The Chief Constable of Merseyside Police, Jon Murphy will attend the meeting together with the Area Commander, Chief Superintendent, John Martin.

Councillor Phil Davies introduced and welcomed the Chief Constable of Merseyside Police, Jon Murphy, and the Area Commander, Chief Superintendent John Martin to the meeting. 

The Chief Constable presented his ‘State of the Nation’ report.  He informed that Merseyside Police was facing resource difficulties along with other public services but that it remained in good shape.  Staffing levels were reducing, the number of crimes continued to drop but serious and organised crimes remained a significant problem for his Force.  Police Officers continued to take weapons off the streets.  They had removed 200 over the last 12 months.  Also, the policing budget had been reduced by 20% over the last four years.

It had been a difficult summer for Merseyside Police as there had been a potential threat to security in London which had meant that a number of Police Officers from the Merseyside region had been deployed to London during the Olympic Games. 

Also, Police aid had been provided in Manchester, where there was more severe gun crime than on Merseyside.

The Chief Constable referred to the election of the Police and Crime Commissioner which would be held on 15 November 2012.  One of the first tasks for the Commissioner was to draw up a Four Year Policing Plan.

The Area Commander then presented the operational context.  He informed of Wirral’s policing priorities, budget savings and detailed crime statistics in relation to violence, robberies, domestic abuse, burglaries and car crime.  He also reported on challenges ahead, partnership arrangements in place, the ongoing Stronger Communities Initiative and Operation Derwent.

Following these presentations Members asked the Chief Constable and the Area Commander a number of questions on the following:

• Centralisation, community safety, co-ordination and information provided;
• Police and Crime Commissioner’s likely budgetary considerations and the allocation of limited resources;
• The implications of reducing the number of Police Officers in Wirral;
• The need for the public to come forward if ‘Loan Sharks’ were to be caught, arrested and prosecuted; and
• Laird Street Police Station, Birkenhead was no longer fit for purpose, options for relocation in a more suitable building and the resources needed to do this still being available.

Councillor Phil Davies told the Chief Constable and the Area Commander that their reports had provided Members with an incite into what the Police were doing and that he and the Cabinet were looking forward to continuing the excellent relationship that Merseyside Police and the Council had forged.

RESOLVED:

The Chief Constable and Area Commander be thanked for their attendance at the meeting and for their informative reports on policing matters.