Your commissioner Zoë Metcalfe

Your Commissioner Zoë Metcalfe

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Home - News - Commissioner Zoë makes the work of her office more available to the public stating her team of employees provide ‘huge value’

11 September, 2023

Commissioner Zoë makes the work of her office more available to the public stating her team of employees provide ‘huge value’

Front cover - Who we are and what we do
Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Zoë Metcalfe publishes the delivery plan for the Office of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, which maps out the extensive work its employees undertake and how they make a positive difference for the public every day.

Whilst the Commissioner is a politician who is elected by the public, the OPFCC is a non-political impartial organisation, whose purpose is to support the public’s elected Commissioner to deliver what they must do by law (their statutory duties).

The Delivery Plan for 2023-24 sets out the OPFCC’s main roles and responsibilities, its staff structure and planned activity for 2023. It explains the organisation will enhance public confidence, keep people safe and support victims in York and North Yorkshire.

It’s important to note that the OPFCC costs significantly less than the Government benchmark of 1% of the local police fund. The OPFCC is a public service, and in 2023/24 will be primarily paid for using just 0.7% of the Commissioner’s police funding allocation.

The OPFCC is structured as follows: 

Commissioning and Partnerships 

  • Commissioning and Partnership Management: Deliver around £5million worth of services that support victims, perpetrators and those who are most vulnerable in York and North Yorkshire.
  • Offending and Justice: Drive improvement in the criminal justice system and address offending and re-offending
  • Supporting Victims: An in-house team devoted to helping victims cope and recover after crime, whether they have received services from North Yorkshire Police.

Delivery and Assurance 

  • Delivery and Assurance: Focus on supporting the Commissioner to hold the Chief Constable and Chief Fire Officer to account for delivering the police and crime plan and the fire and rescue plan.
  • Business Governance: Provides executive support to the Commissioner and senior managers to ensure the overall running of the organisation and all its business functions, including compliance with legislation and best practice.
  • Fire and Rescue Authority: Ensures that the Fire & Rescue Service is properly governed and held to account.

Public Confidence 

  • Communications and Engagement: Develop multi-media work to raise awareness of how the Commissioner carries out the public’s priorities and how communities can get involved in shaping that work.
  • Customer Service: North Yorkshire’s unique approach to feedback – the only team in the country who handle both police and fire and rescue services complaints and compliments functions – alongside organising, recruiting and supporting the Commissioner’s statutory scrutiny work.
  • Public Confidence and Inclusivity: a brand new function focussing directly on public trust and working closely with Police and Fire to ensure that police and fire services are employees of choice for all and that they meet the needs of the diverse communities of York and North Yorkshire.

Commissioner Zoë said: 

“To be effective as a Police, Fire, and Crime Commissioner, I need to be supported by an organisation that works well and can deliver tangible results for the people of York and North Yorkshire.

“There’s a mountain of hard work that goes on behind the scenes at the OPFCC which helps me to fulfil my statutory duties, to hold Chief Officers to account for the delivery of effective services, ensure that what matters to the public is reflected in local policing and fire and rescue plans, and commission services to support those impacted by crime.

“During my time as Commissioner, the OPFCC has continued to demonstrate its huge value and I hope that by publishing this delivery plan the public can understand how dedicated the organisation is to making a positive difference every day.”

In June this year Commissioner Zoe and the OPFCC team relocated their office to Harrogate Police Station on Beckwith Head Road in Harrogate, whilst continuing to work from other police and fire service buildings. This decision was to ensure that the joint estate is used as efficiently as possible, especially at a time of strain on public resources, and aims to improve collaboration with police and fire services, saving approximately £80,000 a year.

Simon Dennis, Chief Executive of the OPFCC added: 

“A key part of my role as Chief Executive is to ensure that the OPFCC turns the Commissioner’s mandate from the public into reality. I’m immensely proud to lead a team that’s committed to making a positive difference for the public every day.

“Over recent months we’ve reduced our office overheads and restructured our team, ensuring we provide maximum value for money for local taxpayers and better able to deliver for the public.

“Our Delivery Plan shows how we drive improvements in policing and fire services as well as playing our vital role in protecting victims and the most vulnerable – keeping people and businesses in York and North Yorkshire safe and feeling safe.”

The Office of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Delivery Plan titled ‘Who we are and what we do’ can be viewed online at: www.northyorkshire-pfcc.gov.uk/public-delivery-plan

Or downloaded here:  

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