Combating violence against women, anti-social behaviour are the key priorities for North Wales Police in a new three-year crimefighting plan unveiled this week.

North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Andy Dunbobbin has secured approval for his Police and Crime Plan 2025-28, which details how North Wales Police will operate, its key priorities and how it will engage with the community in the coming years.

And the public have had their say, as Mr Dunbobbin conducted a major public consultation to find out what the people of North Wales want from their police service with more than 4,600 people responding.

The priorities have been set out as the Police and Crime Panel approved a higher precept from April that will cost an additional £22.50 a year per household in north Wales.

Pat Astbury, Chair of the North Wales Police and Crime Panel, commented: “The Police and Crime Panel have agreed the Commissioner’s Police Budget for 2025/26 and are mindful of the financial constraints affecting all Council Tax payers in North Wales. However, we believe that the Police Precept remains at a level which supports an effective and efficient police service which gives good value for money.”

On the priorities, one of their key concerns was violence against women and girls.

In the 12 months up to September 2024, North Wales Police figures show the force received 2,500 reports of rape or sexual offences. Just 70 resulted in a charge or summons.

The majority of offences were against women and girls with the most common age group for victims between 11 and 15-years-old.

Mr Dunbobbin acknowledged that while cases can be complex, both himself and North Wales Police needed to do more.

“It’s always been a priority for myself as Police and Crime Commissioner and North Wales Police,” he said. “The rate of attrition, cases which do not make it to charge or trial, needs to improve tremendously.

“You’re looking at four or five percent of cases going to court. Quite a lot of victims are dropping out through that process. There are complex reasons for that, for example often the person is known to the perpetrator. I think if we can keep victims engaged in the process throughout their journey we will see more perpetrators being brought to justice.

“We have a dedicated specialist victim support team in North Wales Police called Amethyst which we believe will be crucial in improving outcomes in these cases. Clearly there is more work to be done.

“We need to improve engagement with victims throughout the process – including making them aware of the Victim’s Code of Practice so that they fully understand our duty of care towards them and feel safe and supported enough to see their case through.”

Under the new plan, Mr Dunbobbin pledged to continue to invest in services that support victims and survivors and work with North Wales Police to better understand the needs of victims.

Anti-social behaviour and County Lines issues will also be a focal point for the next three years. Recent issues in Buckley and Corwen have shown that anti-social behaviour remains a persistent problem.

“When you look at Buckley, there was an operation there which increased foot patrols and established a surgery-style opportunity to speak to an officer in the local library – visibility makes a real difference and it’s important to people.

“Each area is very different. Over in Rhyl there are challenges – which are faced by many traditional seaside resorts, where there has been a decline in tourism and hotels have become houses of multiple occupancy.

“There are even people now moving into places like Rhyl from Merseyside and Manchester who have their own challenges and no intention of contributing to society. They are thinking if they are going to be unemployed, I might as well do it by the sea.

“There we have implemented Operation Renew which has reduced the number of people looking for drugs and that is making a real difference. We are also working with other agencies in Rhyl to help empower people to overcome their own challenges and we are seeing real success there.

“We are also working with the North West Organised Crime Unit to combat County Lines gangs. There’s a lot of covert work involved there that people don’t see to ensure we get the people at the top.

“Serious and organised crime is the root of all these issues, from County Lines to sexual violence, all the key priorities lead back to that so part of our strategy is to work closely with our partners to crack down on that high-level criminal activity.

Another priority within the three-year crime plan is taking on rural crime.

“North Wales is 70% rural,” said Mr Dunbobbin. “People tend to forget that and they also forget that when farmers are victims of crime it is not just their business that is impacted – although that is bad enough – it is their home and their family.

“We’ve got so many generations of proud farmers in North Wales and we cannot afford to do them the disservice of not investing in reducing rural crime, it’s not acceptable.

“So among the measures we are introducing is the ‘Don’t Buy Crime’ programme using smart water to mark farm equipment that is often targeted by thieves and we continue to work with farmers through our Rural Crime Team to come up with innovative ways to protect them.”

The full plan, which can be read at www.northwales-pcc.gov.uk, also prioritises Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Mr Dunbobbin said at a time when some were aiming criticism at equality practices, it was important to defend the principles.

“Policing in the United Kingdom is by consent,” he said. “We are the community but the community has changed over the years and we have to reflect that.

“I was always brought up to treat people as you want to be treated yourself. I think the majority of us agree with that. We need to be as inclusive as we can be. We all have our own faults and positives and we should accept that.

“When we look at South Wales Police where Emma Wools was the first woman of colour to be elected as a Police and Crime Commissioner in Wales last year, we are reflecting society. We should all show respect and empathy for each other and that’s why it has been included in our strategy.”

With the approval of the plan, Mr Dunbobbin will now work with North Wales Police Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman to ensure it is rolled out across the Force area.

“This Police and Crime plan echoes our priorities of being visible in our communities, fighting, preventing and reducing crime, and providing an excellent service to victims,” said Ms Blakeman. “We share the same aim of ensuring that we deal with the issues that matter most to our local communities.

“I look forward to continuing to work with the Commissioner, our local communities and partners to make North Wales the safest place to live, work and visit.”