Report No: 68/12 Agenda Item No 10 TAYSIDE JOINT POLICE BOARD

Corporate Governance Sub Committee

12 November 2012

Report by Report No. PB 68/2012

SUBJECT : BEST VALUE AUDIT AND INSPECTIONS JUNE TO SEPTEMBER 2012 – REVIEW OF FINDINGS

Abstract : This report provides members of the Corporate Governance Sub Committee with a summary of the findings from Best Value Audit and Inspections carried out in Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary, Central Police, Constabulary and Strathclyde .

1. RECOMMENDATION

1.1 It is recommended that the Corporate Governance Sub Committee scrutinise the findings from the recently published Best Value Audit and Inspection reports in respect of Dumfries and Galloway, , Fife Constabulary and Authority and seeks assurance that action is being taken to replicate improvement opportunities within and Tayside Joint Police Board.

2. BACKGROUND

2.1 Members are reminded that the purpose of the Best Value Audit is to:

. assess the extent to which Police Authorities, Police Boards and Forces meet the duties under the Local Government in Scotland Act 2003 and comply with guidance. . agree planned improvements with the local authorities, forces and boards, to be reviewed by external auditors and HMICS on an ongoing basis.

2.2 Tayside Police and Tayside Joint Police Board were the first to undergo this style of auditing in 2009. Since this time all forces have now been audited and inspected using this methodology. This report provides a summary of the findings from the last four inspection reports published between June and September 2012.

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2.3 Copies of the recommendations are provided at Appendix 1.

3. FINDINGS FROM DUMFRIES AND GALLOWAY POLICE AND POLICE AUTHORITY – PUBLISHED JUNE 2012

3.1 Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary performs strongly on the majority of assessment measures, in terms of both improvements over time and in comparison with other Scottish forces. It has some of the lowest crime rates in Scotland and higher than average detection rates. It achieves high rates of user satisfaction on many aspects of the community’s interaction with the force.

3.2 As Dumfries and Galloway is a unitary police authority, it discharges its responsibility through a council committee, the Police Fire and Rescue Committee (PFRC). The committee is effectively engaged in setting and approving the vision for policing and there is a clear understanding amongst members of their role. The engagement of all elected members in policing through community planning, area committees and the council’s budget setting process strengthens the arrangements.

3.3 There is scope for the PFRC to strengthen the challenge and direction it provides over how the force manages risk and demonstrates value for money. Public reporting could also be improved by providing more contextual and comparative performance information. The PFRC provides limited oversight of the force’s progress with equal opportunities and diversity and has not met its own commitment to monitor progress in this area.

4. FINDINGS FROM CENTRAL SCOTLAND POLICE AND CENTRAL SCOTLAND JOINT POLICE BOARD – PUBLISHED JULY 2012

4.1 Central Scotland Joint Police Board and Central Scotland Police work effectively together to deliver a shared vision for policing across the area which is based on a strong focus on local community policing. The board has many of the key elements of Best Value in place. Members work well with the force in setting a vision and strategic direction for policing in Central Scotland. The board’s decision-making structures support effective challenge and scrutiny by members. It receives good quality information in many areas, including on the force’s performance on Single Outcome Agreements (SOAs) and its work on shared services. The board could do more to engage directly with communities and board members could have a more consistent approach in relevant partnerships.

4.2 The board has good levels of self awareness and has prepared a transitional workplan to take forward improvement activity in the run-up to the national force being created. The board monitors the force’s performance in relation to its Single Equality Scheme (SES); however it could provide more leadership in relation to its own activities. The board recognises that it could strengthen its approach to equalities.

2 4.3 Central Scotland Police performance indicates good achievements including year-on-year reductions in crime and high detection rates. Eight out of nine user satisfaction and quality of service indicators have improved; however, complaints against the police have increased.

4.4 Internal governance, risk management and the communication of decision- making have improved but there is a need for the force to reinstate its internal inspection activity. In the lead-up to the formation of a single force, a greater level of scrutiny and challenge by the board is needed to support the force.

4.5 The force is actively involved with its communities and demonstrates a range of diversity initiatives however there is no executive lead.

4.6 A multi-agency screening hub (MASH) in has been introduced to improve public protection through shared services, co-location, joint working and effective information sharing and decision-making. Although in the early stages of implementation, the MASH brings together much of what is recognised as good practice from across Scotland. Building on the concept that public protection, community safety, repeat victims, vulnerable adults and child issues can be best deal with through a single joint-up approach the MASH acts as a conduit for all public protection reports (some 13,000 each year). The MASH initiative covers the whole Forth Valley area but each local authority is at different stages in converging to the single hub approach. The strategic partners are sure that the approach to improving social outcomes, particular for children and vulnerable persons, has the potential to deliver best value and consider that this is a model for public protection in Scotland. The project should be evaluated as soon as practicable to share the results with other Scottish forces and the National Reform Team.

