Chief Constable's Draft Annual Governance Statement 2024 - 2025

Key Governance Arrangements

Behaving with integrity, demonstrating strong commitment to ethical values, and respecting the rule of law

Professional Standards Department (PSD)

2.1    The Constabulary has a collaborated PSD with Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Constabularies. The team cover:

• Anti-Corruption.
• Public Complaints, Conduct and Crime
• Business Management
• Vetting
• PREVENT (a national strategy focussing on safeguarding individuals from radicalisation).
• Operation PROTECT (focussing on enhancing public safety and security through specialist units).
• Death or serious injury investigations.

2.2    In addition, members of the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC)’s office review a sample of case files covering conduct and public complaints monthly and dip sample files that relate to topical issues to ensure that all are being dealt with in an acceptable way and that any lessons learnt are taken forward by the Constabulary. Any concerns that are identified are raised with Chief Officers and / or Senior Leaders of the PSD.  

2.4    The Head of PSD reports into the BCH Deputy Chief Constables (DCCs) Collaboration Board. Each of the three forces’ DCCs attends and provide governance and direction as needed.

2.5   Additionally to this, the Head of PSD is held to account quarterly within the PSD Strategic Scrutiny Board which has attendance from the Office of the PCC for BCH, Senior BCH HR representatives, workforce leads from forces and Independent Panel Members as appropriate who attend and partake in PSD tactical scrutiny panels and offer a view from the communities we serve.

2.6   The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) Learning the Lessons reports, together with local Learning the Lessons reports are reviewed as part of the business of the PSD Strategic Scrutiny Board. The Head of PSD attends quarterly IOPC oversight meetings where any IOPC concerns, or promising practice are shared.

2.7    The PSD has an Annual Control Strategy that has been designed to consider demand from the perspective of professional standards, covering the three areas:

• Strategic priorities.
• Intelligence requirements.
• Educational priorities.

The Strategy is reviewed and updated on an annual basis.

2.8    The PSD’s internal website gives a range of methods that employees may use to contact them, including options for confidential and anonymous reporting. All allegations made are investigated by the PSD or the IOPC, depending on the severity of the issue raised. The public can also report through two external reporting mechanisms: either via Crimestoppers, or through integrity lines for matters relating to officer conduct.

2.9    In the last year, PSD have completed a business planning process which had a target of delivering £411k of savings. A detailed plan was signed off as to how these would be achieved in 2025/26 and the BCH PSD S22 agreement (collaborative agreement) has been refreshed for good governance. BCH PSD is still able to identify and manage risk and focus on change delivery. Specifically, this looked at significant legal changes in the last year including misconduct processes, vetting codes of practice, vetting authorised professional practice (APP) and new regulations expected in 2025. This is a significant challenge and a focus for 2025/26. Two transformation programmes were completed in 2024/25 relating to Public Complaints and Misconduct Hearings. Both delivered on or ahead of time and released significant cashable savings. In relation to misconduct hearings this also improved public transparency. BCH PSD no longer use external hearings venue’s which represents a significant saving.

 

Complaints

2.10  The Constabulary’s website explains how a member of the public can make a complaint including through an online complaints form or by phone. All complaints are logged and tracked by the Complaints Resolution Team, with serious complaints forwarded to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). If the content of the complaint raised is suitable for a complaint handler to deal with and give a reasonable and proportionate response to the complainant, the local complaint process is engaged and followed.

2.11  Should the member of the public not be satisfied with the outcome of their complaint or the way it was handled, they have the right to request that their complaint be reviewed either by PCC or IOPC in serious cases.

2.12  PSD investigates complaints made by members of the public that have been evaluated as sufficiently serious to warrant a formal investigation and the IOPC continues to investigate the most serious complaints and sensitive incidents and allegations involving the police.
Constabulary Complaints Web Page

 

Our Culture

2.13  The Constabulary has a Culture Statement and has invested heavily in Leadership and Cultural Workshops for all first line supervisors and an innovative programme for Chief Inspectors and Police Staff equivalent. In addition, the Constabulary has embraced the revised Code of Ethics and a number of targeted messages have been delivered, led by the Chief Constable.  

