This year, for the first time, we have assessed leadership across the force. The assessment has led to a narrative rather than graded judgment, which is summarised below.
Read more about my assessment of Gwent Police’s performance this year, including where I would like to see improvements next year.
Os hoffech chi ddarllen hwn trwy’r Gymraeg (PDF document)
I would like to commend Gwent Police for the excellent progress it has made in 2015. The force has responded positively to the findings of last year’s PEEL assessment and I am very pleased with its performance in keeping people safe and reducing crime.
The introduction of a new operating model has released more officers into frontline policing roles, while enabling the force to make necessary efficiency savings. In the past year, Gwent Police has developed and introduced an extensive programme of change, supported by an effective financial plan. Strong, clear force leadership and a fully-engaged workforce have, within tight timescales, achieved tangible improvements in the effectiveness, efficiency and legitimacy of the service the force now provides to the public.
The force is good at identifying repeat and vulnerable victims, assessing risk and supporting victims. When dealing with the public, staff look to understand and deal with the needs of individuals in order to protect vulnerable people from harm.
I have been very impressed by the way the force engages with the people of Gwent, using a wide range of methods. It has introduced a neighbourhood management system that helps it to understand the needs of the communities in the area.
Description of force area
Gwent Police provides policing services to the county of Gwent. Although there are some more affluent areas, Gwent has a high level of poverty. Around 0.6 million people mainly live in the urban centres which include the city of Newport, and the towns of Ebbw Vale, Monmouth and Cwmbran. The resident population is increased by university students and the large numbers who visit or travel through the county each year. The transport infrastructure includes a sea port.
The proportion of areas in Gwent shows that are predicted to present a very high challenge to the police is lower than the national average. These are characterised by social deprivation or a concentration of commercial premises (including licensed premises), and in some cases both.
Working arrangements
The force has a number of collaborative working arrangements through the All Wales Policing Group, including joint firearms and scientific support capability and the Wales Extremism and Counter Terrorism Unit. The Shared Resource Service provides ICT services to the force and two local authorities.
Effectiveness
In our effectiveness inspection, we judged Gwent Police to be good at keeping people safe and reducing crime. With strong support from partners, the force is effective at preventing crime and anti-social behaviour. Good progress has been made since investigations of crime were found to require improvement in 2014; the force now manages investigations effectively. Similar improvements have been made in how the force protects vulnerable people from harm. They are now more readily identified and receive better support. The force also understands and responds to serious and organised crime well. This is the first year HMIC has graded forces on their overall effectiveness so a year-on-year comparison is not possible.
Efficiency
Gwent Police is well prepared to face its future financial challenges. Through robust financial management and a commitment to continuous improvement, it has successfully reduced its spending over the previous spending review period, improved its understanding of demand, introduced a new operating model and is effectively planning for future financial challenges. In last year’s value for money inspection, which considered how forces had met the challenge of the previous spending review period, Gwent Police was judged to require improvement.
Legitimacy
Gwent Police is making clear efforts to develop and maintain an ethical working environment across the force. The force has a good understanding of the communities it serves and uses a range of methods to engage with the people in its local neighbourhoods, seek their views and keep them informed.
Gwent Police complies with the Best Use of Stop and Search scheme, and use of Taser is fair and appropriate.
This is the first time HMIC has graded forces on their legitimacy, so no year-on-year comparison is possible.
Leadership
Gwent Police is a well led force. The force has communicated clearly its future plans and priorities, which are linked to its new operating model.
The force has yet to develop a broad understanding of the capacity and capability of its leadership at all levels. It has limited processes in place to develop talented individuals within the organisation.
Insights from other inspections
HMIC undertakes other inspections in addition to the PEEL programme. Since the last PEEL assessment there have been five reports published on inspections that included Gwent Police. More detail on some of these inspections can be found under the Other inspections section.
Looking ahead to PEEL 2016
In the year ahead, I will be interested to see how the force responds to this assessment, and to the areas for improvement that HMIC has identified in the last year.
I will be particularly interested to see:
- how the force assesses the success of the new force operating model in meeting the needs of the public;
- the continued improvement of the Gwent Missing Children’s Hub. This is a multi-agency unit, solving problems in relation to children who go missing, such as inadequate communication between agencies and a lack of understanding about why children run away; and
- the development of ‘problem profiles’, to help to understand fully the extent to which the most vulnerable people are affected by all areas of police business.
In May 2016, like the majority of forces in England and Wales, the force will see the second elections for its police and crime commissioner.
Darllenwch y Trawsgrifiad fideo yn Gymraeg (PDF document)
