Agenda item

The Committee received a report of the Commissioner in respect of the Community Engagement Strategic Plan Quarterly Update.

Officers advised an information briefing had been introduced at the start of each cluster panel meeting to provide community members and stakeholders with current crime data and a breakdown of crime and antisocial behaviour. A full evaluation of this approach would be undertaken in 2026.

Broader engagement activity had continued across the Force, including support to Operation Swipe, Operation Reframe, and initiatives relating to Violence Against Women and Girls. Work had commenced to review the engagement plan launched last year, with the intention of producing a joint Community Engagement Strategy for 2026–2029.

In response to a question, Officers confirmed that the draft strategy would be submitted to the February meeting of the Local Policing Committee. The intention was to produce a co-designed strategy, with a clear evidence-based approach and a continuous improvement model.

In respect of Cluster Panels, a Member raised concerns about the name and accessibility, noting low resident turnout and a clash with other civic events. Issues were also raised about the location of the venue, the readability of the materials presented, and the absence of community safety representation. Officers undertook to review naming, dates and locations, and confirmed that community safety officers had attended the session referenced.

A Member noted that a previously agreed daytime panel session had not taken place and suggested further consideration of what information residents most valued at cluster panels. It was further suggested that engagement with British Transport Police could be strengthened.

Several Members highlighted the value of proactive engagement activities, such as phone-marking events and the City Safe Bus and asked that more data be provided on their impact. Members also requested clarity on how the public could identify or contact their dedicated ward officers, noting visibility concerns frequently raised by residents. Officers cautioned that evidence-based deployment required prioritising high-crime areas, which might not align with residential perceptions.

Officers noted the need to balance feedback with the need for consistency and stability, cautioning against continual redesign of the model. Continuous improvement would be incorporated, but changes would be evidence-based and reflected through the new strategy rather than piecemeal adjustments. Crime data presentation would be reviewed for the February meeting, and existing data sources would be better signposted.

RESOLVED, that the report was received, and its contents be noted.