2.14 The key components of the Cambridgeshire Constabulary Culture statement, which is contained within the Constabulary Corporate Plan are detailed below:

• Cambridgeshire Constabulary is committed to creating an inclusive working environment where everyone is valued for who they are and what they bring to policing.
• We recognise that diverse perspectives are the best way of solving many of the complex issues facing us today, and to achieve this, we must ensure all voices are respected and heard. We are a progressive organisation where innovation and enterprise are encouraged, and people feel empowered to make a difference.
• We are continually seeking ways to learn and grow and influence positive change beyond our force boundaries. We recognise the importance of continually investing in our people and ensuring they have the right support in place to flourish.
• We know that by doing this, everyone will feel part of the team and happy in the workplace, which is crucial for our organisation to thrive.
• Through our culture, we aim to build trust and confidence in one another, and our communities and we will achieve this by ensuring our behaviours reflect our force values of Fairness, Integrity, Diligence, and Impartiality to deliver a first-class service to the people of Cambridgeshire.
  
  Corporate Plan 2024-2025

2.20  There is an extensive cultural programme of activity to ensure delivery against the Force Culture Statement. Specific examples of note which have been included in NPCC (National Police Chief’s Council) National Police Culture & Inclusion Strategy 2025 – 2030 Innovative Practice include:

• Cambridgeshire Constabulary Ethicards. This initiative is a first for policing with the aim of getting Ethics out of the classroom and embedded into everyday thinking and behaviour through a range of activities. The cards and App are designed to initiate Ethical discussions to socialise what ‘good’ looks like and help embed The College of Policing Code of Ethics into organisational culture.
• Stepping Up Programme to support progression of staff into 1st and 2nd line supervisory position.
• 5 Day Leadership & Culture Workshop for all 1st and 2nd line supervisors. 
• Partnership Cultural Awareness Training including to support delivery against the Police Race Action Plan.

 

Equality Objectives

2.21 The Constabulary Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) statement of intent is part of the Corporate plan: Corporate Plan 2024-2025

2.22 The plan’s Equality Objectives state that Constabulary will:

• Achieve a positive shift in our workplace culture where people, no matter their background and circumstances, feel confident to disclose their protected characteristics
• Attract, engage, develop, and retain a workforce that is representative of the communities it serves
• Understand our communities by developing effective engagement strategies that enable interaction with diverse groups, fostering strong relations that build trust and confidence
• Work with our partners to implement strategies to explain, where necessary reduce, and where possible eliminate disparity and enhance public service
• Understand the impact of our policies and practices on people with different protected characteristics by conducting equality analysis and take steps to identify and address disproportionality.

Cambridgeshire Constabulary will adopt the approach of the NPCC Diversity, Equality and Inclusion Strategy 2018-2025 and accompanying toolkits: Our Organisation, Our Communities and Our Partners, to inform activity within the Ethics, Diversity, Equality and Inclusion Delivery Plan, and support delivery against the equality objectives.

2.23 The Deputy Chief Constable is the EDI Chief Officer lead and the Head of People and Professionalism is the Strategic Lead.

2.24 Delivery against the EDI statement of intent is managed via bi-monthly EDI Strategic and Tactical Boards / Meeting supported by Force EDI Delivery Plan detailing a range of activity.

 

Ethics and Equality

2.25 The Constabulary continues to participate in Ethics Panels.  These include both meetings with internal representation and external panels with a broader representation from the workforce and public, meeting at intervals to discuss ethical dilemmas. Outputs are reported through the Ethics, Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion (EDEI) Strategic meeting who meet bi-monthly.

2.26 The Constabulary has developed and continues to deliver a Leadership and Culture workshop for all 1st and 2nd line managers to further develop understanding of the organisational Culture, Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion, with considerable focus on awareness and support for their own wellbeing and that of their teams. The Leadership and Culture workshop was subject to a 12-month evaluation at the Strategic Workforce Planning meeting in February 2024 and delivery is now anticipated monthly until December 2025. This is likely to reduce to less frequent delivery after December 2025.

2.27 In March 2024, HMICFRS published the results of their PEEL inspection of Cambridgeshire Constabulary. The report gave an Outstanding grading around police powers and treating the public fairly and respectfully, highlighting innovative practice used by the Constabulary to promote its community scrutiny panel and recruit new members. Cambridgeshire is the only force to achieve such a grade in this question set.
Cambridgeshire PEEL Assessment 2023–2025 - His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (justiceinspectorates.gov.uk)

 

Corporate Plan

2.28 The Constabulary refreshes its Corporate Plan annually, setting out the Force’s mission, vision, and values for the forthcoming year. The Corporate Plan for 2024/25 set out the Constabulary’s operational and organisational priorities, and cultural values of all officers and staff, who are to work together to deliver an inclusive and professional policing service based on the values of:

• Fairness
• Integrity
• Diligence; and
• Impartiality      

2.29 The Corporate Plan also includes statements of intent covering culture, violence against women and girls, ethics, diversity, equality and inclusion, the Harm to Hope Drug Strategy, and the One More Step prevention strategy.

