Police & Crime Panel discuss Commissioner’s annual report

Dyfed Powys Police and Crime Panel has raised concerns about road safety, CCTV and drug abuse with the new Commissioner.

Dafydd Llywelyn was questioned by chair Cllr Alun Lloyd Jones and panel members at the latest meeting held at Ceredigion County Hall in Aberaeron.

Their concerns related to the annual report which the Police and Crime Commissioner has a statutory duty to publish.

Although it covered the year from April 2015-March 2016 when the previous Commissioner was in office, Mr Llywelyn, who took up his post on May 12, presented it to the panel.

Members acknowledged that it was the report of his predecessor, however they asked what actions were being taken in areas of particular concern.

Cllr Lloyd Jones said: “I have great concerns over road safety, it is unacceptable the number of deaths and serious injuries on our roads.

“There have been three accidents in as many months on the A487 trunk road which runs through my village, Llanfarian where my house is situated, and indeed the whole length of the A487 trunk road to Cardigan.”

Mr Llywelyn said: “In my first eight weeks in office road safety and speeding are issues which have already been raised with me.

“These matters will be addressed in my annual plan, discussions and engagement with the panel and the communities will be set up as part of the planning.”

The Commissioner was questioned on his plans for CCTV and told the panel he was looking at reinstating and reinvesting in it.

He said he had already met with chief officers and told them it was a priority, a project team would be set up to take it forward.

Drug abuse, rising crime figures in certain areas, response times to 999 and 101 calls, investment in SARC centres and research were also discussed.

The Commissioner said there was a national trend in recorded crime going up, which he had raised with the Chief Constable.

“The crime landscape across Dyfed Powys is changing,” Mr Llywelyn said. “Cyber crime is on the increase and so is sexual crime as more victims are coming forward.

“There is some work for me to do as a Commissioner to explain the complexities of police crime recording.”

The panel, which was set up to support and scrutinise the Police and Crime Commissioner, meets every three months.

Information about the panel, agendas, meeting dates, membership and news is available on the website at www.dppoliceandcrimepanel.org.uk

The meetings are open to the press and public, and with the prior permission of the Chair, people can ask questions or make a statement in relation to a matter being considered by the panel, with the exception of personnel matters.

Questions can also be submitted to the panel either in writing or via the website contact form.