The Role Of The PCC

PCCs (Police and Crime Commissioners) are elected by the public to hold Chief Constables and the force to account, thus making the police answerable to the communities they serve. PCCs ensure community needs are met as effectively as possible and are improving local relationships through building confidence and restoring trust.

They work in partnership across a range of agencies at local and national level to ensure there is a unified approach to preventing and reducing crime.

PCC’s were introduced by the Government through the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act (2011), Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) will be expected to cut crime and deliver effective and efficient policing.

Police and Crime Commissioner’s newsletters and Performance and Delivery Updates

To access the Police and Crime Commissioner’s (PCC) regular newsletters click https://www.durham-pcc.gov.uk/news-and-events/newsletters and for the latest PCC Performance and Delivery Update.  The newsletter includes articles informing of the latest initiatives whereas the latter includes more statistics with key indicator comparisons over time and with other Police Forces.

Our current PCC is Joy Allen. Please click on the links below for further information.

PCC Website

Police and Crime Plan

The Police and Crime Plan for 2021-24 was published on the 16th of December 2021. You can read the full Police and Crime Plan here.

The draft version of the plan was approved by the Police and Crime Panel by PCC Joy Allen on the 19th of July 2021. The Police and Crime Plan sets out the PCC’s Vision, the outcomes they wish to achieve, along with six key priority areas which will be the focus over the life of the plan. The PCC has reached out to the communities in the Durham Police area in her first six months of office to understand exactly what areas of crime and safety matter most to them and impact on their quality of life.

The results have enabled Mrs Allen to develop a robust three-year action plan to help improve life for local people, reduce their risk and fear of crime, increase their confidence in reporting crime and target policing resources where they matter most. Building on a hugely successful first six months, the PCC’s Police and Crime Plan outlines six key priorities:

• Safer Business
• Safer Communities
• Safer Online
• Safer People
• Safer Roads
• Safer Countryside

The results have enabled Mrs Allen to develop a robust three-year action plan to help improve life for local people, reduce their risk and fear of crime, increase their confidence in reporting crime and target policing resources where they matter most.

PCC Durham End of Year Report – May to December 2021

Reporting Anti Social Behaviour

The PCCs Chief of Staff  presented information to Parish Councils about the Governments ABS Plan. We heard at the presentation that the key areas in which town and parish councils of delivery can be involved in the ASB Action Plan, of which Durham is a pilot area over the next year could be:

• Supporting ASB Week, 3-9 July through own media/supporting partner communications
• Promoting the key messages of ASB week including how residents/communities can report ASB and sharing info about the, to be launched ‘ASB case Review’ (formerly Community Trigger), by which people who have experienced 3 or more incidents of ASB can ask for agencies eg police and principal council, to review their response to their reports.  These details will be included in the govt and PCC comms which are awaited.
• Providing proposals for local reparation activities for those who commit ASB, providing funding to match ASB ‘hotspot’ work or accessing funding from the PCC to deliver projects.

Please click on the link for more information about the government’s new Anti-Social Behaviour Action Plan

To report any incidents of ASB please see below for more information:

OPC PACT Reports 2021

APRIL PACT April 2021

OPC PACT Reports 2020

DECEMBER PACT December 2020

SEPTEMBER PACT September2020.

JUNE PACT June and July 2020.

FEBRUARY PACT FEBRUARY 2020.

JANUARY PACT JANUARY 2020.

OPC PACT Reports 2019

DECEMBER PACT DEC 2019.

NOVEMBER PACT NOV 2019.

SEPTEMBER PACT SEPT 2019.

MAY PACT Report MAY 2019.

The next Ouston Parish Council Parish monthly meeting, will be held on Thursday 28th September at 7.00pm in Ouston Community Centre. Attendees are limited due to room size, please contact the clerk to reserve your place in advance. Please see guidance for Public Speaking below.

Lisa Blondrage
Clerk to the Parish Council Ouston

Email: oustonparishcouncil@gmail.com

Public speaking at Parish Council meetings

Ouston Parish Council encourages public participation at its meetings. To ensure that everyone gets an opportunity to talk, we have introduced guidance on how you can best have your say, and make the most of your time when you speak.

To ensure everyone gets a fair-share of the available time you will only be able to speak once for up to three minutes.

GENERALLY

• You will be asked to give the Clerk your name and address. This is to establish that you are a parishioner. Non-Parishioners may only speak if invited to do so.
• To make the best use of your time, please be brief and to the point. You may find it helpful to rehearse what you have to say to ensure that everything is included. You will not be allowed to over-run your time.
• You may find that if there are significant numbers of objectors / supporters that it would be better to appoint one person to speak for you all.
• Written submissions, photographs or display material will not be accepted at the meeting, but may be sent to the Clerk at least 5 days before the meeting, so they can be copied and given to the Councillors.
• Please avoid derogatory or defamatory statements. If the Chairman feels that this is the case you may be asked to stop speaking. The Council does not tolerate inflammatory or abusive behaviour towards its councillors, staff or members of the Parish.
• Owing to the short time you have to put your views across, it may not be appropriate to bring plans or elaborate visual aids to illustrate your points.
• Please note the meetings are recorded on a Dictaphone to ensure accuracy.

PROCEDURE AT THE MEETING

• Most meetings of the Parish Council take place in Ouston Community Centre on Iris Crescent. Please check with the Clerk before the meeting in case there has been any change. If you want to speak, please arrive at least 15 minutes before the meeting and introduce yourself to the Clerk.
• You will be asked to sit in the public area.
• The Chairman will announce that Public Participation has commenced and if you wish to speak, invite you to do so.
• If you are speaking on an issue for which there are other speakers who hold differing views. Objector(s) will be invited to speak first, followed by the supporter(s).
• You will be invited to speak for up to three minutes. The time limit will be strictly enforced and the Chairman will notify you when you have 30 seconds left. Please have the respect and courtesy you would wish for yourself when others present their thoughts.
• After you have finished speaking, you may be asked questions by the Councillors to clarify issues that have arisen.
• After Public Participation section of the Agenda, the Parish Council will continue with items as listed in the Agenda. You are welcome to sit and listen to the debate and other workings of the Council, but will not be able to take part in further discussion.
• If the item you have raised is not on the agenda, Members will not be able to debate or vote on the item. This is proper Council procedure.
• The Chairman has responsibility for the smooth running of the meeting. His/her decision on procedural matters is final.
• Please note that the Council will generally not comment on planning matters until a formal application to Durham County Council has been made.

To contact the Clerk call 07917 440 556 or email oustonparishcouncil@gmail.com.