30 January 2024
Record of actions and decisions
Title: Chief Officer's Management Board - Strategic
Date: Tuesday 30 January 2024
Venue: Clift Suite and virtual via Microsoft Teams
Attendees
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| DCC Peter Ayling (Chair) | Deputy Chief Constable |
| DCO Ian Drysdale | Deputy Chief Officer |
| ACC Tracey Harman | Local Policing Directorate |
| ACC Andrew Pritchard | Serious Crime Directorate |
| ACC Simon Wilson | Crime Operations Directorate |
| T/ACC Nigel Brookes | Central Operations Directorate |
| ACO Richard Leicester | Director of HR and Learning & Development |
| ACO Gavin McKinnon | Director of Corporate Communications |
| ACO Claire Medhurst | Director of Support Services Directorate |
| PSE Jonathan Castle | Chief Finance Officer |
| PSE Sonya Gransden | Chief of Staff |
| DCI Garry Cook | Staff Officer to the DCC |
| PSE Nicole Francis | Staff Officer to the DCO |
| C/Insp. Omid Changizi (Item 6) | Community Safety, Strategic Prevention Command |
| PSE Fiona Brown (Item 7) (MT) | Chief Information Officer, Head of IT |
| DCS Patrick Holmes (Item 7) | Head of Crime and Incident Response |
| C/Insp. Alan Rogers (Item 9) | Force Support Unit |
| Richard Thomas (Item 9) (MT) | Metropolitan Police Service |
| PSE Alexa Fox (Item 10) (MT) | Head of Resourcing, Human Resources |
| PSE Alison Pavis (Minutes) | Executive Assistant |
Apologies
- CC Tim Smith
1. Approval of the record from Tuesday 16 January 2024
The record was approved.
2. Matters arising/action updates:
Action 49/23 - discharged
Action 1/24 - discharged
Action 2/24 - discharged
3. Terms of reference annual review
PSE Pavis asked chief officers to note the amendments to the terms of reference since the last review for the following meetings:
- Chief Officers Management Board – Operational
- Chief Officers Management Board – Strategic business
Chief officer approval was sought to publish the amended COMB strategic business terms of reference (TOR) on the Kent Police website.
Decisions:
Chief officers requested the following amendments:
- for the operational and strategic terms of reference, the closed session section should be amended to read:
CLOSED SESSION:
Chief officers confidential discussion is not recorded, unless requested by exception.
- The standing agenda items listed within the COMB strategic TOR will be revised to ensure accuracy, including (but not limited to) the following:
- Investment Programme to be discussed annually
- Financial Medium Term Financial Plan to be discussed annually
- Diversity and inclusion update – frequency to be reconsidered
- The ICCS supplier replacement business case update item to be replaced with IT projects escalation updates, by exception reporting only
- Health and safety update (removal of the word ‘audit’)
Chief officers approved the publication of the COMB strategic business terms of reference on the Kent Police website once the necessary amendments have been completed and approved by CC Smith.
4. Crime Command all out day
Action 49 – Update on progress of key risks.
ACC Wilson provided an update on progress to address the 5 key risks.
- Risk 1: CPS file rejections – the force continues to liaise with CPS regarding case file rejections to discuss concerns and seek further resolutions.
- Risk 2: CJ officer caseloads and staff vacancy factor – improvements made through the introduction of new working practices to manage volume and the filling of vacant posts.
- Risk 3: Crown and Magistrate Court trial capacity backlog – mitigation risk measures are in place and ongoing dialogue with HMCTS continues.
- Risk 4: Police access to CPS documents – solution being progressed.
- Risk 5: Custody staff capacity and cover for rest breaks – longer term working with HR resourcing to fill vacancies to reduce the demand on Local Policing Teams. Chief officers noted the recommendation to conduct a further review of all custody suites and staffing is proposed.
DCC thanked ACC Wilson for the update on progress to address areas of critical risk and will continue to monitor the court trial backlogs through Force Performance Management Committee.
5. Finance update period 9 quarter 3 (2023/2024) report
Mr. Castle presented the third quarter financial report to chief officers to note.
DCC Ayling thanked Mr. Castle for his comprehensive update.
Decisions:
DCC Ayling to consider the inclusion of the Force Resourcing Strategy as a standing agenda item at Force Performance Management Committee, given the ongoing vacancy factor.
ACO Leicester to review opportunities/financial risk of advertising specific roles to experienced transferees.
6. Retail crime action plan
C/Insp. Changizi presented the findings of the quarterly Retail Crime Action Plan review by Strategic Partnerships following the launch in October 2023 to chief officers to note.
Decisions:
Chief officers noted the positive progression against the Retail Crime Action Plan, requesting further consideration of the following as it develops:
- use of facial recognition and related outcomes
- rural communities liaison
- use of out of court disposals for prolific offenders
- VBCT volume capacity
- intelligence gathering in relation to serious organised crime
It was agreed that ACO McKinnon would arrange for a press release to be drafted on the Retail Crime Action Plan results for publication at the appropriate time.
7. Any other business
Item 7a is exempt from the FOI Publication Scheme under Section 31 – Law enforcement.
7b. Immigration Act Bill Royal Assent
ACC Pritchard advised that there will be additional funding available to home forces to assist with policing costs associated with illegal immigration.
Date of next meeting
Tuesday 13 February 2024.