Assurance of staff wellbeing consideration and funding questions at police and crime panel

Staff well-being is a priority for Dyfed-Powys Police as it moves out of the pandemic and the “unprecedented levels of demand” it brought.

Police and Crime Commissioner Dafydd Llywelyn said he had been reassured by temporary Chief Constable Claire Parmenter that staff well-being is “priority” and after the summer he was assured that officers would receive relevant “rest and recuperation periods.”

The panel heard that covid-19 was still having an impact with August 2020’s peak in demand already having been passed in May and June this year, with the force dealing with “unprecedented levels of demand,” said Mr Llywelyn

He sounded a note of caution about funding and potential changes to how it is formulated by UK government and the need for “stability,” during discussions at the Dyfed-Powys Police and Crime Panel on Friday (July 30).

Mr Llywelyn said there was a commissioners’ meeting with the Prime Minister, policing minster and homes secretary recently where emphasis was put on welcoming short term funding increase as well as a “need for longer term planning in terms of financial stability.”

He added that he “would not put money on” the government’s full comprehensive spending review being carried out but there was a risk that changes to funding formula could impact Welsh forces if there was a “corral” of funding opportunities focusing on urban areas.

“For funding for policing in the wider context of public services and loner term aspects we need that sustainability over a period of three or four years,” he added.