Councillor Tony Cox moved and Councillor Andrew Gardner seconded the following Motion submitted in accordance with Standing Order 7 –

“As the person with sole responsibility for policing priority in Merseyside, Council recognises that the position of PCC is an onerous role.

Council also recognises the fact that, nationally, there are now more police officers per capita than there where in the 1960s. In fact, in 1961 it was 807 people for every officer and now it is just 462 people for every officer.

Council believes that there is far too much focus placed on monitoring minor ‘online offences’, many which are dismissed with few prosecutions brought, and not enough on ‘real world’ crime.

With notable people such as Chief Constable Sara Thornton, head of the new National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC), saying, ‘I want us to solve more burglaries and bear down on violence before we make more records of incidents that are not crimes,’ It would seem that senior police officials are finally breaking rank and calling out the current, ridiculous state of affairs.

With a noticeable upturn in crime in the West Kirby area – from criminal damage, sexual acts in public, assault and even a knife attack – Council believes that Wirral residents deserve the same level of policing focus as the rest of Merseyside.

Therefore, Council calls upon the PCC, Jane Kennedy, to review the priorities she sets her Police Force in order to deal with the crimes that really hurt people. The crimes that have people fearful in their own home and in their communities – criminal damage, burglary, theft and violent crime – and to bring some perspective and common sense back to policing.”

Amendment

Councillor Phil Gilchrist moved and Councillor Stuart Kelly seconded the following amendment submitted in accordance with Standing Order 12(9) such that the Motion be approved subject to –

Delete paragraphs 2,3,4,5 & 6 - all after "...onerous role." and insert...

“Council requests that a meeting should be arranged with Merseyside’s Police and Crime Commissioner so that Councillors can consider...

i.  how the progress with the Merseyside Police and Crime Plan 2017-21 meets the objectives set out in that document

ii.  how the PCC and Chief Constable interpret and implement the  key priorities set out in the Commissioner’s Police and Crime Plan, as

·  Prevent Crime and Anti-social Behaviour;

·  Provide a Visible and Accessible Neighbourhood Policing Style;

·  Tackle Serious and Organised Crime; and

·  Support Victims, Protect Vulnerable People and Maintain Public Safety.

iii.  how the Police service responds to the issues of hate and cyber crime

iv.  the concerns of Members about the level of policing in Wirral

v.  the budgetary issues facing the force so that Members can discuss the level of precept the Commissioner might wish to set for the next financial year”.

Having applied the guillotine the Council did not debate this matter.

The amendment was put and carried (42:17) (One abstention).

The substantive motion, as amended, was put and carried (59:0) (One abstention).

Resolved (59:0) (One abstention) –

As the person with sole responsibility for policing priority in Merseyside, Council recognises that the position of PCC is an onerous role.

Council requests that a meeting should be arranged with Merseyside’s Police and Crime Commissioner so that Councillors can consider...

  i.  how the progress with the Merseyside Police and Crime Plan 2017-21 meets the objectives set out in that document

  ii.  how the PCC and Chief Constable interpret and implement the  key priorities set out in the Commissioner’s Police and Crime Plan, as

·  Prevent Crime and Anti-social Behaviour;

·  Provide a Visible and Accessible Neighbourhood Policing Style;

·  Tackle Serious and Organised Crime; and

·  Support Victims, Protect Vulnerable People and Maintain Public Safety.

  iii.  how the Police service responds to the issues of hate and cyber crime

  iv.  the concerns of Members about the level of policing in Wirral

the budgetary issues facing the force so that Members can discuss the level of precept the Commissioner might wish to set for the next financial year.