North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Andy Dunbobbin and chief officers from North Wales Police have met to review force performance.

At he Strategic Executive Board meeting on 18 February, chaired by the PCC. Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman provided an update on the recent police efficiency, effectiveness and legitimacy inspection for North Wales Police, conducted by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary Fire and Rescue Services. PEEL inspections assess each police force in England and Wales, giving graded judgments across several core questions.

Three areas graded as requiring improvement are investigating crime, protecting vulnerable people, and leadership and force management.

Examination of these areas included hearing how improvements have been made in terms of training, governance and resourcing. Along with these areas, the PCC heard how the other areas, including Crime Data Integrity – graded as outstanding – are continually being reviewed to ensure services to victims runs as a core theme through every area of policing.

The commissioner also scrutinised the progress of North Wales Police regarding Serious and Organised Crime. This was part of continued scrutiny following a separate HMICFS inspection in November 2023 and included the following areas: ensuring staff understand the importance of tackling emerging threats from SOC, increasing the force’s ability to understand emerging threats and recording good practice to improve performance, training for local policing teams, increased focus on proactivity across North Wales, how the force will work with local partners to further implement the Clear Hold Build initiative to build community resilience, improve confidence and trust in the Police, and make an area a safer place to live, and how data will be used to target offenders and drive prevention.

Mr Dunbobbin said: “I continue to use the Strategic Executive Board to provide me with the opportunity to scrutinise how the Chief Constable is performing in key areas, particularly those in my Police and Crime Plan.

“I know, like me, the public will have been concerned about aspects of the recent PEEL inspection, where in some areas the force was graded as requiring improvement. When the report was published, I said I had no doubt that the Chief Constable was already taking measures to address the issues raised. Therefore, it was only appropriate that I scrutinised her plans to improve performance in the areas identified as requiring improvement. I also received a comprehensive update on the other areas of the PEEL inspection process.

“I was reassured that the Chief Constable, continues to drive forward many workstreams addressing the issues raised. My team and I will continue the analysis of these areas to check progress continues.

“I also scrutinised the force work plan in relation to SOC. This is part of my continued revisiting of this area following the inspection into SOC in 2023. I’ve had several briefings on progress addressing early issues raised and look forward to the re-inspection that will take place by HMICFS shortly. I was satisfied that the force is taking steps to make SOC everyone’s business in tackling serious threats to our communities.”