 

Financial Regulations

2.30  Financial Regulations (including 7 Force Contract Standing Orders) are in place which were jointly agreed with Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire (Cambridgeshire’s collaborative partners known as BCH) and were last reviewed in February 2025. Financial Regulations

 

Legal Services

2.31  The Constabulary has an in-house Legal Department led by a qualified lawyer in the Head of Legal role, with a further two qualified lawyers posts in the Department, one of which is being recruited to. The Department also has a full-time legal assistant and three part-time paralegals equating to two full-time equivalents. The Head of Legal role became vacant early in 2024 and an acting up arrangement has been put in place to maintain the required governance and professional advice in this area. The post has now been recruited to permanently. The purpose of the in-house team is to provide the Constabulary with its own dedicated legal function bringing capacity and expertise that the Constabulary can draw on directly. Contracted external legal advice continues to be secured when required to assist with or handle specific matters.

 

3. Ensuring openness and comprehensive stakeholder engagement

Communications Strategy

3.1    The aim of the Communications Strategy for 2024-26 is to build confidence and trust across our workforce, our partners and the people who live and work in Cambridgeshire, by increasing our visibility and presence through a range of communications and engagement tactics. The Strategy sets the deliverables, enablers and resources needed alongside the tactics which are a range of delivery plans across all force business areas to ensure a regular, consistent, and professional approach to communications with the public and our partners.

3.2    A communications report is produced on a quarterly basis and taken to both the Force Executive Board (FEB) and Business Coordination Board (BCB). The report covers outputs and outcomes against the communications objectives:

• Support the force vision, mission, values and culture through communications opportunities and channels.
• Support the strategic priorities of the organisation with communications, being mindful of the Police and Crime Plan.
• Support the organisation in channel shift to assist in the management and reduction of demand.
• Increase visibility of policing across the force.
• Improve internal communications and engagement.

3.3    The Constabulary are held to account by the PCC, including through the BCB. The Constabulary provides quarterly reports to the BCB in respect of operational performance, financial performance and planning, developments, plans, and initiatives being delivered through the collaborated arrangements and key decisions that the Constabulary require from the PCC in respect of its operational requirements.

 

Community Engagement

3.4    The Neighbourhood Guarantee and Constabulary’s Trust, Legitimacy and Confidence project have both provided opportunity reflect and review our engagement strategy.  Most recently we have revisited how we hear voices of victims within our engagement processes, using AI to make use of data from a wider source of public contact and feed back to understand what communities need.

3.5    A Chief Inspector now leads on our tactical delivery of engagement which reports into our NHP Steering Group. A tactical plan drives activity and ensures consistency in delivery across all neighbourhood teams.

• A framework within the tactical plan ensures our engagement cycle moves sufficiently to reflect emerging concern and feedback, and regular information to communities.
• Our plan includes performance measures and management information to help teams confidently understand gaps in community engagement (demographic, social, economic etc).
• A suite of options is provided in the framework, allowing flexibility to suit communities. Face to face engagement is prioritised, however many communities prefer digital and online consultation. A range of video, written reports and narrative content is created to suit a range of need from our communities.
• Communications officers are embedded within neighbourhood team to ensure we maximise use of social and traditional media.

 

Business Planning

4.1    The Cambridgeshire Strategic Threat Risk Assessment (CamSTRA) is used to understand the current and future services and demand for the Constabulary, mapped against the current resources, to determine what the future resource requirement may need to be. The financial returns made as part of the CamSTRA process enable the Constabulary to start its annual budget planning and Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) refresh. The two processes are interdependent, and the approach adopted by the Constabulary has allowed for a balanced budget in 2025/26 in a tightening financial environment. Budget savings for future years from 2026/27 must be found and the CamSTRA will support the MTFS. Whilst budget gaps remain in future years the Constabulary’s Medium Term Financial Planning processes were assessed by Internal Audit within 2024/25 who issued a substantial assurance audit opinion.

4.2    The CamSTRA also provides a great foundation to understanding and plotting new future demand in policing. It also allows more horizon scanning and strategic thinking on workforce planning in societal changes, such as generational diversity and associated themes in terms of attraction, retention, and attrition in the workplace. Environmentally, the CamSTRA has weaved within its operational requirement template questions which naturally collect responses associated with future environment issues, and this also interlocks with the Enterprise Strategy in terms of innovations and designs.

