Notes of the National Rural Crime Network Executive Board meeting – 21 January 2016
APCC Offices, The Sanctuary, London SW1P 3JS
1)Present: Julia Mulligan - PCC North Yorkshire (Chairman); Barrie Sheldon – Deputy PCC West Mercia; Tim Burton – Deputy PCC, Dyfed-Powys (via phone link); Sarah Lee, Countryside Alliance; Sam Durham – NFU; Nick Payne – RSN – Secretariat
2)Apologies: Tim Passmore – PCC Suffolk; Tony Hogg – PCC Devon & Cornwall; Richard Rhodes – PCC Cumbria; Kate Algate – OurWatch; June Armstrong – Institute of Community Safety; Richard Martin – OPCC Devon & Cornwall; CC Simon Prince and Sgt. Howells – Dyfed-Powys Police; Sue Langley – Crimestoppers
The Chair noted that there had been a significant number of apologies and remarked that arranging NRCN meetings the day after that APCC meetings may not be conducive to good attendance in future.
3)Presentations
A)Dermot Murphy – Assistant Director, Inspectorate – RSPCA
The RSPCA had been asked to attend the Board to talk about the outcome of their Wooler Review. The organisation had requested to defer this to early 2016 to enable them to formulate and implement some of the changes that the Review had recommended. Dermot had been appointed as a result of some reorganisation within the Society. He provided a comprehensive update on recent changes within the RSPCA and an insight in to the way the Society was now intending to modernise its operations.
DM was requested to link with June Armstrong in the Institute of Community Safety to improve links to local Community Safety Partnerships and Community Safety teams in localities.
It was agreed that there was significant benefit in the RSPCA linking closely with the NRCN for further discussions on areas of mutual interest in the future. NP and DM would ensure these links are maintained.
B)Dr. Dan Gilling, University of Plymouth – Evaluation Plan
The proposed survey of the Board members and others associated with the NRCN would be an online approach which would ensure cost effectiveness. JM observed that the NRCN still did not link well with practitioners and improving the awareness of best practice had to be a priority of the NRCN going forward.
It was agreed to write to each PCC with the intention of getting a decent response to the survey from these vital colleagues. ACTION NP.
It was suggested that DG also talk to Kate Algate at OurWatch as her network of volunteers had provided a significant response to the rural crime survey. DG would also be given a copy of the recent website report to the Board, provided with access to the Google Analytics data for the survey and introduced to Mixd by NP and Simon Jones. ACTION: NP
Meeting Business
4)Notes of the Board meeting 13 October 2015
Agreed without amendment.
5)Matters Arising
a)RSPCA – agreed to offer Dermot Murphy and RSPCA affiliation to the NRCN
b)Blog pieces had been chased and were awaited from Tim Passmore (Suffolk) and Kreseda Smith in relation to the new Rural Security and Research Group set up by Harper Adams University. These will be added to the website when received.
c)BS would chase Sue Thomas at West Mercia Police for further details and updates on their rural business crime strategy.
d)NP was due to speak to Professor Laycock, College of Policing/What Works on 26 Jan.
e)New best practice case studies were now being actively sought to add to the website from Lincolnshire, Durham Council, Dorset, Essex and West Mercia. Facebook and Twitter posts had also been added.
f)Gemma Wilson was to be the new Crimestoppers representative on the Board.
6)NFU Mutual – meeting debrief
JM/NP updated on the recent meeting at the Stratford upon Avon Head Office with several NFU Mutual executives. There was thought to be genuine interest in developing a partnership. We will need to await developments. NP to send a copy of the briefing paper to TB. ACTION: NP
7)Domestic Abuse in Rural Communities Research bid
JM explained that following the brief discussion at the previous meeting, it had been agreed that we should look into commissioning appropriate research. Contact has been established with Dr. Helen Baker of Edgehill University who is willing to collaborate with us. CC Prince has produced a draft Terms of Reference in preparation for a teleconference between Dyfed-Powys officers, JM, NP and Dr. Baker. It was thought Vera Baird, PCC Northumbria, would also be interested in supporting this work too.
8)Finance Update
The budget was discussed and there are uncommitted funds in the social media (£6850) and research provisions (£8925) which were important to maximise before the end of March. JM’s staff had drafted an Invitation to Quote for a research brief around the funding of rural police forces. This had included inputs from PCC colleagues in other Forces. The research will be commissioned in the name of the NRCN. BS and TB agreed to check internally about making a contribution towards the costs of around £2,000 each. JM would also speak to Tim Passmore and Tony Hogg about this. ACTION: BS/TB/JM
JM would also secure clarification with the Home Office via her officer Will Naylor about the use of the balance of the social media provision for this purpose. ACTION: JM
It was also noted that the new Policing Bill is to be published in February.
9)Work Programme 2016/17
Following revision by NP, the re-prioritised programme has been endorsed by the Board with the action for outcomes and outputs with timescales to be added. The Fairer Funding work and Rural Policing matters petition would be rolled out together.In relation to Increased Reporting, Neighbourhood Watch had met with CC Jones of North Yorks Police and JM to discuss a pilot project being staged in Cumbria. CC Jones is the NPCC lead for Citizens in Policing and was collaborating with NHW and Cumbria. JM would request CI Nick Hunter to contact Supt Sue Thomas with a view to establishing the North Yorks/West Mercia task group on improving reporting recorded at the last Board meeting. ACTION: JM
It was also agreed to permit expenditure of up to £200 from the social media to fund a Facebook Boost post to encourage best practice case study submissions. ACTION: NP
In relation to Business Crime JM agreed to talk to Clive Harris NFU Mutual and the Home Office as she was aware that the Home Office were looking at business crime and vehicle issues, particularly agri vehicles. ACTION: JM
10)Any Other Business
a)Waste Operators Licenses - NFU/FUW had become aware that some farmers had been charged for not having the correct Operators Licences, necessary for transporting waste. It was thought that the differences between the licences was often not well understood either by the public or those trying to run businesses in this regard. Dyfed-Powys were planning to produce a simple guide which will be shared when it’s complete and can be added to the NRCN website.
b)PCC Elections – Noted that there will inevitably be some turnover of PCCs as a consequence of the elections in May. The make-up of the Board will need to be reviewed in the light of the relevant results. Countryside Alliance and National Farmers Union are organising the publication of leaflets for their memberships. NFU will also be arranging hustings meetings.
c)Meeting venues – TB would canvass North Wales PCC for a suitable venue for the July meeting. NFU offered to host the October meeting in Stoneleigh, subject to room availability. ACTION: TB & SD
11)Date of next meeting: 14 April 2016 – 10.30 City of York Council West Offices, York.