Policing and Crime Bill

Moving speedily on, this amendment was drawn up with the new single confidence target for policing very much in mind. This new confidence target is the one overarching numerical target that will be set for policing in the future by the Home Secretary. It is an important measure, so we must ensure that we get the arrangements surrounding it right. The police do not deliver safer communities single-handedly; they have to work effectively with partners to achieve success in improving public safety and in driving down crime. The new confidence target recognises that because it is in fact a measure of public confidence in the police and local councils. Herein, of course, lies the catch. Councils are able to sign up to the same target through their local area agreements, but crucially they have an option regarding whether or not to do so. It is merely one of a range of targets that they can adopt and it is not mandatory for them. I understand that out of approximately 350 councils in the country, so far only about 50 have adopted this target. Of course, the police have little power to influence the council-half of the equation by which success will be measured in the future. Although the single confidence target is very laudable and the reduction in the overall number of targets placed on the police is welcome, it seems inequitable that half of what is measured relates to bodies that the police do not control. The concern must be that what gets measured gets done. Particularly in the parlous financial times that we are facing, there will be significant pressure on local authorities to focus only on targets that they have selected as priorities. Targets that are not a priority are therefore likely to be ignored and little resource or effort will be invested in helping partners to deliver targets that are different. That could clearly have a detrimental effect on policing and on force performance, not necessarily through any fault of individual forces or divisional commanders. My amendment would provide a solution by placing a duty on partner authorities to co-operate with the police in delivering the single confidence target, which is the key strategic priority set by the Home Secretary for policing. This is similar to the duty that partner authorities to local councils, including both police authorities and police forces, are already under to help councils to deliver their local area agreement targets. This seems a proportionate and balanced reciprocal approach to the problem. I beg to move.