4.3 In agreement with HMICFRS, the CamSTRA report is being used to meet the requirements of the Force Management Statement (FMS) endorsing the Constabulary’s approach to strategic planning and assessment creating a single product that delivers business planning and FMS requirements.

 

4.4    The CamSTRA process, as a sound and transparent business planning tool, provides the principled platform for open and altruistic discussions between senior leaders. All are asked to ‘rub out the lines’ in their business areas and consider the operational requirements of the force as one single concern.

4.5    It has changed the culture and mindset of senior leaders, which in turn has been cascaded down to the workforce when considering the needs of the force. It has meant that instead of silo views of resourcing requirements, there is now a collegiate approach, which in turn instils more confidence in the services delivered for the communities of Cambridgeshire and gives a good basis to ensure value for money can be articulated and the force held accountable for the public purse that it holds. This is increasingly more important in the current financial climate where budget savings are a priority to secure a sustainable business model for the future.

 

Collaboration

4.6    The key purpose and benefit of collaboration is to secure more efficient and/or effective services where they can be provided jointly. The drawing together of collective views, ideas and knowledge sharing helps us all to improve and deliver key requirements.

4.7   Collaborations with Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire (BCH) are key in delivering the Constabulary priorities (organisational and operational) as set out in the Corporate Plan ranging from partnership and resources through to specific specialist policing areas, e.g. armed policing, roads policing, major crime, and professional standards.

4.8    Collaborated services are provided to the parties through a host force model with daily line management via a single structure and decisions with regards to service delivery being made collaboratively at DCC level. By sharing resources across each force, the collaboration can drive economies of scale and make best use of available resources across the partners.

4.9    The supporting structure allows each Chief Constable and PCC to have oversight and fulfil their responsibilities through:

• Strategic Alliance Summit meetings (quarterly) which is responsible for setting the strategic direction and enables oversight and holding to account by the Commissioners.
• Joint Chief Officers Board (JCOB) (monthly) which has operational strategic oversight focusing on the accountability for the effective governance for the collaborative arrangements, performance, and strategic risk.
• Deputy Chief Constable Collaboration Board which is a monthly meeting with an escalation route into JCOB. It ensures the effective delivery of collaborated services and has decision-making capability.
• Assistant Chief Officer (ACO) and Director-led Functional Boards that ensure the effective and efficient delivery of the services within their remit.

4.10  Collaboration at a 7 Force level includes procurement through Commercial Services. Operational Management is over seen by the Commercial Executive Board chaired by an ACO, currently from Hertfordshire. There is also a Strategic Procurement Governance Board chaired by a PCC, currently Suffolk, which reports to the Eastern Region Summit Meeting to ensure all corporations sole are informed of activities. These meetings also have reporting from and oversight over the Eastern Regional Special Operations Unit (ERSOU) for which Bedfordshire is the lead Force.

 

Value for Money (VfM)

4.11  The Senior Leadership Team (SLT) meeting continues to review VfM arrangements on a 6 monthly basis with key updates on major projects provided by the Change Team. VfM is also considered and tested in other ways such as Project Board meetings (Milton Police Station and the Monks Wood Operational Support Unit training facility) and the Change Board as ideas and proposals progress through governance. The Finance team has also undertaken a benchmarking exercise on the latest VfM Profiles published by HMICFRS which will be used to inform the 2026/27 MTFS refresh.

4.12  The Project Management Framework is now embedded and projects tracked accordingly.

4.13  Two different sets of external auditors have reviewed and reported on the arrangements in place for VfM in the Constabulary – BDO as part of the audit backlog for the 2021/22 and 2022/23 financial years and KPMG as the current auditor for 2023/24. Neither BDO nor KPMG for the years they audited had any adverse opinions or conclusions in respect of the Constabulary’s VfM arrangements. An extract from KPMG’s year end report published for the Joint Audit Committee in February 2025 set out the outcomes from their work as follows:

Domain	Risk Assessment	Summary of arrangements
Financial sustainability	No significant risks identified	No significant weaknesses identified
Governance	No significant risks identified	No significant weaknesses identified
Improving economy, efficiency and effectiveness	No significant risks identified	No significant weaknesses identified

 

