The majority of senior district councillors have worked well with incoming Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) since last November's elections in formulating police and crime plans, a survey has shown.
Research undertaken in March by the District Councils' Network (DCN) shows around two thirds (66.7%) out of 81 respondents described the level of engagement between their local authority and the PCCs as satisfactory or better. Nearly a quarter (24.4%) said their engagement levels were extensive and 6.4% said they were very extensive.
In line with these results, more than seven in ten senior councillors (70.5%) were sent a copy of the police and crime plan and were involved in the consultation process.
However, 3.8% were unaware that consultations were taking place while a further 14.1% knew the process was taking place but did not see a draft. Some 11.5% of the respondents said they received a copy but didn't have time to respond.
More than four fifths (80.8%) said they had seen their draft police and crime plan and of this group an overwhelming majority, 87.8%, agreed district community safety and crime issues had been acknowledged within the plan. Just under 44% said these issues were represented well and 12.1% said they were represented very well.
In another positive response, councillors gave an average score of 3.8 when asked to rate on a scale of 1 to 5 their confidence their local authority would collaborate with PCCs to reduce crime and improve community.
Steve Atkinson, DCN Chairman & Lead for PCCs told The MJ: ‘These positive results demonstrate that, overall, Police and Crime Commissioners in two tier areas value the potential of district councils in delivering positive outcomes within the new policing landscape in England.
‘Districts play a leading role in local Community Safety Partnerships and provide a range of frontline services and activities which support community safety.
‘It is vital that these early foundations of positive engagement with senior district councillors are further developed in the coming years,' Mr Atkinson said.