4.7 The force demonstrates a high level of commitment to policing communities and is improving its approach through PACT (Police and Communities Together). This is used to inform response teams and demand management. Although the PACT process is sound, there are variations in the quality of PACT reporting and it could be more quantifiable in terms of results and more specific around prevention, intelligence enforcement activity. There is also scope to improve the quality of analysis and sharing of good practice to improve community policing across the force area as a whole.

4.8 Central Scotland Police has one of the highest and rising percentages of “no proceedings” cases due to insufficient evidence. HMICS has recommended that the force take action to improve performance in this area.

5. FINDINGS FROM FIFE CONSTABULARY AND FIFE POLICE AUTHORITY

5.1 Fife Council discharges most of its police authority responsibilities through its Police, Fire and Safety Committee (PFSC). Overall the force is delivering a good level of service to communities in Fife, especially by reducing crime and anti social behaviour and most notably, by increasing detection rates where it outperforms most other Scottish police forces.

3 5.2 Following a period where there had been some difficulties in working relationships between the council and the force concerning governance, and in response to previous audit recommendations, an accountability framework was agreed in 2010. This clarified and confirmed responsibilities and supported improvements in the way business is conducted.

5.3 The PFSC demonstrates a good understanding of issues affecting local policing in Fife and members support the community policing approach. However, they need to take a more strategic view of the force’s activity, its oversight of community safety and the overall impact and effectiveness of the community policing model.

5.4 There continues to be a need to develop members’ awareness of policing and issues affecting Fife to facilitate more in-depth scrutiny of force performance and progress.

5.5 The force is performing well. The Force Executive’s long-term strategy for community engagement is producing real benefits. There are good examples of the force using different means of trying to reach out to all communities. There are some additional aspects of the internal communication of local priorities that could be improved.

5.6 The governance and project planning arrangements for the force are exemplary. The use of process re-engineering, along with the involvement throughout the process of the convener, has delivered a successful change programme that has maintained police numbers and delivered savings in the police budget.

6. FINDINGS FROM STRATHCLYDE POLICE AUTHORITY – FOLLOW UP INSPECTION

6.1 In July 2011 the Best Value Audit and Inspection of Strathclyde Police and Strathclyde Police Authority was published. The report stated that the Police Authority needed to strengthen its arrangements for oversight of Strathclyde Police and its leadership of the force’s continuous improvement agenda. Improved support and training was required to help authority members to develop their understanding, build their skills and gain greater confidence in holding the Chief Constable to account. Due to these issues, the Commission requested that a further report be provided in around 12 months to enable the Commission to review the authority’s progress in fulfilling its role more effectively and in getting better value from the resources it has available to it.

6.2 Whilst the Commission is disappointed with progress since the first report, it is encouraged by the recent adoption by the authority of a consolidated improvement plan and the commitment made by the new convener and the authority to implement the plan. The Commission emphasised the need for the plan to be implemented fully and the deadlines met.

4 7. COMMON THEMES

7.1 Applying effective scrutiny during the transition phase to the single force is the most common theme from all reports. There is a danger that the work associated with National Reform gets in the way of business as usual activity. It will be the responsibility of police boards and authorities to apply effective scrutiny and seek reassurance that normal force performance continues alongside contributing to national developments.

7.2 There is a common theme in relation to the provision of performance information. Although most forces provide adequate information in relation to policing of local areas there is a lack of strategic performance management and comparative analysis.

7.3 There is a lack of management and scrutiny in relation to Equalities Act responsibilities and in particular amongst board/authority members with their own Equality Schemes.

7.4 Although police boards and authorities receive good information in relation to performance and budget there is a lack of information on the costs of policing activities to allow judgments to be made in respect of value for money. This is a common picture across Scotland.

8. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

8.1 There are no financial implications as a direct result of the actions outlined within this report.

9. STAFFING IMPLICATIONS

9.1 There are no staffing implications associated with this report.

10. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

10.1 This report does not have an impact on the environment.

10.2 This report does not have an impact on social development.

10.3 This report does not have an impact on economic development.

11. CONSULTATION

11.1 The Clerk and Treasurer have been consulted regarding the terms of this report. All matters raised by the staff associations/unions have been resolved.

5 12. SUMMARY

12.1 This report provides a summary of the findings from recently published Best Value Audit and Inspection reports.

13. COMPLIANCE

Is the proposal;

(a) Human Rights Act 1998 compliant? N/A

(b) Equality & Diversity compliant? N/A

JUSTINE CURRAN Chief Constable

Police Headquarters 4 West Bell Street Dundee DD1 9JU

NOTE: No background papers, as defined by Section 50D of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 (other than any containing confidential or exempt information) were relied on to any material extent in preparing the above Report.

6 APPENDIX 1 – SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS

DUMFRIES AND GALLOWAY CONSTABULARLY AND POLICE AUTHORITY

Joint Improvements 1. The authority needs to form a clear view of how it can provide direction and scrutiny in the critical period of transition to a single force. While recognising the need to sustain performance in the year ahead they must also make difficult decisions in favour of the process of reform and a single national service. At its meeting on 24 January 2012, the Police (and Fire and Rescue) Authority agreed to recommend to the new council that the PFRC’s remit is changed to include oversight of the Dumfries and Galloway Pathfinder project and the transition to the new arrangements.