Sustainability

4.14  The Constabulary has developed a Sustainability Strategy which was approved through the PCC’s Business Coordination Board in May 2022, with activity around the themes of: Estates and Property, Fleet and Transport, People and Behaviour, Procurement and the Supply Chain and Offsetting.

https://www.cambridgeshire-pcc.gov.uk/what-we-do/meetings/business-coordination-board-bcb/2022-board/bcb---26-may/

4.15  Underpinning the Strategy, transition plans for Estates and Fleet have been established which include short, medium, and long-term actions towards becoming carbon neutral. Fleet actions are tracked at the Fleet Governance Group. Estate actions are tracked through various Project Boards and as part of estates management.

https://www.cambridgeshire-pcc.gov.uk/what-we-do/meetings/business-coordination-board-bcb/2023-board/bcb---19-january/

4.16 The Constabulary has continued to support the Chiltern Transport Consortium (CTC) review of fleet transition arrangements during 2024/25. An EV pilot was started in December 2023 which continued into 2024/25 bringing 12 fully electric admin vehicles on to the fleet for teams based at Copse Court. An evaluation report of the pilot was produced in 2024 concluding that the pilot was a success and setting out options to progress the further roll out of EVs across the force. The plans for a wider roll out will be developed during 2025/26. The Constabulary also participated in a hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO) trial run by Huntingdonshire District Council (HDC) for a short period of time. This enable a marked response car to be tested using the HVO fuel, producing minimal / no carbon emissions. Again, this proved a successful trial, and further work will be considered with HDC for a more permanent arrangement.

4.17 Work has progressed on the built estate to introduce LED lighting and of note the feasibility of a solar farm on the surplus land at the Headquarters has made significant progress. This project has been progressed with the support of 7 Force Commercial Services and the Eastern Region Net Zero Hub given the technical nature of the proposal. The work has concluded that a solar farm is feasible and would enable self-generated supply of electricity to the HQ site. The project is in the planned capital programme although more recently the NHS / Hinchingbrooke Hospital are requesting access to / use of the land which remains under consideration. As an alternative a solar canopy over the car park at HQ is also part of the consideration.

 

5. Determining the interventions necessary to optimise the achievement of the intended outcomes

5.1    A Medium-Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) is in place. For 2024/25 this was presented to the Police and Crime Panel in January 2024 when the Panel received the plan covering the period 2024/25 to 2027/28. The financial plan supports the achievement of the objectives within the Police and Crime Plan and the Constabulary Corporate Plan.

Agenda for Cambridgeshire Police and Crime Panel on Wednesday 31st January, 2024, 1.30 pm | Peterborough City Council

5.2    The Corporate Plan sets out the Constabulary’s priorities and success measures based on qualitative assessment supported by numerical indicators, the CamSTRA and annual strategic assessment. The Constabulary monitors financial and operational performance through the governance structure with a clear distinction of responsibilities at operational and strategic levels through Force Performance Meetings and the Force Executive Board. There is onward reporting to the Commissioner’s Business Coordination Board where the Commissioner holds the Constabulary to account for performance.

 

6. Developing the entity's capacity, including the capability of its leadership and the individuals within it

Human Resources

6.1    Human Resources policies have been established by the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire collaborated HR department. This includes the end of year performance development review (PDR) process. Regular conversations take place between individuals and managers to ensure oversight of wellbeing, to guide and support in the achievement of work-based objectives and to support personal and professional development. Integrity Health Checks are a mandatory requirement for all officers and staff and processes to monitor and ensure compliance have been instigated by PSD.

6.2    Strategic people issues for BCH are overseen by the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) who consider HR policy and people issues. This Team has an escalation route into the DCC Collaboration Board and the JCOB if required.

 

Workforce Planning

6.3    The Strategic Workforce Planning Board chaired by the DCC, meets monthly and takes a medium to long term overview of resource planning to ensure effective succession planning, and that the force has the right skills and capabilities to meet future needs. The Board is a discussion and decision forum, reporting to the Force Executive Board.

6.4    There is also an Operational Workforce Planning Board chaired by an ACC that enacts and provides recorded governance for tactical and operational movement across the force. This board reports directly into Strategic Workforce Planning Board on all matters within its remit.

6.5    The Workforce Plan is agreed with the Constabulary and HR and training teams to ensure we have the right recruitment plan and training delivery plans in place to meet establishment numbers. This includes a focus on the maintenance of establishment levels, which for 2024/25 was 1,732 Police Officers and this has been met and exceeded by 17 people over for maintenance.

