Agenda and minutes

Venue: Committee Rooms, 2nd Floor, West Wing, Guildhall

Contact: George Fraser
tel. no.: 020 7332 1174  Email: george.fraser@cityoflondon.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies

Minutes:

Apologies were received from Deputy Doug Barrow, Deputy James Thomson, Simon Duckworth, Nicholas Bensted-Smith and Deputy Henry Pollard.

 

Deputy Tom Sleigh agreed to chair this meeting in Simon Duckworth’s absence.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 1.

2.

MEMBERS' DECLARATIONS UNDER THE CODE OF CONDUCT IN RESPECT OF ITEMS ON THE AGENDA

Minutes:

There were no declarations.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 2.

3.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 174 KB

To approve the minutes of the last meeting, held on 27 July 2017.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 3.

Minutes:

Members considered the Public Minutes from the last meeting, held on 27 July 2017.

 

RESOLVED – That the minutes be approved.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

4.

Outstanding References pdf icon PDF 105 KB

Report of the Town Clerk

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 4.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Members received a report of the Town Clerk summarising the outstanding actions from previous meetings.

 

OR3 – Cyber Training for Members

In light of the example training session provided within the agenda, a Member queried the feasibility of providing training to Members.  The Detective Chief Superintendent suggested that it might be beneficial to invite a representative of the Economic Crime Academy to the following meeting in order to present and discuss feasible cyber training provision for Members. (1)

 

It was also requested that an update be provided to Members on the current provision of cyber training to City Corporation staff. (2)

 

RESOLVED – That the report be received.

 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

5.

Economic Crime Victim Care Unit (ECVCU) Presentation

Verbal presentation from the Commissioner of Police.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 5.

Minutes:

Members received verbal and written report updates on the Economic Crime Victim Care Unit (ECVCU) from the Commissioner of Police.

 

The Head of Action Fraud explained that the ECVCU was an initiative run in partnership between the CoLP, MPS and Action Fraud, with the BTPA recently dropping out as a result of having no victims.  The service had been funded for the last three years by the Mayor’s Office for Police and Crime (MoPAC). 

 

The Head of Action Fraud explained that the focus was on the 5% most vulnerable victims, and that a survey had been carried out recently to gauge desire for the service.  The Head of Action Fraud explained that a 92-year old man had travelled from Surbiton to illustrate his approval of the service.  She explained that they had confirmed 18 cases in which the “re-scamming” of victims had been averted when followed up over a year later.

 

The Head of Action Fraud explained that the Mayor’s Office for Police and Crime (MOPAC) had provided funding to enable a trial of a national roll-out involving Greater Manchester Police and the West Midlands Police.  She explained that there was a desire to ensure the success of the service prior to rolling out under the umbrella of Action Fraud.  An evaluation of the service by Age UK will yield findings in April 2018.

 

A Member asked how this service would link to the Action Fraud Victim Service.  The Head of Action Fraud explained that this service was a provision for all those victims that had not received any service.  She explained that the Victim Service demands the “soft skills” that victims require in order to feel supported from an emotional perspective, whilst the ECVCU provides the more technical Economic Crime skills and knowledge that needs to

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

6.

National Lead Force: 2017/18 Performance Report pdf icon PDF 576 KB

Report of the Commissioner of Police

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 6.

Minutes:

The Board received a report of the Commissioner of Police outlining the quantitative and qualitative performance of the City of London Police as the National Lead Force for Fraud between April 2017 and September 2017.

 

The Detective Chief Superintendent of Economic Crime explained that a 7% Year-to-date (YTD) increase in the number of crimes reported to Action Fraud amounted to 9,000 victims.  He explained that all economic crime was under-reported, and so there is an assumption that increased awareness is the basis behind a consistent increase in reported crimes.

 

The Detective Chief Superintendent of Economic Crime explained that staff retention was an inherent challenge due to the nature of the work and the value of the skills required to tackle Economic Crime.

 

The Detective Chief Superintendent of Economic Crime explained that an effort to improve the clarity and simplicity of reporting lines was expected to increase lines of enquiry.  There has also been a concerted effort to engage nationally, where other forces have met limitations.

 

The Detective Chief Superintendent of Economic Crime explained that there was a very large volume of targets – approximately 190,000.  He explained that the CoLP are leading the world with regards to taking down criminal/fraudulent websites, and there was a strong desire to maintain its footprint beyond the limits of the City of London.  He explained that a recent appearance on Crimewatch boosted the CoLP’s profile.  The Chairman explained that Crimewatch had recently been cancelled, and suggested that perhaps it would be beneficial for the Police Committee to write a letter to the BBC to show their support of its continued production.

 

The Detective Chief Superintendent of Economic Crime explained that there had been successful promotional work achieved across social media.  The Chairman noted that the summary of engagement levels on social media, as referenced

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

7.

Any other business that the Chairman considers urgent pdf icon PDF 99 KB

Minutes:

The Board received a report of the Commissioner of Police providing an update on the Economic Crime Victim Care Unit.

 

RESOLVED – That the report be received.

 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

8.

Questions on matters relating to the work of the Committee

Minutes:

There were no questions.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

9.

Exclusion of the Public

Minutes:

RESOLVED - That under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of the Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

10.

Non-Public Minutes

To agree the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 27 July 2017.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 10.

Minutes:

The Board considered the minutes from the last meeting, held on 27 July 2017.

 

RESOLVED – That the minutes be approved.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

11.

Restricted Activity Update

Report of the Commissioner of Police.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 11.

Minutes:

The Board received a report of the Commissioner of Police that summarised notable Policing activity not for publication that is being delivered by the City of London Police in its capacity as the National Lead Force.

 

RESOLVED – That the report be received.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.

12.

Economic Crime Academy Update

Report of the Commissioner of Police.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 12.

Minutes:

The Board received a report of the Commissioner of Police updating Members on the developments of the Economic Crime Academy.

 

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 12.

13.

Non-Public Questions on matters relating to the work of the Committee

Minutes:

There were no questions.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 13.

14.

Any other Non-Public business that the Chairman considers urgent and which the Committee agree should be considered whilst the public are excluded

Minutes:

There was no further business.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 14.