To receive a verbal update on Police performance from Chief Inspector Paul Ballard, Chelmsford and Maldon District Commander, Essex Police.
Minutes:
Chief Inspector (CI) Paul Ballard, Chelmsford and Maldon District Commander from Essex Police introduced himself.
CI Ballard drew Members’ attention to the Essex Police Performance Summary report, appended to Agenda Item 6 – Maldon District Community Safety Partnership Update. He reminded Members of the current Local Community Policing structure, the policing priorities to reduce crime and highlighted the Force Plan 2024 – 2026. He provided a detailed presentation and highlighted the following areas:
· Quarter 2 (Q2) Public Perception Survey Results
· Maldon Performance Summary – Over a twelve-month period to August 2025, the Maldon District had seen a reduction in all crimes and had the lowest crime statistics in Essex. Over the same period, dwelling burglaries had dropped along with theft of motor vehicles. Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) incidents had also decreased, and this was largely attributed to the effects of the Maldon Town Team and partner agencies who had worked collaboratively to improve community safety and engagement.
· Tackling Community issues – Dedicated Community Safety Engagement officers worked closely with the Tri-Services Officer and the Police in relation to all sorts of public safety areas, fraud awareness, dementia work and fire prevention messages. CI Ballard highlighted some of the work the Maldon Town Team had undertaken in Tolleshunt Knights, Maldon, Burnham-on-Crouch and the surrounding villages.
·
Tackling
Speeding – The local policing team were working hard to
address this, and work included daily speed checks across the
district. The team had recently worked with the Safer Essex Roads
Partnership and Heybridge Primary School to address speeding
concerned in the local area. This work had also involved Year 5
pupils from the local school talking to drivers and CI Ballard
commented on the impact of this and plans to repeat the initiative
with other local schools.
Members were advised of another piece of partnership work with
Maldon District Council regarding dangerous and careless driving
through Bradwell-on-Sea. Over the last six months proactive patrols
and targeted operations had resulted in vehicles being seized and
suspects arrested.
· Community Engagement – The CI highlighted a number of events that the Police had been involved in and the benefit to the District, including a reduction in reports of anti-social behaviour.
· Tackling Rural Crime – The presentation outlined the work of the Rural Engagement Team which included managing unauthorized encampments, hard coursing and poaching, rural community engagement, heritage and wildlife crime, tackling organised agriculture and plant theft and rural road safety.
The Chairperson thanked CI Ballard for his presentation.
Following the update and in response to questions from the Committee, CI Ballard provided the following information:
· Non-crime hate incidents – Essex Police was consistently graded as ‘outstanding’ for its recording and accuracy of crime, and it was noted that recording of such crimes was a requirement that the Government placed on Essex Police. CI Ballard clarified that such incidents wouldn’t appear on enhanced Disclosure and Baring checks and how the recording process had been updated in respect of individuals.
·
Road
collision – CI Ballard agreed that road collision in the
District was of concern. Essex Police
along with other strategic and relevant partners worked alongside
each other as part of the Safer Essex Roads Partnership which
brought them all together to avoid working in insolation, challenge
each other and seek to improve the road safety within Essex. He
referred to ‘Vision Zero’ which was a clear direction
set out by the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner alongside the
Chief Constable to eliminate deaths and serious injuries on Essex
roads by 2040.
The Community Safety Partnership Manager advised that the Council
was looking to bid for some funding from the Safer Essex Roads
Partnership to use in a campaign regarding road safety in the
District. Details of the most appropriate campaign would be
discussed with partners.
The CI explained if the Police had concern regarding a speed limit
on a particular road, they would raise this with the Highways
authority. The Police continued to work closely with Highways
regarding roads felt to be unsafe etc. but he was unable to comment
on the process that Highways would follow regarding amending the
speed limit on a particular road.
· Maldon front office closure – CI Ballard advised that Officers had not seen significant impact or received concerning feedback to back following the closure of the front office at Maldon. Members of the Public can use the phone within the Council’s reception area which would connect them with a member of the local policing team.
· Population numbers – The Essex Police establishment was dictated by funding, including that from Central Government. Numbers are broadly speaking allocated based on a number of factors including the size of population, census data and CI Ballard commented it was a complex mathematical equation. However an increase in population would not automatically equate to an increase in police resources and CI Ballard explained that if there was an increase in crime or a specific incident in an area they would move relevant resources into the District.
· Shoplifting – the Maldon District had seen an increase in this area, and CI Ballard explained the work Essex Police had been doing which resulted in a number of prominent repeat shoplifters being prosecuted. He this action would result in a reduction in shoplifting numbers.
In response to a specific incident raised by a Member, CI Ballard advised that the incident had been reviewed and the Police response provided was based on the information provided at the time the incident was reported.
Members asked that their thanks be passed onto Sergeant Matt Dalby and his policing team for the work they did within the District.