The Thames Valley Police and Crime Panel were scheduled to meet to discuss violence reduction, local command units, anti-social behaviour, domestic violence, police communications and the annual assurance report. The panel were also scheduled to receive updates from Councillor Peter Gammond, Co-Opted Independent Member and Chairman of the Panel, and Matthew Barber, Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for Thames Valley.

Violence Prevention Partnerships

The panel were scheduled to discuss a report from Matthew Barber, Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for Thames Valley, on Violence Prevention Partnerships (VPP). The VPP aims to reduce serious violence through a public health approach, bringing together criminal justice, health, and social agencies to understand and address the root causes of violence.

The VPP focuses on early intervention, community support, tackling county lines¹ and drug misuse, and strengthening enforcement responses, coordinated under the Serious Violence Duty. The report outlined key work delivered by the VPP, including:

• Focused Diversion activity for young people at risk
• Parenting Programme
• Operation Deter Youth Programme
• Focused Deterrence Programme
• Capacity-building grants to upper-tier councils

The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) partners with Oxford Brookes University to evaluate the effectiveness of these interventions.

Local Command Unit Implementation

The panel were scheduled to discuss a report evaluating the implementation of five Local Command Units (LCUs) across Oxfordshire, Berkshire West, Berkshire East, Buckinghamshire, and Milton Keynes. The changes, which replaced the previous eleven Local Policing Areas (LPAs), were intended to improve operational effectiveness, increase frontline service delivery capacity, and support the wellbeing of officers and staff.

Key benefits of the LCU model include:

• Improved management of frontline demand
• Enhanced supervisory oversight
• More balanced workloads
• Strengthened wellbeing support
• Delivery of financial savings
• Maintained performance levels

The report stated that the phased delivery approach to implementing the LCU model has now been completed, with the final LCUs in Berkshire East and Berkshire West going live in May 2025.

Anti-Social Behaviour

The panel were scheduled to receive an update on the implementation of recommendations from the Panel's Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) Task & Finish Group. The recommendations, published in March 2025, covered the establishment of an ASB Forum, development of a shared ASB system, consultation on case review processes, and improvements to victim support.

Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme (DVDS)

The panel were scheduled to discuss a report providing performance information on the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme (DVDS), also known as Clare's Law. The report focused on the period June to August, comparing 2024 with 2025.

Insights from the report indicated:

• A year-on-year increase in the number of DVDS applications
• An increase in cases considered under the Right to Know scheme
• An increase in the number of applications leading to a disclosure
• An increase in the number of disclosures made within 28 days of the application
• Improved compliance with the 28-day time limit for disclosure

Thames Valley Police Communications Strategy

The panel were scheduled to receive an overview of the communications capability within Thames Valley Police. The report detailed the operating context, the force's five-year communications strategy for 2025/6 – 2029/30, and current challenges. It focused on how recent communications activity encourages crime reporting, supports police recruitment, and helps build confidence.

The strategy is built around eight pillars:

• Trusted advisors
• Informed
• Connected
• Collaborative
• Enabling
• Impactful
• Prepared
• Future focused

The report also explored the challenge posed by misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation, which are recognised nationally across policing as a strategic risk.

Annual Assurance Report

The panel were scheduled to discuss the Annual Assurance Report 2024 from the Joint Independent Audit Committee (JIAC). The report explained how the JIAC has complied with its responsibilities and presented summary conclusions for the twelve months to December 2024.

The JIAC reported that the risk management and internal control environment in Thames Valley Police (TVP) and the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) was, overall, operating efficiently and effectively.