Chief Inspector Cook and Chief Supt Steve Corbishly

The Chairman welcomed Area Commander Chief Superintendent Steve Corbishly and District Commander Chief Inspector Tim Cook to the meeting.

The Area Commander explained that Kent Police had gone through significant change. The Government’s first comprehensive spending review had removed £50 million from the budget, equivalent to 1,000 staff and 50 officers. The second review had led to a further reduction of £20 million. Kent Police had focussed these reductions on back-room staff. From 24 June 2014 the number of police officers responsible to the District Commander would increase from 30 to 65 but they would also take on responsibility for responding to emergency call-outs.

The Area Commander noted that crime figures had risen. However, Kent Police had been subject to an inspection in 2013 which recommended a change to the way crime was reported and so 6% of previous incidents were now recorded crimes. Domestic violence reports had risen 6% from proactive engagement by the police. The District Commander added that crime had risen 8.3% in the District in the last year, but the actual number of crimes was small and was the third lowest in the Kent Police area.

Questions were addressed to the Area and District Commanders.

A Member representing Ash and New Ash Green sought assurances there would be continuity among PCSOs to allow them to build up local knowledge. Kent Police informed the meeting that the new PCSO for the area had been encouraged to build links with the community, parish council and District Councillors. They sought to keep PCSOs in the same place as long as possible and each should spend the majority of their time in the local area. However PCSOs may be required to fill gaps elsewhere and would move on as their career progressed.

It was confirmed that there were 78 more incidents of domestic violence reported in the past year. The Committee was advised that on 1 April 2014 Kent Police introduced a “Track My Crime” programme so that victims could trace the progress of an investigation through the website but this did not cover domestic violence matters which were dealt with more personally.

A Member felt it was important for police to send officers to close roads on Remembrance Sunday as well as laying a wreath. The Area Commander advised that closures were a matter for the Highways Authority but in many cases the Police would not have resources to police the event and to close the roads.

It was suggested that speeding on Seal Hollow Road, Sevenoaks had not improved over the past year, despite the involvement of Speed Watch. Kent Police recognised speeding as the single most prominent complaint they received, however long term solutions were usually within the role of the Highways Authority in the use of cameras and redesigning roads.

A Member noted that if a person were arrested in Swanley then they would have to be processed in Tunbridge Wells, which took the officer out of duty for a considerable period. The District Commander indicated that they would consider greater use of the station at Ebbsfleet. Crime in Swanley was at about the same level as the previous year.

A Member felt that PCSOs were sometimes isolated in the local community as many incidents would not be dealt with as a crime even if reported by the public. The District Commander was not aware of this view and advised that until the middle of March 2014 an officer had been sent for every reported crime. Another Member added that Kent Police often seemed more active at the beginning of an investigation.

A Member asked what impact the changes on 24 June would have on rural communities. The Area Commander advised that although there was a town-centred structure there was a Crime Rural Advisory Group chaired by Mike Bax which focussed on these matters. Kent Police was encouraging local communities to do more to lessen risk, such as locking agricultural machinery away.

The Area Commander was asked whether CCTV in the District was helpful to the police. He acknowledged that it was presently a question considered at many councils. Funding had just been put aside for Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) CCTV on the main arterial routes in the District. He felt they had always received great value from CCTV, especially with ANPR. Questions concerning funding should be referred to the Police and Crime Commissioner, as part of the wider debate taking place.

The Vice Chairman raised concerns at recent incidents of anti-social behaviour on the Vine, Sevenoaks and enquired whether proactive policing would reduce problems, given that there was a regular pattern of behaviour. The District Commander explained that several incidents had been linked to a single group of young people but there had been intervention work from the Community Safety Unit and Anti-Social Behaviour Officer, an ASBO had been applied for, a number given banning orders and action taken against those shops making underage alcohol sales to that group.

The Vice Chairman again raised the matter of closing roads for public events and his concern that road barriers were removed too soon from a Guy Fawkes event. The Area Commander suggested that for some events the police advised organisers to arrange private stewards. Specialist traffic officers would be required rather than local officers. Kent Police had to assess events on a case-by-case basis.

The Chairman enquired what actions Kent Police took to combat financial crime. They did have an Economic Crime Unit and had recently held Fraud Awareness sessions. However such crimes could be difficult to investigate, needing specialist knowledge and the perpetrators could be located anywhere.

The Chairman thanked Chief Superintendent Steve Corbishly and Chief Inspector Tim Cook for coming and answering the Committee’s questions.