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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 report be noted.
RESOLVED that the report be received.
RESOLVED that the report be received.
RESOLVED that the report be received.
RESOLVED that the report be noted.
RESOLVED that the report be noted.
Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Ken Howell (Carmarthenshire County Council), Councillor Michael Thomas (Carmarthenshire County Council), and Councillor Simon Hancock (Pembrokeshire County Council).
Member Agenda Item No. Interest Mrs H. Thomas All Items. Family member is currently serving as a Police Officer with Dyfed-Powys Police. Cllr. S. Wright All Items. Family member is currently serving as a Police Officer with Dyfed-Powys Police. Member is also a retired Dyfed-Powys Police Officer and is a current member of the National Association of Retired Police Officers.
RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Dyfed-Powys Police and Crime Panel held on the 7th October 2025 be signed as a correct record.
No matters arising from the minutes of the meeting were raised.
I understand in August a report was circulated following an independent review of the stabbings earlier in the year at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman. It included 11 recommendations for multi agency approach to the way forward. Has the PCC discussed with the CC the content of the report and highlighted any issues for the Force to address? • Praise is first due to the local education authority, the school, and the community for their positive response to the incident. • Visiting the school with the Chief Constable, in addition to meeting one of the victims following the conclusion of the court case, has helped gauge practical early learning points. • Since the report's publication in August, no opportunity has arisen at present to discuss its findings with the Chief Constable. However, discussions have taken place with the Force's Head of CID, who has assured that an action plan with partner agencies is currently in place. • An example action is the joint safeguarding system being designed between Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire, with an officer from the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) assigned to attain insight into the system's development. • There are numerous practical steps the Force is taking to address the report's recommendations, including attending meetings of the Schools Behaviour Roundtable, which includes representatives from different sectors. • Collaboration is taking place nationally, including working with the South Wales Police and Crime Commissioner to engage with the Welsh Government on school funding for policing, particularly amid the Force's focus on retaining School Officers. • In response to the need to improve multi-agency information sharing, the Force is recruiting officers to work with local authorities and School Officers across the four counties. • Ensuring services and additional support are available for youth is a priority, as learning from the incident means focusing on the voice of the child and having young people influence how things are undertaken. • Rather than looking at the incident in isolation, the Force is adopting a comprehensive perspective by examining a range of incidents to work towards becoming a trauma-informed organisation. • The Force is actively prioritising interaction with young people and emphasising the role of Policing in the activities of other agencies. The Commissioner advised the Panel that a comprehensive written response would be provided to the Panel to ensure an overview of what Dyfed-Powys Police is doing to address the recommendations following the report's publication.
In the light of community feedback in the Powys area around variable levels of training and support for Community Speed Watch groups, what is the Police and Crime Commissioner doing to hold to account the Chief Constable on securing improvement in this important area? • Currently, any new ongoing Speed Watch Training has been put on hold by GoSafe. • Discussions are ongoing with the Welsh Government regarding the infrastructure for a sustainable funding model for these initiatives, which has laid the foundation for potential remodelling. • Amid the uncertainty, discussions will be held with the Chief Constable to assess the practicalities of incorporating such initiatives into Dyfed-Powys Police's structure. • Despite the current setback in the availability of resources for Speed Watch, the approach is empowering, and it is hoped that a favourable update on the initiative's future can be provided to the Panel. A direct follow-up question was raised by the Member based on the response provided, regarding whether the Commissioner wishes to see a review of GoSafe’s financial sustainability. The Commissioner advised that the funding for GoSafe continues to be a topic of ongoing discussions with the Welsh Government.
What is the Commissioner doing, in conjunction with the Chief Constable, to ensure that Police Education Officers work effectively with School Road Safety Ambassadors, pupils, teachers, and school governors to raise awareness of the importance of adhering to the 20MPH speed limit in the vicinity of schools? • Dyfed-Powys Police has a comprehensive range of connections with schools in this domain. • There is a requirement on local authorities regarding road safety education, mandating that all authorities allocate funding for this purpose. • Under the Force's community partnership with each of the four local authorities in the region, work is currently underway to set up Road Safety groups. A range of activities is taking place through initiatives, including Road Safety Ambassadors, to help effectively deliver road safety measures. Similar to the response provided for item 5.1, the Commissioner advised that a comprehensive written response would be provided to the Panel at the earliest convenience detailing the actions undertaken within this field.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED that the report be noted.
