2018/19 Annual Report POLICE AND CRIME COMMISSIONER FOR NORTH WALES - ANNUAL REPORT 2018/19 Contents 3 Introduction 4 Working in effective partnership 6 Making a difference 10 Delivering the role of the Police and Crime Commissioner 13 A year of engagement 14 Police and Crime Plan Strategic Priorities - 2018/19 Progress Report 20 Summary of Outcomes 24 Funding and Finance 30 Contacts 2 POLICE AND CRIME COMMISSIONER FOR NORTH WALES - ANNUAL REPORT 2018/19 Introduction Message from Arfon Jones, Police and Crime Commissioner for North Wales Welcome to my 2018-19 Annual Report as Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for North Wales. This report provides an update on overall progress against delivery of my Police and Crime Plan strategic priorities. My Plan was informed by a broad range of information that is reflected in five key priority areas: • Domestic Abuse • Modern Slavery • Sexual Offences The financial climate continues to be extremely • Serious and Organised Crime challenging of course, although at the time of writing • Delivering Safer Neighbourhoods I am cautiously optimistic that the tide is turning and the Government recognise that the financial cuts to While I give equal weight to all five strategic policing for over a decade have gone too far and too priorities, the overarching theme of ‘reducing the deep. criminal exploitation of vulnerable people’ was introduced last year and is particularly highlighted With the support of the Police and Crime Panel, in throughout this report. 2019/20 we were able to put some investment back into the workforce with an increase of 30 police This year I was delighted to appoint Carl Foulkes as officers and 6 staff. Whilst welcome news, I will the new Chief Constable of North Wales Police. Carl continue to push for further investment and reverse brings a wealth of experience to the role which he the cuts imposed over the last decade. has already made his own. His drive, passion and determination to make North Wales the safest place Whilst it has been a very successful year for North in the UK is one I fully endorse and look forward to Wales Police, there are of course challenges and continuing to work closely with Carl and his team areas that require improvement, as highlighted by to deliver an outstanding police service for our HMICFRS and detailed within this report. However, communities. through my scrutiny of the Force I am satisfied that arrangements are in place to improve in those areas. When writing this report and reflecting on the twelve I would also like to thank the Police and Crime month period covered, I realise just how much has Panel for their continued contribution in the been achieved in that time and what an exceptionally policing governance of North Wales. Openness, busy and demanding time it has been for PCC’s and transparency and accountability are very important to policing in the UK. me. I was delighted that CoPaCC once again recognised that commitment and awarded my office with their Our exit from the European Union and its Transparency Award for 2018, for the 3rd year in a impact is still to be resolved at the time of writing. row which is a tremendous achievement which I Brexit risks putting the UK and North Wales in am very proud of. It is my intention to continue to jeopardy. Our co-operation with the rest of Europe sustain this high level of accountability and this is used to help North Wales Police guard against report reflects that commitment. terrorism, serious organised crime including modern slavery and human and drugs trafficking. The forthcoming year (2019/20) will be my final year during this term of office before the PCC A hard Brexit will mean starting from scratch, elections in May 2020. My achievements to date are negotiating individually with each country and set out in this report, but this is in no small part due using instruments that we currently use for to the outstanding support from all officers, staff and countries outside the EU and that will mean volunteers of North Wales Police and the small team extradition will be slower and more difficult, and working within my office. criminals will evade justice and will find it easier to operate in the UK. As Police and Crime Commissioner I believe it is my duty to speak out against anything that threatens the security and safety of our communities and I will continue to do Arfon Jones so. Police and Crime Commissioner for North Wales 3 POLICE AND CRIME COMMISSIONER FOR NORTH WALES - ANNUAL REPORT 2018/19 Working in effective partnership Many of the challenges I face as PCC are ones that the police cannot tackle in isolation and require innovative and effective partnership working to truly make a difference. I have a small team of dedicated staff that work alongside me and the Force to ensure that the Police and Crime Plan is delivered and that all my The North Wales Early Action Together Programme statutory duties are met. The