Leicestershire Police Authority is 'performing adequately' according to an independent new report released today by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) and the Audit Commission.
On a scale from one to four, Leicestershire Police Authority’s performance is assessed as 'two' which represents adequate performance.
A police authority's job is to make sure that local people have an efficient and effective police force. It should hold the Chief Constable to account on behalf of the local community.
Inspectors found that Leicestershire Police Authority is broadly fulfilling most of its key responsibilities. It actively supports the Constabulary in its commitment to provide high standards of Neighbourhood Policing across all of its communities and it is strongly committed to the delivery of the Policing Pledge. The Authority has a clear focus on value for money, making sure that resources align well to policing priorities.
However, there is limited scrutiny of the Chief Constable. The Authority's arrangements for setting policing targets and scrutinising the delivery of priority services that matter to local people are not robust. Until recently the Police Authority has not had a mechanism in place for tracking the Constabulary's response to critical incidents that are likely to have an impact on the community’s confidence in policing.
Her Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary, Zoë Billingham, spokesperson for the joint inspection team said:
'Leicestershire Police Authority has made some significant changes over the last two years and improvements are beginning to take effect. Members of the Authority are clearly committed to ensuring that the Authority continues to improve the way that it oversees the delivery of an effective police service. But they recognise that the Authority can do more to improve its scrutiny and oversight of the Constabulary’s performance on behalf of the people of Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.'
Police Authority strengths include:
- A clear commitment to Neighbourhood Policing, delivering the Policing Pledge and improving public confidence in policing
- Setting high professional and ethical standards, both for itself and for the Constabulary
- A record of effective financial management and use of resources
Police Authority areas for improvement include:
- target setting and the monitoring of the delivery of policing priorities needs to be more rigorous across all areas of core policing
- The Authority needs to be able to track the progress of significant critical incidents. The Authority failed to provide sufficient oversight of actions taken by the Constabulary following the tragic deaths of Fiona Pilkington and her daughter two years ago. It has recently agreed new arrangements to monitor and supervise all relevant critical incidents which now need to be implemented.
- More effective engagement is needed with Leicestershire’s diverse communities and vulnerable groups. The Authority has an inconsistent approach to tackling inequalities and needs to do more to ensure that the Constabulary is more representative of the communities it serves.
Following today's report Leicestershire Police Authority will plan what it needs to do to improve its services to meet the changing needs of its communities.
Copies of the report are available from Leicestershire Police Authority, the Audit Commission or the HMIC.
Notes to editors
Leicestershire Police Authority is an independent body responsible for overseeing the Constabulary. It represents the community and, in partnership with the Chief Constable, ensures that an efficient and effective policing service is provided to the people of Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.
Police authority inspection provides a simple report in a straightforward way about how well each police authority is performing. It encourages police authorities to focus on continuous improvement and provides a robust independent challenge to stimulate positive change. Ultimately it is about working to improve the quality of services police authorities provide to local people.
The Audit Commission is an independent watchdog, driving economy, efficiency and effectiveness in local public services to deliver better outcomes for everyone.
Its work across local government, health, housing, community safety and fire and rescue services means that it has a unique perspective. It promotes value for money for taxpayers, auditing the £200 billion spent by 11,000 local public bodies.
As a force for improvement, it works in partnership to assess local public services and make practical recommendations for promoting a better quality of life for local people.
HMIC is an independent inspectorate, inspecting policing in the public interest and rigorously examines the effectiveness of police forces and authorities to tackle crime and terrorism, improve criminal justice and raise confidence. For further information about HMIC, visit www.inspectorates.homeoffice.gov.uk/hmic
For further information, or for an embargoed copy of the full report, please contact: HMIC Press Office on 020 7035 2712 or email Robert Stansfield at robert.stansfield@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk.