lowest in the South West.
“I have been lobbying the Home Office for a better deal for Wiltshire, pointing out that we have been historically under-funded given the logistical challenges of policing such an overwhelmingly rural county with vast open spaces between some of our main communities.
“The proposed £3.17 a year increase would provide me with an additional £792,000 of local income for 2017-18. The increase of just over £3 a year per household is little more than the price of a large cup of coffee.
“This would help to cover our costs, including National Insurance contributions, from which we used to be exempt, and nationally agreed pay awards.
“With an £814,000 reduction in central funding, this increase to the policing part of council tax would mean that I basically have a standstill budget to finance policing in 2017-18.
“The money raised from the police part of the council tax will be used to help maintain community policing which I believe is greatly valued by people in Wiltshire and Swindon.
“We will still have to make savings in the order of £2.5m in 2017-18 to fund new costs such as the apprenticeship levy and to finance pay and price inflation.
“I need the 1.9 per cent increase in the policing precept to fund Wiltshire Police, and I hope the people of Wiltshire and Swindon will support this modest rise.”
Details of the draft Police and Crime Plan
1. Prevent crime and keep people safe
Mr Macpherson said: “The first duty of the police is to keep us safe, and we do live in a very safe county. But we cannot be complacent about the threats posed by organised crime, cyber crime and terrorism. Police need to work closely with the public in the face of these threats.
“Our new Community Policing teams offer a joined-up service with local policing, emergency response and crime investigation.
“I’m inviting people to become involved in policing through the Special Constabulary, other volunteer roles and police cadets.
“I want to see more criminals dealt with effectively, with a focus on better detection of sexual offences and burglary.”
2. Protect the most vulnerable in society
Mr Macpherson said: “Safeguarding those at risk is crucial.
“Working more closely with partners, and with the specialist services which I fund, will help to keep vulnerable children and adults safe.
“I want police to prevent harm by identifying those at risk and providing the protection they need.
“When harm has been caused I want police to respond quickly and effectively.
“Meeting the needs of people in mental health crisis is a continuing concern. Through health and local authorities working with police, I expect to maintain the triage service in our control room and to ensure that those who need a place of safety are taken to an NHS facility and never to police custody.”
3. Put victims, witnesses and communities at the heart of everything we do
Mr Macpherson said: “Crime can have a deep and lasting impact on victims and witnesses.
“I am committed to providing quality services for victims of domestic abuse and sexual offences in particular.
“Restorative justice work is increasingly valued around the country, steering offenders away from crime and helping to reduce re-offending.
“Restorative Together was set up by me in Wiltshire and Swindon. It helps victims deal with their experience of crime, bringing them face to face with the offender.
“Horizon – also commissioned by me – guides victims and witnesses through the criminal justice process.”
4. Secure a trusted, quality and efficient police service
Mr Macpherson said: “Everyone has a right to a good quality and efficient police service.
“I have given officers and staff digital technology that means they can work in the communities they serve.
“But we must do more. I want to see more opportunities for people to engage with police online; digital technology for police interviews and court evidence; ever closer working with neighbouring forces; the disposal of buildings the Force no longer needs and the upgrading of the buildings it needs for the future, as well as further opportunities to share buildings with partners.
“I commissioned a review of the entire police estate and, as part of that work, I have asked the Chief Constable to tell me which buildings he needs, in which locations, to make a success of community policing.
“I have made a very big investment in smartphones, laptops and tablets for our officers and staff.
“They no longer need to return to a police station to type up a report. They can now do that work, and much more besides, whilst out and about.
“I hope the public will see our officers and PCSOs in public places, whether a building which we share with the council, or a leisure centre or even a coffee shop. Visibility and accessibility are important.
“We have buildings which are no longer fit for purpose, built many years ago, totally unsuitable for the needs of 21st century policing.
“We have also been matching demand for our services to the map showing the location of our buildings.
“I am currently considering which of those buildings are needed and which are surplus to operational requirements.
“The disposal of those unwanted buildings, which will be phased over five years, will generate capital income and save significant sums in running costs.
“I am also seeking the Chief Constable’s operational advice on the custody question. Since the closure of the Salisbury custody unit we have been operating with units at Gablecross in Swindon and at Melksham.
“We have set up a dedicated prisoner transport team to take people arrested in the south of the county to Melksham. The journey takes a little over one hour.
“Much careful thought has gone into whether to build a new unit in the Warminster area and to close Melksham custody.
“If we had unlimited budgets, a custody unit further south than Melksham would shave about ten minutes off the journey time to custody from the south of the county.
“We have to ask ourselves whether we can justify spending some £10m of public money on a brand new facility when our existing unit in Melksham is rarely above 40 per cent capacity.”
How to have your say
The consultation is open until midnight on Friday 27 January 2017.
A short video explaining the main points of the Commissioner’s plan, and the need for an increase to the precept, is being distributed to the 18 area boards in Wiltshire and to Swindon Borough Council for its localities.
You can watch the video by following this link: http://www.wiltshire-pcc.gov.
You can read the draft plan at: http://www.wiltshire-pcc.gov.
The Commissioner will be answering questions live via his Facebook and Twitter accounts on the following dates:
Wednesday 4 January 2017: 6pm – 7.30pm
Tuesday 10 January 2017: 6pm – 7.30pm
Tuesday 17 January: 6pm – 7.30pm
Tuesday 24 January 2017: 6pm – 7.30pm
You can email your views or questions to: [email protected]
You can complete the online feedback form on the PCC website: http://www.wiltshire-pcc.gov.
You can write with your views to PCC consultation, OPCC, London Road, Devizes SN10 2RD
Parish and town councils and the business community will also be invited to contribute to the consultation.
Mr Macpherson will be speaking to the Police and Crime Panel about his proposals at a meeting at County Hall, Trowbridge, on Wednesday 11 January 2017.
The panel meets again at the council offices, Monkton Park, Chippenham on Thursday 2 February 2017, when the Commissioner will formally present his proposals.