team consists of (EATP) has aimed to transform the way in which two statutory officers, namely the Chief Executive vulnerability is policed. Using a public health Officer and Chief Finance Officer, and support staff approach, the Programme is working with a specialising in research, policy, governance, finance, number of third and public sector agencies to give commissioning and communication. Many duties police and partners a better understanding of the that are carried out are not routinely reported on, for generational cycle of crime and address the lack of example responding to HMIC reports, Freedom early intervention when Adverse Childhood of Information Requests, arranging police appeal Experiences (ACEs) and trauma are present, tribunals, facilitating conferences, recruiting moving towards a system wide, preventative and maintaining an Audit Committee as well as approach to crime. recruiting Independent Assessors and Custody Visitors. Full details of the staffing structure can be To date the EATP has been an excellent example found on my website. of partnership working and has ensured that programme objectives have been jointly owned and Domestic Violence and Sexual Abuse remain key shared. The programme has not just concentrated priorities within my Plan. The work of the on Policing but on how the Police work with partners Independent Sexual Violence Advisors and to ensure improved responses for vulnerable Independent Domestic Violence Advisors remain key people and to prevent vulnerability escalating. I to ensuring the victims of these abhorrent crimes have been delighted by the outcomes delivered receive the support they deserve throughout the to date. Looking ahead to 2019/20, the final year criminal justice system. That service, and our of funding for the programme, the focus must be approach to tackling Domestic Violence and on the sustainability of this work. I know the Chief Sexual Abuse more widely, is managed through the Constable and I are of the same view and this will Violence Against Women, Domestic Abuse and become embedded practice within North Wales Sexual Violence Strategic Board which is chaired Police. I would encourage our Local Authority by my Chief Executive. In addition to the funding I partners and others to do the same. make available for these vital services, funding is also received from Welsh Government. In order to ensure the grant was not spent on commissioning costs and The Police and Crime Panel continue to scrutinise was spent on the front line where needed most, I and challenge as required to ensure that I carry continue to be the accountable body for the grant out my role effectively. The feedback I receive from and its expenditure. the Panel is taken into account and helps me make key decisions with regard to strategies, policing During 2018/19 the Adverse Childhood Experiences priorities and the budget. I look forward to a continued Project Board has carried out exceptional work of constructive relationship with the Panel. which I am very proud. In November 2017, the Home Office awarded £6.87 million to the four Police Forces and Police and Crime Commissioners, Public Health The Joint Audit Committee is a committee made up Wales, Barnardo’s and Criminal Justice partners for of five independent members whose purpose is to the collaborative Wales National Adverse Childhood play a key role in the oversight of the governance Experiences (ACE) Approach to Policing initiative. A of my office and North Wales Police. By considering proportion of this awarded funding resulted in the reports from the Internal Auditors, Wales Audit development of a North Wales Early Action Together Office and others, they are able provide independent Programme team (EATP) which is funded until March assurance on the adequacy of the risk management 2020 to deliver on the transformational change framework, the internal control environment and the initiative. integrity of the financial reporting and annual 4 POLICE AND CRIME COMMISSIONER FOR NORTH WALES - ANNUAL REPORT 2018/19 governance processes. Scrutiny by the Joint Audit I am a member of the Association of Police and Crime Committee can help us to drive and identify further Commissioners (APCC). The APCC is a national body improvements. A new Committee was appointed which helps PCCs make the most of their ability in April 2018 and I thank them for their outstanding to influence at a national level and deliver on their work and contribution during their first year. statutory duties and policing priorities. By sharing best practice and identifying opportunities to work together, of paying for services jointly, the APCC The Professional Standards Scrutiny Board (PSSB) helps PCCs be more efficient and effective. I sit on monitors and scrutinise the manner in which the Board of the APCC and I am also the Deputy complaints and misconduct allegations are dealt Lead for the Alcohol and Substance Misuse Portfolio.