CAMBRIDGESHIRE CONSTABULARY SERVICE CHANGE CONSULTATION CONSULTATION REPORT – JUNE 2020 CAMBRIDGESHIRE CONSTABULARY SERVICE CHANGE CONSULTATION CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 01 BACKGROUND TO THE CONSULTATION 03 METHODOLOGY 05 METHODS OF PUBLICITY AND ENGAGEMENT 10 WHO RESPONDED? 36 FEEDBACK RECEIVED 39 CONCLUSION 52 APPENDICES 60 CONSULTATION REPORT – JUNE 2020 CAMBRIDGESHIRE CONSTABULARY SERVICE CHANGE CONSULTATION EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Cambridgeshire Constabulary conducted a formal consultation regarding the need for police service change in the region. The consultation aimed to gain feedback on its proposals to replace the outdated facilities at Parkside with both a new city centre police station and a police hub on the outskirts of Cambridge. This is deemed necessary in order to meet the county’s growth and respond to the challenges of modern-day policing. Cambridgeshire Constabulary held a consultation from Saturday 1st February until Saturday 29th February 2020, the outcome of which would be used to shape the proposals for a new police station. The consultation gave residents the opportunity to provide their views on the nature of police and crime in Cambridgeshire, the challenges faced by the Constabulary, and the principle of service change. KEY FIGURES FROM THE CONSULTATION INCLUDE: CONSULTATION REPORT – JUNE 2020 1 CAMBRIDGESHIRE CONSTABULARY SERVICE CHANGE CONSULTATION The consultation has demonstrated support for the principle of proposals to enhance the Constabulary’s service for the south of Cambridgeshire by replacing the outdated facilities at Parkside Police Station with both a new city centre police station and a police hub on the outskirts of Cambridge. The majority of responses agree that the existing facilities cannot fully respond to these changing circumstances, and that a new police hub would allow Cambridgeshire Constabulary to respond more effectively. Finally, there is overwhelming support for the retention of a police station in Cambridge city centre including a public enquiry point and base of the neighbourhood policing teams for the city centre. To assist with the community consultation and communication, Cambridgeshire Constabulary appointed Built Environment Communications Group (BECG), a specialist communications consultancy, to form part of its wider project team for the consultation. This report has been prepared by BECG on behalf of the Constabulary. It demonstrates the efforts made by the Constabulary to consult with as much of the community in Cambridgeshire as possible, including those who would otherwise choose not to engage with public consultations. It was updated in June 2020 to include additional results breakdowns in the graphs in the Feedback Received section. CONSULTATION REPORT – JUNE 2020 2 CAMBRIDGESHIRE CONSTABULARY SERVICE CHANGE CONSULTATION BACKGROUND TO THE CONSULTATION Cambridgeshire Constabulary sought to gain an overarching understanding of the community’s views on the principle of service change to help inform its proposals for new police facilities in the south of Cambridgeshire. The proposals respond to the changing nature of crime and policing in Cambridgeshire alongside local population growth. Its current operation doesn’t allow the Constabulary to fully respond to today’s needs. New facilities are needed to improve its response and service to the public. Without them tackling crime will become more difficult. Cambridgeshire Constabulary currently operates a two-centre policing model, with the county being split between north and south. The current model uses Thorpe Wood at Peterborough as the main northern police station, and Parkside in Cambridge city centre as the main southern police station. Both stations contain custody facilities and are supported by smaller satellite police stations across the county. Parkside was constructed in the 1960s and is beyond its functional age as a police facility. It requires significant investment to keep the building operational in the mid to long term. Essential maintenance was completed at Parkside in 2014, but this was only intended to extend the useable lifespan of the buildings for up to five years. In June 2019, the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner sought the views of the public through a survey about a potential site at Milton for a new police station to replace the outdated Parkside facilities, whilst maintaining a Police Information Point in Cambridge city centre. Having listened to the feedback received, Cambridgeshire Constabulary undertook a formal consultation on the principle of proposals for both a new city centre police station and a police hub on the outskirts of Cambridge to meet the area’s growth and to respond to the challenges of modern-day policing. This reflects the operational need of the service, and feedback received from the public on the need for access to the police in the city centre. This consultation was designed to meet the standards expected of public stakeholder research and engagement through the following seven principles as set out by the Consultation Institute: Principle One: The INTEGRITY of consultation The consultation must have an honest intention. Consultors must be willing to listen… and be prepared to be influenced. Principle Two: The VISIBILITY of consultation All who have a right to participate… should be made reasonably aware of the consultation. Principle Three: The ACCESSIBILITY of consultation Consultees must have reasonable access… using methods appropriate for the intended audience… with effective means to cater for ‘hard-to-reach’ groups and others. Principle Four: The TRANSPARENCY of consultation Consultation submissions will be publicised unless specific exemptions apply. Principle Five: The DISCLOSURE of consultation Consultors must disclose all material information; consultees must disclose significant minority views when representing many parties. Principle Six: The FAIR INTERPRETATION of consultation Objective assessment, with disclosure of weightings if used. Principle Seven: The PUBLICATION of consultation Participants have a right to receive feedback of the consultation output and of the eventual outcome of the process. CONSULTATION REPORT – JUNE 2020 3 CAMBRIDGESHIRE CONSTABULARY SERVICE CHANGE CONSULTATION The proposals have also been critiqued against the Cambridge City Council Code of Best Practice on Consultation and Community Engagement, which sets out its own ‘guiding principles’. A detailed summary of how this consultation has met with those principles is included in the Conclusion section of this report. THE PROPOSALS Cambridgeshire Constabulary proposes to replace its outdated facilities at Parkside with both a new city centre police station and a police hub on the outskirts of Cambridge. Together these will meet the county’s growth and respond to the challenges of modern-day policing. New facilities are needed to improve its response and service to the community that it serves. Without them, tackling crime will become more difficult. Details of a final site for both the city centre police station and the hub will be subject to the outcome of this consultation on the principle of the service change proposals. A new Cambridge city centre police station The Constabulary understands that maintaining a station and presence in the city centre is important. It is therefore proposing to maintain a site to focus on the priorities received in feedback from last year’s public survey: • Help to deliver city centre policing through its community policing team, who will be based at this station. • Maintain a public facing enquiry office for the public to access information, speak to officers, and report crime. • To deliver an overseas registration function. A new police hub on the outskirts of Cambridge To meet population growth to the south, the changing nature of crime and policing, and to replace the outdated facilities at Parkside, the Constabulary is proposing to build a new police hub. Although the new location is to be decided, the options will provide a number of benefits: • The hub will help the Constabulary to investigate complex crime more easily: Enhanced facilities will enable Cambridgeshire Constabulary to respond to, and investigate, complex crimes such as fraud and online investigations more effectively. • The hub will help speed up the court appearance process: Enhanced facilities will allow for the increased use of virtual courts. This means there will be less of a need to travel to court for sentencing, improving the average time from charge to first hearing. • The hub will maximise time for police on patrol: Increased detention provision from 12 to 24 cells will help meet current and future demand, allowing officers to return to frontline duty sooner, rather than transporting or waiting for an available cell for detainees. The location of the final site will have better road access than the city centre, be subject to less traffic, and will enable officers to respond to calls for service more efficiently. • The hub will deliver neighbourhood policing for the south to meet the increase in population and housing. • The hub will help the recruitment and retention of staff with the new building providing an enhanced working environment with natural light (particularly within custody). Better design will also reduce health and safety risks to staff, visitors and detainees. • The hub will maintain dignity, privacy and respect ensuring those dealing with mental or physical issues receive assessment in a more comfortable setting. CONSULTATION