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The decisions as the council's minutes record them. A plain-language summary follows once it has been written.
RESOLVED that the Commissioner’s proposal to increase the Dyfed-Powys Police precept by 8.6% for 2025/26 be endorsed.
An apology for absence was recevied from Councillor Elizabeth Evans (Ceredigion County Council).
Member Agenda Item No Interest Cllr S. Hancock All items Family member is a serving Police Officer within Dyfed Powys Police Force Cllr S. Wright All items Family member is a serving Police Officer within Dyfed Powys Police Force Mrs H. Thomas Item 5 Family Member is involved in the Living Wage Group
RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Dyfed-Powys Police and Crime Panel held on the 25th October 2024 be signed as a correct record
Minute Item 7 An update was requested regarding the revised governance arrangements, especially the replacement of the strategic board. The Police and Crime Commissioner advised that alongside the monthly Policing Board meetings he has quarterly Strategic Performance Meetings to provide more oversight of operational matters. There is a plan within the coming financial year to introduce a more detailed scrutiny function, akin to the Select Committee system at Westminster. This will undertake ‘deep dives’ into specific issues, such as the previous work done into stalking and harassment. These ‘deep dives’ will seek to work with the force and partner agencies to use the lived experience of those contributing to improve the service provided by the police and criminal justice partners. The Commissioner was also asked about public accessibility of these meetings and whether they would be webcast live. The Panel was advised that the intention was to record the Strategic Performance Meetings and the Select Committee style meetings, but not webcast them live. Minutes will also be available for these meetings.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED that the Commissioner’s proposal to increase the Dyfed-Powys Police precept by 8.6% for 2025/26 be endorsed.
The Committee considered a report reviewing the precept proposed by the Police & Crime Commissioner. The Panel had identified this matter as one of its priorities and established a sub-group to consider this issue in more detail on its behalf. A report prepared by the subgroup setting out its recommendations was presented along with a detailed report from the Commissioner setting out his proposed precept and his justification. The Chair read out a question from a member of the public regarding the transparency of the precept setting process, which was as follows: “The roles of the police Commissioner and Crime Panel are key in ensuring that community needs are met as effectively as possible thus improving relationships ‘building confidence and trust.’ Precepting is the commissioner’s most significant task and is probably the role that involves the largest number of residents directly. Ensuring the trust between Commissioner, Panel and public in the precepting process is therefore key. A straightforward explanation as to the collection, funding and allocation of the precept is not readily available to those who question the process. In the forefront of these calls are those, who as council tax premium payers, pay treble the precept, and as a result are now heavily invested in the Dyfed Powys Police and are seeking clarity before payment of bills they don’t understand. How would the DPP panel and the Commissioner provide clarity in matters such as the role of the tax base and the suggestion that this source of the DPPs income has been exploited for a number of years, but now needs transparency, and cooperation between stakeholders to provide clear explanations of the precepting process in order to avoid disharmony?” In response to the question, the Commissioner cited the meeting itself as a demonstration of transparency, including the fact that he had presented a lengthy report with extensive detail regarding the precept setting process. The Commissioner also explained that the Home Office formula for police funding is complex and opaque, and this doesn’t help with transparency. He also explained that the funding for the police service has shifted away from central government to the point where the current position is that 56% of funding comes from the council tax precept. The Police and Crime Commissioner presented his report on the precept, which recommended an increase of 8.6%. He highlighted several key points from the report, including the lengthy process of setting this figure, having started in September 2024, and the policing priorities – including tackling drug trafficking and domestic abuse. The Commissioner also advised of the financial risks and pressures including pay awards, the employer National Insurance contribution increase and inflation amongst other factors. The mid-term financial plan assumes increases of between 5% and 5.75% in the subsequent two years, and the Commissioner advised that he was hopeful that the policing white paper expected soon would lead to 3-year settlements in future. The Commissioner explained that despite the loss of Welsh Government grant funding for the schools programme, it would continue and be funded directly from the revenue budget, and that the increase in the precept would also allow the force to continue workforce modernisation to use more officers in front line policing. The Commissioner advised in summary that despite the increase, the precept would leave Dyfed-Powys area rate payers with the lowest council tax on average in Wales. The average Band D property in the area would pay an additional £2.39 monthly, an increase of £28.65 per year. Over three-quarters of respondents to the public survey were willing to pay circa £30 or more additionally on their council tax. The Panel was advised that this increase would allow the force to