[NOTE: Mrs H. Thomas and Cllr. Simon Wright having earlier declared an interest in this matter, remained in the meeting during its consideration and voted]. The Panel received a report reviewing the current progress made in addressing the areas requiring improvement, as identified in the His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabularies and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) latest PEEL report on Dyfed-Powys Police. Amid the Force's upcoming inspection, the Commissioner acknowledged that work had been ongoing within the Force in preparation, with the expectation of yielding improved outcomes. The Commissioner drew particular attention to the significant reduction in the abandonment rate for 101 calls and to the benefits of regular strategic meetings and 'touchpoints' with the Force's Liaison Officer, as evidence of progress in addressing areas requiring improvement. The following questions or concerns were raised by the Panel: · While initial challenges were expected with the recent introduction of the new 'Dyfed-Powys Connects' application, the Commissioner recognised that the application is a proactive engagement tool between communities and the Force and helps to directly address one of the key improvement areas identified within the PEEL report. · In response to a question about feedback received on the Neighbourhood Improvement Plan and Crime Prevention Strategy, the Commissioner noted that the overall position was progressing positively, citing a clear governance structure, strategic priorities, and activities in place to monitor performance and drive improvements. · The Commissioner assured, in response to a question on cyber issues, that investment is being made in proactive intervention and prevention responses, given the potentially adverse impact arising from these challenges. RESOLVED that the report be noted.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED that the report be received.
[NOTE: Mrs H. Thomas and Cllr. Simon Wright having earlier declared an interest in this matter, remained in the meeting during its consideration and voted]. The Panel received a report providing an update regarding the commissioning of third-party services by the Police and Crime Commissioner on their behalf. It was highlighted that various investments had been made for the 2024/25 period through partnerships and co-commissioned services to ensure consistent provision and value for money. It was also noted that efforts had been made to ensure that the commissioned services were linked to other activities of the OPCC, particularly through scrutiny to ensure investments are prudently supporting victims and communities. The following questions or concerns were raised by the Panel: · In response to a question about support available for spiking victims, it was noted that considerable activity is undertaken to promote services for issues, including spiking. The Commissioner, citing the newly opened SARC building in Aberystwyth, noted there were opportunities to explore how they can work with partners, including Dyfed Drug and Alcohol Service (DDAS), to identify the best means of providing support for these types of incidents. · A question was raised about whether areas such as radicalisation, community cohesion, and personal safety were identified as potential support areas, particularly in the context of the Force's Prevention Strategy. The Commissioner advised that these were areas that needed to be addressed and that activity had taken place through initiatives such as the Community Safety network, stressing that such issues could only be addressed through partnership working. RESOLVED that the report be received.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED that the report be received.
[NOTE: Mrs H. Thomas and Cllr. Simon Wright having earlier declared an interest in this matter, remained in the meeting during its consideration and voted]. The Panel received a report providing an update on the Commissioner's administration of grant funding awards for the 2024/25 period. RESOLVED that the report be received.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED that the report be received.
[NOTE: Mrs H. Thomas and Cllr. Simon Wright having earlier declared an interest in this matter, remained in the meeting during its consideration and voted]. The Panel considered a report on decisions the Commissioner made between the 1st of July and the 3rd of October 2025. Section 28 (6) of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 requires all decisions and actions undertaken by the Commissioner to be reviewed in alignment with the discharge of his functions, with reports and recommendations related to those decisions and actions to be made as considered appropriate by the Panel to the Commissioner. In connection with the coverage of drug issues and response (Operation Scotney Filming S4C), a question was raised about the progress and challenges in training officers to administer Naloxone. The Commissioner advised that an incremental increase was evident in officers carrying and administering Naloxone, with 483 officers trained, 250 vehicles equipped to administer, and 11 administrations recorded to date. The Commissioner also conveyed that work is ongoing to improve the reporting of these incidents, as well as an interest in increasing the number of officers receiving training. RESOLVED that the report be received.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED that the report be noted.
[NOTE: Mrs H. Thomas and Cllr. Simon Wright having earlier declared an interest in this matter, remained in the meeting during its consideration and voted]. The Panel received the progress report of the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner's (OPCC) Business Plan for Quarter 2 of the 2025-26 financial year. The report outlined the progress made in delivering the business plan's requirements in alignment with the priorities of the Commissioner’s Police and Crime Plan. The following questions or concerns were raised by the Panel: · In response to a question regarding the SAIL Databank, the Commissioner advised that work was underway to unpick the granular details of the initiative and that a workshop was scheduled for the 28th of November 2025 to secure the support necessary for the control and transfer of information into the repository. · The Commissioner noted that, despite its recent opening, due to ongoing discussions on the long-term funding structure of the SARC in Aberystwyth, the RAG status of the 'Wales Sexual Assault Services' action would remain Red, as opposed to moving to Amber at present. RESOLVED that the report be noted.
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