Inspectorate publishes report on Police and Community Safety Partnerships

CJI Chief Inspector Brendan McGuigan revealed that a  lack of reliable performance information means it is difficult to assess the overall impact Police and Community Safety Partnerships (PCSPs) are having in Northern Ireland. View Report Page

With average administration costs running on at 43% of the overall funding £5.5m provided annually to PCSPs Mr McGuigan said there was a need for PCSPs to evidence their worth and demonstrate the added value they have brought to local communities if they are to be retained in the future.
 
"With the establishment of a smaller number of larger council areas, there is an opportunity for PCSPs to further evolve and grasp the opportunity created by the introduction of community planning, to introduce greater efficiencies and effectiveness in the delivery of local services."
 
Mr McGuigan acknowledged that amalgamating the functions of the previous District Policing Partnerships and Community Safety Partnerships into a new structure was always going to present a challenge for the Department of Justice, Northern Ireland Policing Board and the District Councils.
 
"Without a strong framework to maximise partnership working among statutory, voluntary and community sector providers, it was inevitable that there would be inconsistency of practice across different Council areas.
 
CJI has made two strategic and nine operational recommendations.  Inspectors have also recommended a performance baseline be introduced against which individual PCSP projects can be assessed and their achievements evaluated over the next four years.