PCC publishes Annual Report 2021-22
The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Norfolk has published its latest annual report which covers the period 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2022 and shines a light on the progress made against the county’s Police and Crime Plan.
This is the last annual report to cover the priorities set out by the previous Police and Crime Commissioner, Lorne Green. The plan was extended by another year due to the election of the next PCC being delayed from May 2020 to May 2021.
The publication provides updates on key projects aimed at preventing crime, reducing vulnerability and supporting victims, as well as performance information relating to the seven priority areas adopted within the Plan:
- Increasing visible policing
- Supporting rural communities
- Improving road safety
- Preventing offending
- Supporting victims and reducing vulnerability
- Delivering a modern and innovative service
- Ensuring good stewardship of taxpayers’ money
In his Foreward, Norfolk’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Giles Orpen-Smellie, said: “My plan carries forward much of the thinking behind Lorne’s plan and so, while presented differently, there will be continuity between the old plan being reported on here and the new plan, which will be reported on in future.
“Norfolk Constabulary continues to do excellent work in keeping the county safe. Acting on the public’s behalf, I hold the Chief Constable, Paul Sanford, to account for the performance of the Constabulary against the plan through formal PCC Accountability Meetings and through less formal meetings and conversations on a day-to-day basis. I am kept informed of the public’s concerns by questions asked of me during the public engagements I undertake, the Time to Talk surgeries that I hold and the large volume of correspondence my office receives. It is the performance of the Constabulary, and the performance of my office in the wider ‘And Crime’ arena, that is summarised in this Annual Report. The Constabulary is also expected to report to the National Policing Board about its performance against the government’s Beating Crime Plan. This information is also available to the public through my website in accordance with the Specified Information Order.
“Norfolk enjoys a significant and growing degree of public engagement with policing: whether it is through volunteer schemes such as the Special Constabulary, Independent Custody Visitors, Community Speed Watch or neighbourhood priority meetings and so on; or through the charities engaged in the partnerships that support my office in the wider ‘And Crime’ arena. This public engagement is both welcome and important in addressing not just crime itself but also the circumstances that create conditions for crime and the consequences of crime having occurred.
“Last, but by no means least, I would like to highlight the work of my office. The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Norfolk (OPCCN) is a net financial contributor to the wider ‘And Crime’ work. The OPCCN alone brings in upward of £2.5million in additional grants each year. An important factor in identifying where such resources are needed is the close integration, to a degree not matched anywhere else in the country, of policing with the Norfolk County Community Safety Partnership. The OPCCN also does excellent work in bringing together and coordinating the work of other partners from across the public, private and charity sectors so that the resources available across the county may be used to deliver the best effects on the ground. The new Norfolk Integrated Domestic Abuse Service (NIDAS), launched on 3 January 2022, which supports victims of domestic abuse, is an excellent example of the strength of such partnerships.
“This may be the final annual report set against my predecessor’s plan. However, looking forward, it will also be the start point for the next report, which will be set against my Police, Crime and Community Safety Plan. The continuity from one plan to the next will be important in ensuring that Norfolk continues to be provided with the policing service that the people of Norfolk expect.
A separate annual report has been published on the work of the Independent Custody Visiting (ICV) Scheme.
