Dear Councillor Wilson,
Thank you for your letter (will open as PDF document) concerning my draft Annual Report for 2025/26, following consideration of the document at the Police and Crime Panel on 25 June.
With regards to the suggestion that future reports include additional headline performance measures and trend data, I do recognise the Panel’s desire to see evidence of outcomes alongside activity. However, as explained, our approach has always been to provide readers with direct access to the OPCC Data Hub, where the full range of performance information is published and updated regularly.
Given the range of available data, I am not supportive of arbitrarily selecting a relatively small number of measures for inclusion within the report itself, not least as this will likely just lead to questions as to why certain indicators have been highlighted over others. As explained to the Panel, my position remains that the Data Hub is the most transparent and comprehensive means of presenting performance information, whilst allowing the Annual Report to focus on explaining the work undertaken during the year.
The Panel’s comments regarding public confidence in policing are similarly noted. Again, measures relating to public confidence, victim satisfaction and wider policing performance are already available through the Data Hub, enabling readers to explore the wider picture rather than relying on a limited number of headline figures within the report.
I also note the suggestion that greater prominence be given to certain achievements within the report. The ambition has been to present a balanced overview across the full range of Police and Crime Plan priorities rather than a ranking of achievements. Different readers may naturally place greater emphasis on different aspects of the OPCC’s work and I am satisfied that the current structure provides a coherent and proportionate account of my team’s activity across the reporting period.
In relation to acknowledging the recent HMICFRS PEEL inspection, the uncertainty surrounding Local Government Reorganisation and the abolishment of PCCs – not least the threat posed to local victim services who rely on OPCC funding – this will be addressed within my foreword.
Once again, thank you for considering the draft document.
Yours sincerely,
Lisa Townsend
Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey