First Police and Crime Panel meeting for new PCC

Durham’s Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), Joy Allen, has spoken at her first Police and Crime Panel meeting today (Monday 19 July), about her vision for County Durham and Darlington to be safer and more resilient to crime and her priorities for her term in office.

PCC Allen took the Panel through her draft Police and Crime Plan which addressed her vision of making people in County Durham and Darlington feel safe and secure in their own homes, her six key priorities, how she will approach these and what action needs to be taken.

The Police and Crime Panel is made up of councillors and independent members responsible for scrutinising the actions and decisions the PCC makes.

Just as the PCC holds the Chief Constable to account for the police service, the Police and Crime Panel is tasked with holding the PCC to account for the way she performs her duties.

She told the Panel that the public consultation on her Police and Crime Plan would begin this week. Feedback from County Durham and Darlington residents, the Chief Constable and other partners would then be used to inform the development of the Plan, which would then go back to the Police and Crime Panel for review before publication in September 2021.

The meeting also considered the annual report as well as an update on strategic commissioning activities for the financial year 2021/22.  

PCC Allen said: “Throughout my campaign, I reached out to the people of County Durham and Darlington to ask them what my police and crime priorities should be. They told me very clearly that anti-social behaviour, drug use and drug dealing, fly tipping, speeding and vandalism where their main areas of concern.

“My Police and Crime Plan which I presented to the Police and Crime Panel this morning focuses on people’s priorities and how I will work with a wide range of partners to reduce crime, victimisation, offending and anti-social behaviour.

“I am very much looking forward to working with the Panel, hearing their views and focusing on resident feedback so I can take action to ensure local communities are safer, stronger and more resilient to crime and anti-social behaviour.

“I urge all residents,businesses, community and voluntary sector organisations across County Durham and Darlington to have their say on my plan when I go to consultation and inform my priorities.”

‍