2. The authority and force should sustain the scrutiny of police performance, and consider how to develop this further to challenge the cost-effectiveness of police services. They should also ensure that performance reports provide more balanced and comparative information including the cost of police activity.

3. The authority and force should put in place more systematic scrutiny of risks and ensure that the authority is aware of emerging risks and of changes to risks on an ongoing basis.

Police Authority 4. The authority should continue to develop the skills and capacity of members and encourage the uptake of training and development events, particularly for new members following the 2012 council elections.

5. The authority should put measures in place to ensure that it has sufficient oversight of the force’s activities to promote equal opportunities and diversity.

6. The authority should consider how to develop public reporting to provide more contextual and comparative information.

D&G Constabulary 7. The force should continue to develop its HR and finance strategies in the context of police reform which are responsive to the needs of the community. IT should endeavour to maintain and improve levels of performance and identify opportunities to reduce cost.

8. The force should work with the PFRC to develop an Asset Management Plan which articulates the financial liabilities of the force estate and fixed assets to assist in managing the transfer to a single force structure.

7 CENTRAL SCOTLAND POLICE AND JOINT POLICE BOARD

Joint improvements 1. The board needs to continue to work with the force to ensure it delivers an effective policing service during the transition to a single force.

Police Board

2. The board should prioritise the improvement activity identified in its transitional workplan and implement this work timeously to ensure the board and its members obtain the full benefit of the planned work during what will be a very busy period in the run-up to the introduction of a single force.

3. The board should consider its own arrangements and ensure that it has sufficient capacity to effectively support it through the ongoing conduct investigation and changes in arrangements through the transitional period until the establishment of a single force.

4. Scrutiny and challenge should be consistent across all areas and board members should ensure this happens particularly in relation to equalities, workforce planning arrangements and specialist policing priorities such as serious organised crime and multi-agency public protection.

5. The board should put in place more active and visible arrangements for board members to further the interests of the board in partnership activities. It should also assure itself that the links to constituent councils are operating effectively.

Central Scotland Police

6. The force should facilitate the board in having access to the Force Improvement Plan, particularly those areas that involve decisions made by the board.

7. The force internal inspection programme should be resourced and fully reinstated as soon as possible.

8. The force should review and evaluate effectiveness in partnership working, in particular the strategic tasking and coordination arrangements at and the MASH at Larbert and share good practice across the police area and nationally.

9. The force should review its operation of PACT with a view to improving the quality and consistency of analysis, intelligence and sharing of good practice to improve community policing across the force area.

10. The force should review its arrangements for an executive level lead for equality issues to ensure they are fit for purpose.

11. The force needs to identify the issues and implement improvements in the quality of reports to the , particularly in relation to improving the sufficiency of evidence.

8 FIFE CONSTABULARY AND POLICE AUTHORITY

Joint improvements

1. The council, in its capacity as police authority and through its revised committee structure, and the force should ensure that good working relationships are maintained and that they continue to work effectively to deliver an effective policing service during the transition to the PSoS.

2. The authority needs to form a clear view of how it can provide direction and scrutiny in the critical period of transition to a single force. While recognising the need to sustain performance in the year ahead, it must also make difficult decisions relating to the process of reform and a single national service. Fife Police Authority

3. The authority should be more proactive in determining the aspects of force performance it wants to explore and in scrutinising the overall effectiveness of the community policing strategy; the force’s estates and workforce strategies; the force’s continuous improvement activities; and the force’s progress with equal opportunities and sustainability.

Improvement agenda

4. The authority should ensure its involvement in setting the policing strategy and in scrutinising performance is more public and transparent. It should also develop its approach to improvement and, in particular, identify its priorities in the period leading to the PSoS.

5. The authority should review the structures in place at the time of the audit and inspection, including the scrutiny group and its activities, and determine arrangements which secure best value both from ongoing policing services and during the transition to the single Scottish force.

6. The authority should continue to develop the skills and capacity of elected members and ensure a more systematic and structured approach to training, particularly for new members following the May 2012 council elections. Fife Police

7. The force should build on its successful community engagement model by improving the way local community priorities are communicated internally to flag priorities to a wider range of resources. To achieve this, the force may wish to consider making greater use of its force briefing system and developing local priority notice boards in police buildings to flag priorities to other officers and staff.

8. The force should address its commitment to openness and accountability by publishing force performance and policy group minutes in a timely manner.

9. The force could assist the committee in its role of providing meaningful scrutiny and consideration of value for money through the provision of more contextual information in performance reports on exceptions and comparative data with

9 other forces or organisations. In addition the force could provide regular reports on cross-cutting issues such as diversity and sustainability; updates on risk management and continuous improvement activity, as well as developing information on costs through improved use of Police Objective Analysis.

10. The force should take further steps to reduce the occurrence of domestic abuse and hate crime, where improvements in reporting and recording should provide a platform from which to begin to make progress.

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