Issue - meetings

7.40 to 8.00

The Chair welcomed Rebecca Avery, the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Outreach Worker to the meeting.

Rebecca gave a presentation on her role and that of Sir Graham Bright in his capacity as the Police and Crime Commissioner, the Police and the Crime Plan and the work of the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Office.

The Committee were advised that Rebecca’s role was to listen to the public both individually and collectively, and to work in partnership with local agencies, to identify and deliver shared solutions to local crime and anti-social behaviour problems in Cambridge, Huntingdon, South and East Cambridgeshire priority areas.

Rebecca explained that the role of the Police and Crime Commissioner, Sir Graham Bright, was to set the budget, the amount of Council tax charged for the Police, the strategy for local Police whilst ensuring that Police were held accountable and to ensure needs of the community were met.

Rebecca reminded those present of the contact point details, where she would be present in order to meet members of the public who could ask questions and give feedback on the local policing and crime in the area.

Questions and Comments from the public

Q1 Councillor Onasanya

You gather a lot of information. What is done with that information?

The information is used to build up the bigger picture. It was not the Commissioners role to interfere with day to day policing matters.

Q2 Councillor Bird

Please ask the Commissioner to raise concerns about the proposed reduction of street lighting.

Q3 Councillor Bird

Can the Commissioner help to publicise the Bobby Scheme.

The Community Navigators publicise this service.

Q4 Councillor Smart

The Committee would welcome a visit from Sir Graham Bright.

The Commissioner was unable to attend this evening. He has been holding street surgeries where the public could approach him for casual conversation and holding drop in sessions. Filming of these events has been problematic as some members of the public have found if off putting and may have been deterred from taking part.

Q5 Kay Harris

How was the information gather by the Commissioner passed on to local Police forces?

It is not the role of the Commissioner to direct the local policing. However, local concerns would be passed on.

The Chair thanked Rebecca Avery for attending and stated that the Committee would invite Sir Graham to attend a future meeting.