continue to work to be accessible and visible. Councillor Keith Evans (Panel Lead on Finance) provided a presentation on the Panel’s Finance Sub-Group’s scrutiny of the 2025/26 precept proposal. He advised that it should be stressed that the responsibility for setting the precept rested with the Commissioner not the Panel. The role of the Panel is to scrutinise the Commissioner’s decision. Only in very limited circumstances can the Panel veto the Commissioner’s first proposed precept. The Panel cannot veto any subsequent revised precept that the Commissioner puts forward. Councillor Evans advised that the Sub-Group had attended a Finance Seminar organised by the Police and Crime Commissioner and met with the Commissioner and his Chief Executive and Chief Financial Office in scrutinising the proposal. Councillor Evans advised that overall, the precept continued to offer residents of Dyfed-Powys value for money and was still one of, if not the, the lowest in Wales. The subgroup recommended to the Panel that based on all the information provided it supported the Commissioner’s proposed increase in the police precept. The following questions or concerns were raised by the Panel: · The Police and Crime Commissioner was asked about the calculation of the Home Office settlement and agreed that the formula was obtuse in nature and that a formula based solely on population would result in more funding to the force. · In response to a question regarding rural crime including theft of All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs), the Commissioner confirmed that it was an issue causing concern, and that the Rural Crime Team was providing visits to rural dwellings to advise on crime prevention strategies, and that Designing Out Crime accredited officers were helping with this. · The Panel was advised that the grant to cover employer National Insurance contributions was separate from the core grant but was likely to be incorporated within the funding formula in future years. · A question was asked regarding the increased precept driving up performance and standards. The Commissioner advised that the increased level being requested was to ensure this, with a key area being workforce modernisation, ensuring officers returning to front line policing. · The Commissioner advised in response to a question regarding the share of the funding provided from central government and from the precept, that this was similar in all forces in Wales, with over 50% of the funding coming from the council tax precept, and this percentage was continuing to increase. · In response to a question regarding recruitment of police, the Commissioner advised that the force had recruited 245 officers in 2023/24 and 213 in 2024/25 and that the force was currently recruiting, and keen to do so from local communities. He also advised that there was a problem with officers leaving after between 3 and 7 years in the service, and that this was being addressed through a retention officer who speaks to officers intending to leave to understand their reasons. · A question was asked regarding public access to police stations, and the Commissioner advised that given the diversity of ways the public contact the police, physical police stations are a less efficient way to deal with issues. He advised that there were two stations with front desks for the public to report issues, at Haverfordwest and Pembroke Dock, that the investments in the Command and Control centre have improved response times to 101 calls, and that there were a variety of ways to contact the police, from the emergency and non-emergency numbers, to email, social media, or the Single Online Home. · In response to a question about Artificial Intelligence (AI) the Commissioner advised that the force was exploring several opportunities to use AI and had received additional funding from the Home Office for this. One main area was in redaction of files going to the Crown Prosecution Service. Other areas where the Commissioner advised that AI was being considered were minutes of meetings and fireworks licensing. The Commissioner also advised that non-AI digital tools were being explored such as a pilot in digital contact with victims of low-risk domestic violence. · The Commissioner answered a question regarding whether he would appoint a deputy by advising that he had not taken a decision on this for the future, but that he had worked for his previous terms as Commissioner without one. · In response to a question regarding meetings with the Minister for Policing, the Commissioner advised that although a recent meeting had to be cancelled, he regularly engaged with ministers and officers at the Home Office and Welsh Government. · The Commissioner was asked how confident he was that the public would be able to see the outcomes of the investment. He advised that everything that was done within the budget was done to make sure that the force has visible and responsive services. The Commissioner also advised that he was especially confident in the visibility of the schools programme, and neighbourhood policing teams, but that a lot of the crime solving that the police does is not visible. The main outcome that the Commissioner advised that he wanted the public to see was a reduction in crime, and more positive outcomes from policing. · In response to a question regarding the pressure the precept rise could put on households during the cost-of-living crisis, the Commissioner advised that he was very conscious of the cost to the public, that an increase of circa £6m was needed to maintain the same level of service, but that the force was seeking to become more efficient and provide a better level of service with the increased investment. UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the Commissioner’s proposal to increase the Dyfed-Powys Police precept by 8.6% for 2025/26 be endorsed.
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