6.6    The Constabulary has a clear understanding of current and future demand, and the resources required to meet that demand. This is obtained through the data collection and analysis processes that support the Force Management Statement (FMS) which included the Constabulary’s business planning process, the CamSTRA, to inform financial and workforce planning.

 

Training and Development

6.7    The Constabulary manages requirements for training and development via an annual Learning Needs Assessment which seeks to capture requirements and assesses and allocates these on a priority/risk basis against a BCH external training budget and internal training resources.

6.8    Throughout the year emerging learning needs are managed and prioritised by means of tactical and strategic Operational Learning Prioritisation Group governance boards.

6.9    BCH has implemented the new entry routes for police officers under the umbrella of the Policing Education Qualifications Framework (PEQF). This has entailed the launch of a Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship Programme and a Degree Holder Entry Programme working in partnership with Anglia Ruskin University. The Police Constable Entry Programme (PCEP) is now in place and there is a demand for a Detective variant option.

 

Wellbeing

6.10  Wellbeing Strategy & Objectives 2023-2025

The Constabulary have set strategic objectives which are monitored through the force governance structure:

• Continued development and promotion of an organisational health and wellbeing culture that embraces prevention, early intervention, and support for individuals,
• Improved awareness and reduced perceived stigma in respect of stress, mental health, menopause, neurodiversity.
• Developing emotional intelligence for greater self-awareness to enable officers and staff to deal with increased demand and pressures of today’s policing environment
• Enhance and expand the Peer Support network (Oscar Kilo Peer Support) and ensure effective sharing of information, innovation, and best practice.
• To increase awareness of wellbeing support and tools available to ensure a welfare and wellbeing focused culture that embraces prevention, early intervention, and support for people. This includes physical and mental health as well as the broader concept of wellbeing which enables individuals to realise their potential and make a positive contribution to the workforce. 

6.11 The Constabulary aligns to the National Police Wellbeing Service (Oscar Kilo) and is committed to continually developing and expanding our Peer Support network, with training provided by Oscar Kilo. We currently have 61 trained Peer Supporters in Cambridgeshire with representative membership from staff and officers, across the force and is inclusive of special constables, police service volunteers, and the Chaplaincy team.

6.12 The Constabulary Wellbeing Tactical Delivery Plan is influenced by the Police Blue Light Wellbeing Framework (BLWF), HMICFRS inspection outcomes, local data as well as anecdotal feedback gathered by our Health & Wellbeing Coordinator or Staff Inclusion Networks. There is a quarterly force Wellbeing Tactical Group which monitors our wellbeing delivery against the strategy, chaired by the Tactical Wellbeing lead.

 

7. Managing risks and performance through robust internal control and strong public financial management

Risk Management

7.1    The Corporate Risk Register (CRR) is held on the 4Risk system with a review process monitored by the Risk Controller, who reports to the Risk Review Board (RRB) chaired by the Deputy Chief Constable. The RRBchallenges risk owners on their actions and other mitigationstomanagetheirrisks.TheRRBreportsbyexceptionthrough the governance structure with a copy of the CRR to the Joint Audit Committee.

7.2    Local arrangements are in place with Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire for their portfolios ensuring there is management of risk within and across the collaborated functions. A BCH Collaboration Strategic risk register is in place and reported to the JCOB quarterly.

7.3    The collective approach to management of risk across BCH includes the work of the Information Management Unit which actively works on information and data protection for the forces. The joint approach to ensuring accessibility of reports and information is another example.

7.4    The Constabulary also has a Fraud Risk Register that is kept up to date and reviewed regularly by the Finance team and periodically at the Risk Review Board.

 

Financial Performance

7.5    Financial performance against the revenue and capital budgets, as well as treasury activity and reserves has been monitored throughout the year with regular reports to the Force Executive Board and then on to the Business Coordination Board. The Constabulary and OPCC CFOs have instigated quarterly treasury management meetings to more fully review these activities since the Constabulary is increasing borrowing levels to fund necessary capital investments.

7.6    Other key internal controls are also in place which include the Financial Regulations (including 7 Force Contract Standing Orders), both of which set out clear levels of delegated responsibility to certain officers and level of staff.
Financial Regulations

 

Performance Management

7.7    The Constabulary has clear responsibilities within the governance structure for operational and strategic performance management.

7.8   The Force Operations Board, chaired by an ACC, determines the operational approach adopted by the force. It will achieve this by reviewing NPCC advice, guidance and policies alongside relevant legislation and the approach taken in neighbouring forces, to enable the force to be proactive in its approach to achieving best practice.

