The Durham Police and Crime Panel met to discuss the Police and Crime Commissioner's annual report, the latest performance figures, and the force's workforce strategy. They were also scheduled to discuss the appointment of an independent co-opted member to the panel, and to review the panel's work programme.

Police and Crime Commissioner's Annual Report 2024-25

The Police and Crime Panel were scheduled to consider the Police and Crime Commissioner's (PCC) draft Annual Report for 2024-25. The Draft PCC Annual Report 2024-25 included:

• Key events and highlights in 2024-25
• Progress made leading up to the new Police, Crime and Justice Plan 2025-29

The report included a foreword from Joy Allen, Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), and Rachel Bacon, Chief Constable. The report also covered:

• Victims
• Safer People and Places
• Safer Neighbourhoods
• Safer Countryside
• Safer Roads
• Criminal Justice
• Volunteers
• National Responsibilities
• Communicating with communities
• Police Budget and Precept
• Holding the Constabulary to account

The draft report stated that key performance highlights showed that, compared to the previous year:

• Average answer time to answer 999 calls reduced by 16.5% - from 15.8 seconds to 13.2 seconds
• Neighbourhood crime reduced by 18.2%
• Violence against the person saw an 11.4% reduction
• Violence with injury saw a 5.7% reduction

The draft report also stated that Joy Allen had been re-elected on a mandate to keep up the good work, and that she had not failed the public. It said that over the past 12 months, she had continued to speak up for local residents and businesses to deliver change.

Quarterly Performance Report

The panel were scheduled to discuss the Police and Crime Commissioner's Quarter 1 Performance and Delivery Report for 2025-26, covering 1 April to 30 June 2025. The Q1 PCC Performance Delivery Report April-June 2025 included a progress update on the delivery of the main priorities in the Police, Crime and Justice Plan 2025-29:

• Supporting and Championing Victims
• Safer People Safer Places
• Safer Neighbourhoods
• Safer Countryside
• Safer Roads
• Criminal Justice
• Force Staffing Levels
• Engaging with Communities
• Decision Records

The report stated that top headlines included:

• More officers in our communities: 1,392 police officers now in post compared to 2019 (before national uplift), alongside more Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) and Specials.
• Faster 999 response: 92% of emergency calls answered in under 10 seconds (up from 77% last year).
• Tackling serious violence: £1m secured for hotspot patrols across County Durham and Darlington, already leading to 70 arrests and 24 stop-searches.
• Supporting victims first: Over 500 victims supported this quarter by in-house Victim Care and Advice Service (VCAS), with new initiatives including video doorbells for stalking victims.
• Safer roads progress: Renewed national push on drink and drug driving, support for Graduated Driver Licensing, and launch of independent road safety review locally.

The report noted that serious violence offences rose by six per cent year-on-year, and that persistent anti-social behaviour (ASB) was still a problem in some communities despite extra patrols. It also noted that the force still had 122 fewer officers than in 2010 despite uplift.

Force Workforce Strategy

The Panel were scheduled to receive a presentation on Durham Constabulary's Force Workforce Strategy. The report pack stated that a better understanding of the relationship between demand, supply, capacity and capability would mean the force would be better able to meet strategic policing needs. The Strategic Workforce Plan stated that the purpose of the plan was to:

• Understand the whole picture of demands placed on policing currently, the total business workload and current problems
• Provide a more strategic approach to workforce planning moving forward to meet foreseen and potential demand (Force Management Statement FMS)
• Factor in all 'work' not just frontline delivery (training, supervision, meetings, development, etc.)
• Understand how best to use 'new' resources available through Uplift focus on under-resourced areas or specialisms
• Establish a more effective position to meet organisational priorities in the future
• Whole systems/picture approach scoping against future priorities/drivers (what's changing in policing); mapping demand against supply to spot gaps, issues, risks; planning to plug gaps in a timely way e.g. targeted recruitment

The plan included details of command structures, governance and insight, and assessments against the Police, Crime & Justice Plan, the Chief Constables Delivery Plan, Authorised Professional Practice, and Legislatory / Statutory Requirements.

Missing From Home (Children) Report

The Panel were scheduled to receive a report from Durham Constabulary providing an update on reports and incidents of children missing from home. The Missing From Home Children Update stated that over the last 18 months, significant changes had been made to improve the Force response to reports of missing persons. It said that two significant workstreams influenced major change in how the Force deal with MFH incidents:

• The introduction of Right Care Right Person¹ to the force in September 2024
• The review of Missing from Home Operating Procedures which was introduced in July 2024

The report stated that the changes in operating procedure aligned with Authorised Professional Practice, which is the nationally approved guidance and policy that oversees all aspects of MFH.

The report noted that between August 2023 and July 2024, there were 3958 missing persons recorded on Red Sigma, 741 of which were adults and 3217 children. The figures a year later after the introduction of Right Care Right Person and the updated Missing from Home Operating Procedure show 2670 missing people, 658 of which were adults and 2012 children. This is a reduction of 1288 being recorded on Red Sigma (40%).

Complaints Update

The Panel were scheduled to receive a report updating them on the number of formal complaints received since the last meeting relating to Joy Allen, Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), or the Deputy PCC. The Complaints Update stated that the last report the Panel received in relation to complaints was at its meeting on 17 June 2025, and that there were four complaints under consideration at that time:

• The first complaint related to an allegation that the PCC has failed to discharge her statutory duties under the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011. The Clerk, following consultation with the Chair and Vice Chair, advised the Complainant that no further action could be taken in relation to the complaint.
• The second complaint related to an allegation that the PCC failed to hold the former and current Chief Constables of Durham Constabulary to account by not considering the complaint which the Complainant made against them. The Clerk, following consultation with the Chair and Vice Chair, advised the Complainant that no further action could be taken in relation to the complaint.
• The third complaint will be considered at a special meeting of the Police and Crime Panel on 9 October 2025.
• In relation to the fourth complaint, the Clerk is awaiting further information from the Complainant which has not yet been received. The complaint remains under consideration in accordance with the procedure and an update will be presented to the Panel in due course.

The report also stated that since the last meeting, the Monitoring Officer had received one further complaint against the Police and Crime Commissioner, but that following a consultation with the Chair and Vice Chair it was agreed that no further action would be taken in relation to this complaint as the issues raised have previously been considered by the Panel.

Police and Crime Panel Work Programme 2025/26

The Panel were scheduled to consider the Durham Police and Crime Panel Work Programme for 2025/26. The Police and Crime Panel Work Programme 2025/26 included the following items:

• PCC Annual report 2024/25
• Q1 Performance report 2025/26
• Force workforce strategy
• Missing from Home
• Complaints report
• Work Programme
• Appointment of Independent Member to PCP

Appointment of Independent Co-opted Member

The Panel were scheduled to receive a report on the appointment of a new independent co-opted member. The Appointment of Coopted Member - Progress Report stated that following approval by the PCP on 17 June 2025, a recruitment process was undertaken based on the Local Government Association (LGA) guidance 'Appointment of independent co-opted members' and Home Office Police, Fire and Crime panels: independent member recruitment guidance June 2023.

The report noted that there were 42 expressions of interest and requests for further information, and that 10 applications were subsequently received. Following shortlisting, four candidates who met the criteria were invited for interview on MS Teams.

The report stated that interviews of two candidates had taken place whilst the remaining two were expected to be interviewed shortly, and that a special meeting of the Panel had been arranged on 9 October 2025 to confirm the outcome of the interviews.