Policing Performance Committee

The formal minute of the items of business will be available at the meeting scheduled for 19 March 2025. This will also be published on the Authority’s website. A full recording of the items of business taken at this meeting can be accessed at Policing Performance Committee - 10 December 2024.

Main items of business
• Policing Performance Reporting & Operational Matters
• Partnership & Community Focus
• Oversight of Improvement in Policing

Policing Performance Reporting

• The Q2 Policing Performance Report was discussed at length. It was highlighted that this report had been restructured to align with the newly launched 2030 Vision. Areas of focus for Committee oversight and scrutiny included retail crime, public confidence, crime detection rates, missing persons, 999 & 101 calls and rape crimes.
• A deep dive of Sexual Violence will be presented at the 19 March 2025 Committee.
• The Committee considered Police Scotland’s Three-year Plan Bi-Annual report for Q1/2 of 2024/25. Members expressed their support for this piece of work and were assured of the continued focus on pace towards delivery.
• Members received an update on the strategies and collaborative prevention activity in relation to acquisitive and retail crime. The Committee supported the commitment that Police Scotland continue to work with partners to address acquisitive and retail crime.
• The Committee considered an update on Police Scotland’s response to public contact. Members welcomed the insight into improvement activity. Assurance was sought and received around understanding and addressing the reasons for discontinued 101 calls and that the available data is being used to inform improvement in training, processes and contact guidance for the public.
• The Committee were presented with the recommendation to formally close the CJSD 5 Year Vision and Direction and agreed that future performance reporting from CJSD is provided against the Three-Year Business Plan for 2024-2027.
• The Committee welcomed an update on the work to date of the Live Facial Recognition tripartite group. Members queried the timescale of the national conversation, and a commitment was made to share an outline with the Committee once there is confirmation that dedicated resource has been allocated.
• Members received an update in respect of the on-going wide-ranging review in relation to policy and practice to recording Sex and Gender within Police Scotland. The Committee were given assurance on the wide scope of the review and queried the timescales of delivery, extent of stakeholder engagement and mechanisms for ensuring legal & policy compliance. It was requested that the Sex and Gender Review Terms of Reference is shared with Members.

Partnership & Community Focus
• The Committee were updated on the progress Police Scotland is making in respect of their response to mental health distress. Members sought and received assurance that progress is being made across the range of recommendations identified by HMICS and that Police Scotland are confident that they can deliver these.
• Cllr Maureen Chalmers, COSLA Spokesperson for Community Wellbeing, provided updates on the National Community Justice Event held on 14 October 2024, the COSLA Police Scrutiny Convenors Forum held on 21 November 2024 and the Prisoner (Early Release) (Scotland) Bill. Members were assured that COSLA are working to understand and monitor the impact the Prisoner (Early Release) (Scotland) Bill will have on local government.
• Members recognised the significant body of extensive SPA and PS partnership and engagement work that underpinned a summary of the final report for the Community Confidence Action Research Project. The Committee echoed the reports thanks to local community groups and local authority partners for their input and insights.
• The individual Corporate Parenting Plans for Police Scotland and the SPA were endorsed by the Committee. With regard to the Police Scotland Corporate Parenting Plan, Members requested regular updates on the specific initiatives in place for young people.
• The Committee considered an update on Police Scotland’s progress towards achieving UNCRC compliance. Police Scotland agreed to share the UNCRC awareness session video with Members.
Oversight of Improvement in Policing
• Members received an overview of progress in terms of improved service delivery against a range of improvement plans developed to address HMICS recommendations. The Committee sought and received assurance from Police Scotland around the prioritisation process of the recommendations.
• HMCIC Craig Naylor presented the findings from the following thematic inspections: Police Response to Missing Persons in Scotland & Road Policing in Scotland.
• Members considered the Independent Custody Visitor’s Scheme 6 Monthly Report which covered the period of April – October 2024. Members recorded thanks to the staff Members that run the scheme and acknowledged the commitment from Police Scotland to maintain custody as a safe environment.

Conclusions Reached

• The Committee requested that a deep dive of Sexual Violence is presented at the 19 March 2025 Committee.

• Members endorsed the closure of the CJSD 5-year Vision and Direction and were supportive of future performance reporting from CJSD being provided against the Three-Year Business Plan for 2024-2027 instead.

• A timeline in relation to Live Facial Recognition work will be provided to the Committee once dedicated resource has been allocated. This was delivered in January 2025.

• The Committee requested that the Sex and Gender Review Terms of Reference is shared with Members. This was shared in December 2024.

• Police Scotland assured Members of their confidence to deliver the HMICS recommendations in relation to Mental Health Distress.

• The Corporate Parenting Plans for Police Scotland and the SPA were endorsed by the Committee.

• Police Scotland agreed to share the UNCRC awareness session video with Members.