7.9 The Force Performance Board, chaired by the DCC, maintains ownership and drives and supports aspects of strategic operational policing performance. Its responsibilities include to scrutinise and outline key performance risk and issues and drive performance forward from information provided from across the force.

7.10 The Change Board, chaired by the DCC will drive, support, and maintain an overview of organisational change, ensuring the force is effectively identifying and responding to national, regional, and local risks and opportunities, to ensure delivery of an efficient and effective service. Incorporating organisational learning and promoting presentations of innovation and ideas from across the organisation regardless of rank or role to ensure Cambridgeshire Constabulary cast the widest net to improve services to the public.

7.11 The Change Board has delegated authority from the Force Executive Board to deliver all change and continuous improvement for the force. This includes wholesale innovations and commissions, plus Enterprise Strategy strands and the delivery against each.

7.12 The Constabulary holds numerous tactical business meetings to drive performance, scrutiny, accountability, and improvement throughout the various workstreams. These currently include the Neighbourhood Policing Steering Group; Response Policing Steering Group; Victim and Witness Group; Ethics, Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion Tactical Meeting.

7.13 The Constabulary has also implemented the Accommodation Board which is chaired by an ACC. The Accommodation Board's purpose is to unite key stakeholders to make informed decisions on accommodation and space changes, balancing short-term needs with long-term planning. It ensures alignment with the Force Sustainability Strategy, prioritises staff wellbeing, and promotes a smaller, greener estate. Additionally, it establishes a governance structure that considers all user needs over the short, medium, and long term.

 

8. Implementing good practices in transparency, reporting, and audit to deliver effective accountability

8.1    Information in relation to salaries, business interests, Force Management Statement, annual accounts, and performance data is published on the websites. The Constabulary complies with the statutory public inspection period for the annual accounts on an annual basis.

8.2    There is a Joint Audit Committee (JAC) that operates within the guidance issued by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) and the Home Office Financial Management Code of Practice. The minutes and papers of the JAC are published on the Commissioners website.

https://www.cambridgeshire-pcc.gov.uk/what-we-do/meetings/joint-audit-committee/

8.3    The Business Coordination Board is a joint governance forum of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough and the Chief Constable for Cambridgeshire Constabulary and their respective Officers. This meeting is one of the means whereby the Commissioner holds the Chief Constable to account for the performance of the Constabulary. Meetings scrutinise, support, and challenge the overall performance of the Force including against the priorities agreed within the Plan.

Cambridgeshire PCC - Business Coordination Board (BCB)

8.4    The Chief Constable and the Chief Finance Officer & Director of Resources attend meetings of the Cambridgeshire Police and Crime Panel when required which are public meetings and are published.

Browse meetings - Cambridgeshire Police and Crime Panel | Peterborough City Council

8.5    The Constabulary cooperates with external inspection for example Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS), statutory external audit, and has an externally contracted Internal Audit function.

8.6    The Constabulary has a publication scheme available on the website setting out what information will be published and how it would be available together with how to make freedom of information requests.

Cambridgeshire Constabulary - Accessing information

 

9. Review of effectiveness

People and Professionalism Department

9.1     There is a team of dedicated resources, including a Chief Superintendent, which acts as    an organisational consciousness for the people and the business this includes recruitment, retention and development of the workforce, and coordination and management of all inspection activity including HMICFRS, business planning cycle (CamSTRA), and change research and innovation.

This aims to continually enhance effectiveness of the Constabulary’s approach to the development of a professional and inclusive organisation that continually improves; operating in line with the public’s needs and expectations, strengthening the approach to organisational priority of “People”; bringing together stakeholders and transforming the continuous development and support that the workforce receives and ensuring the organisation’s long-term effectiveness is future-proofed by investing significantly in the initial development of new staff during a period of change to the skills and experience mix of the Force and ensures a sustainable business operating model.

9.2   The department ensures there is an effective infrastructure in place to support delivery     against the Force corporate plan through key workstreams:

• Ethics, Diversity, Equality & Inclusion (EDEI) including Positive Action.
• Heath & Wellbeing.
• Development of the force through upskilling staff and influencing policy and decision making through organisational experience and learning Talent Management.
• Culture Programme of Activity.
• International Workings.
• Continuous Professional Development across the Constabulary.
• Succession Planning.
• Learning Needs Assessment.
• Leadership Training Programmes.
• Recruitment, maintenance, and uplift of officer numbers.
• PSD and HR liaison with clear focus on learning and continuous improvement.

