Agenda item

Divisional Commander (DC) Chief Supt.  Gill Imery.  (Copy attached.)

3.1       There had been circulated copies of the Police Progress report covering the period January 2015 to March 2015.  The report detailed the figures for the six Priority areas to date and compared them to the figures for the same period in 2013/14.  Chief Inspector McLean highlighted key areas of the report and noted that there had been a reduction of 6.7% in the detection rate for Groups 1 – 5 crimes. He went on to detail the figures in the context of the report and noted that Adults at Risk referrals made to partner agencies had increased by 27.4%, from 1,267 to 1,614 compared to the same period in 2013/14.  The number of Domestic Abuse initial checks that had been conducted within 24 hours had increased by 2.7%.   Chief Inspector McLean also advised Members that the number of common assaults compared to the previous year had decreased by 15.8% and that this trend was mirrored across crimes of violence as a whole in the Scottish Borders, equating to 135 fewer victims in the area compared to the previous year.  The report noted that there had been an increase of 2.2 % in the number of Antisocial Behaviour incidents.  Chief Inspector McLean reported that there had been a welcome decrease of 21.8% in the reporting of hate crime compared to the same period in 2013/14.  The report detailed the trends in relation to the type of prejudice and noted that incidents for Race crime had reduced from 53 to 43, Homophobic had decreased from 18 to 13, and there had been 1 report of Transgender crime and Disability crime was the same.    There had been a decrease of 1 incident of Religious Hatred compared to the same reporting period last year.  In relation to Stop and Searches for drugs, the report noted a decrease  of 0.5% in the proportion of positive searches.  It was noted that visits to Licensed Premises had reduced by 22.5% this year to date and this was mainly attributed to the focus of activity in this area in the previous year.  It was encouraging that the figures in relation to making our roads safer had decreased.  There had been a reduction in the number of people seriously injured from 66 to 62 and the number of people killed in road traffic incidents had increased by 75%   The report noted that no children had been killed or seriously injured and this was extremely encouraging.  Members noted that there had been an increase in the number of people detected for drug supply over the same period in 2014/15.   The report identified an increase of £733,777 in the amount of Assets referred for Restraint. Both housebreakings to dwelling houses and thefts of motor vehicles had decreased by 17.3% (21 fewer victims) and 20.5% (16 fewer victims) respectively. 

3.2.      Chief Insp. Imery referred to the impact the Commonwealth Games and the Referendum had had on Police Scotland.  Moving into year three of the new structure she was optimistic that local areas would have more autonomy and more bespoke Policing for different parts of the Country.

3.3.      A request was made for statistics relating to race crimes to be split from hate crimes for eastern Europeans, and it was agreed that a breakdown of figures would be presented and embedded in future reports.  In response to questions raised about tackling serious and organised crime with the assets referred for restraint, Members were advised that by the time monies went through the system all monies retained were reinvested through the Scottish Communities Budget.  The Chairman advised that correspondence had been sent to the Scottish Government expressing concern in that cash seizures should be returned to local communities, it was indicated a check would be made to see if a response had come from  the Scottish Government.

3.4.      Concern was expressed in relation to the significant VAT bill facing Police Scotland and it was agreed that Councillor Turnbull, on behalf of the Board, write to Mr Mundell MP and the Chairman, Councillor Moffat to make contact with Calum Kerr MP on behalf of the Board asking that the VAT bill be abandoned.

DECISION

(a)     NOTED the report.

(b)     AGREED that:

(i)     that figures would be presented and embedded in future reports showing a breakdown of figures for race crimes and hate crimes for eastern Europeans; and

(ii)     a letter  from Councillor Turnbull on behalf of the Board be sent to  Mr Mundell MP  and the Chairman to make contact with Mr Calum Kerr MP on behalf of the Board expressing concern about  Police Scotland’s VAT payments and for these to be discontinued.