NewcastleGateshead Hilton, 7 September 2007

Councillor Mick Henry, Chair of Northumbria Police Authority

Good morning… I’m Mick Henry, Chair of Northumbria Police Authority, and I’m here to welcome you today to Northumbria Police’s “2020 Vision Conference”.

We’ve a full, interesting and thought-provoking programme this morning and I’m especially pleased that Tony McNulty MP, Minister for Policing, has been able to join us.

The annual conference is one of the highlights of the year.  It’s incredibly important for the Force and the Police Authority to have the opportunity to reflect on what’s happened over the last 12 months – to celebrate success, identify improvements and also to look to the future. 

The long-term future is what this year’s conference is all about.  So I’d like to take just 5 minutes to share my own thoughts and hopes for the years ahead.

I genuinely believe this is an exciting time for us all.
We’ve already come a long way and Northumbria has significantly changed over the last 10 to 15 years.

The performance figures speak for themselves… Northumbria Police has an unrivalled record for reducing crime over the last 15 years, with reported offences falling by 37% between 1992 and the end of March 2007. 

During the most recent financial year, crime fell by 2.2%… with almost 2,900 fewer crimes… and the sanction detection rate rose from 32% in the previous year to 37.5%. The trend continues into this financial year, with a fall of 12.2%. That’s 5,334 fewer crimes between April and the end of July this year. 

This performance is all the more impressive when you consider that the force area covers 2,000 square miles, with a resident population of approximately 1.4 million.  In a typical day, the force receives over four and a half thousand phone calls and deals with over one and a half thousand incidents.

Three areas critical to success are effective protective services, the development of neighbourhood policing… to build trust and confidence in our communities… and improved citizen focus, to provide better, more accessible services and further reduce crime and disorder.  

In Northumbria we’re at our most effective when the authority, the force, our partners and the public work together to tackle crime and anti social behaviour. I’m clear that the achievements over the last years have been made possible by doing just that.

I know that we’ll build on those achievements in the future but we need to recognise that our environment is constantly changing… and the pace of that change is accelerating. For example, 2007 has already brought us the following:

• major changes in The Home Office, with a refocused and stronger role in tackling the threat of terrorism… and a new Ministry of Justice to provide a stronger focus on the criminal justice system and on reducing re-offending
• a new Prime Minister…
• and a new Home Secretary who, is not only the first female, but also the second youngest person to hold the post since Winston Churchill. Both she and the Prime Minister have given a commitment to more local control over policing, underpinned by a new, mature relationship between Government and partners.  The Home Secretary has commented that when services are subject to less direct central control, it allows the professionals much greater flexibility in how they work.

The conclusion of Sir Ronnie Flannighan’s Independent Review of Policing will bring recommendations on reducing bureaucracy and red tape, sustaining and mainstreaming progress on  neighbourhood policing, enhancing local accountability and making best use of resources to deliver on the tough challenges of the coming years.

The Local Government White Paper “Strong and Prosperous Communities” has set out a framework where local authorities have a stronger role in leading their communities, setting local priorities and bringing together services and service providers. In exchange for this, central government expects more accountability to local citizens, strong local leadership… and better and more efficient services.

The White Paper can be clearly linked to the opportunities that have been presented in the recent Sub National Review… and in my role as Chair of the Association of North East Councils, I’m exploring how to use some of the proposals to work more flexibly, to improve outcomes for local people at a local and regional level.

All of these developments bring us new ideas, probably new challenges and… definitely… new opportunities. So it’s important, if we’re to seize these opportunities, that we recognise, nationally, regionally and locally, that we have different, but complementary, roles to play if we’re to build confidence at a local level… and deliver what the public have told us really matters to them.  

From a Police Authority perspective, we have a very clear purpose in making sure Northumbria Police is an excellent, efficient and effective police service… in which all local people have trust and confidence. We’re accountable to the people of Northumbria… and we take our responsibilities very seriously.

We’re proud that Northumbria Police is seen as a modern, fair, cohesive and effective force, which provides good value for money and instils confidence and trust in the communities it serves.

As an authority, we want to continue to add value to the communities we serve and do all in our power to support the Chief Constable and all who work for, and with, Northumbria Police.  Towards that, we aim to:

• develop our knowledge and understanding of the communities in our area
• build on our involvement and input in strategic partnerships, and
• ensure that the police service is as efficient as possible, as we continue to operate in an environment with fewer resources. 

We have bold aspirations for the communities we serve, I think our relationship with the Force is exemplary… and we have productive and effective working relationships with our partners. So, I believe the authority, the force and our partners are in a good position to take on what is expected of us by both The Home Office and by our local communities.

I was delighted that the Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith, chose Northumbria to be the first region she visited following her appointment.

As Chair of the Police Authority, I’d like to stress that we’re very eager, here in Northumbria, to work with the Home Office and the Home Secretary.

For my part I’ll ensure that time will always be made available to meet… and to contribute to taking forward this exciting agenda. Like the Home Secretary, I strongly believe that if local issues are addressed… with local people being part of the solution… then confidence will increase.

I’ll end by saying this…

We’re in a strong position to build on the success of the past. We have strong leadership and a commitment to succeed. We also have the energy and the enthusiasm to tackle the new challenges, and to take absolute advantage of the opportunities the future will bring… to ensure that the maximum effort is put into what matters most to local people.

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