Business Assurance Meeting (BAM)

9.3    The purpose of the Business Assurance Meeting (BAM) is to drive, support and maintain accountability and delivery of the force key strategic areas for improvement, recommendations, and action plans. The BAM will ensure progress is evidenced to demonstrate the delivery of an efficient and effective service and acts as assurance against Inspectorate recommendations.

 

The Joint Audit Committee (JAC)

9.4    The JAC undertakes the core functions of an audit committee in accordance with the guidance set out in the CIPFA publication ‘Audit Committees – Practical Guidance for Local Authorities and Police’. During 2024/25 the OPCC and Constabulary recruited a new Chair of the JAC who will take over as chair in 2025/26 when the current Chair’s term has concluded.

9.5    The Joint Audit Committee plays a pivotal role in the system of internal control through its oversight of audit arrangements. The Committee approves the external audit plan and receives the annual audit letter from the external auditor. The Committee also considers the annual internal audit plan, receives regular internal audit reports, and monitors management performance against agreed action plans to address any areas for improvement identified. In addition, the Committee oversees progress on risk management and related issues.

- Cambridgeshire PCC - Joint Audit Committee

Internal Audit

9.6    Internal audit provided an independent opinion on the adequacy and effectiveness of the system of internal control, stating that the organisation has an adequate and effective framework for risk management, governance, and internal control. However, their work identified further enhancements to the framework of risk management, governance, and internal control to ensure it remains adequate and effective.

9.7    Internal audit issued four audit reports for Cambridgeshire as a specific force during 2024/25, two with substantial assurance and two with reasonable assurance.

9.8    Internal Audit also undertook audits in relation to the BCH collaborated activity and issued one substantial assurance report, two reasonable assurance reports and one report with a split opinion (BCH Accounting Support - substantial assurance and BCH Planning Processes - partial assurance) report.  A minimal assurance report relating to the Innovation Framework was issue. Management actions have been agreed to address all issues identified within the reports and both the partial and minimal assurance opinion reports will be followed up in 2025/26.

9.9    Internal Audit also performs an annual follow up of agreed management actions where it was identified that Reasonable Progress had been made in implementing agreed actions, and the Constabulary and OPCC also track the completion of management actions.

9.10  RSM UK Risk Assurance Services LLP has co-ordinated the first draft of this Annual Governance Statement, with assistance from senior officers and staff in the OPCC and Constabulary.

External Audit [Drafting Note – to be updated on completion of the 2024/25 audit]

9.11 The external audit opinions in recent years have been impacted by the national audit backlog. The capacity of the previous external auditors meant that the financial statements for 2021/22 and 2022/23 were not fully audited and received a disclaimed opinion. The impact of this has meant that KPMG, the current auditors were not able to obtain assurance over the prior year accounts.

9.12 The 2023/24 audit of the accounts were concluded with a disclaimed opinion as a result and through no fault of the Constabulary. A consideration of the arrangements in place to secure value for money was also undertaken by KPMG for 2023/24, which assessed there to be no significant risks or weaknesses in the Constabulary’s arrangements for securing economy, efficiency, and effectiveness in the use of resources.

 

HMICFRS

9.13  The Constabulary response to Recommendations and Areas for Improvement as directed by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services are managed by the Governance and Inspection Team within the Organisational Improvement Centre. These are tracked through the Business Assurance Meeting.

9.14 The last PEEL report was issued by HMICFRS in March 2024 and covered nine areas of which one is not graded. Of the eight, one was graded as outstanding, two as good and two as adequate. Leadership and force management were graded as requires improvement and the areas responding to the public and managing offenders were graded as inadequate. The Constabulary progress against addressing the issues raised by the PEEL report are detailed in section 10 below. Cambridgeshire PEEL Assessment 2023–2025 - His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services

 

10. SIGNIFICANT GOVERNANCE ISSUES

A summary of how the significant issues identified in the 2023/24 Annual Governance Statement have been managed

 

As stated in 2023 / 24	Current position and new issues
The audit of the 2021/22 and 2022/23 accounts have not yet been started by the external auditor (BDO) and there are no plans to audit the financial statements for these financial years. Current expectations are that BDO will undertake value for money work in relation to 2021/22 and 2022/23 reporting to the Joint Audit Committee (JAC) in 2024/25 as part of the audit reset proposals. This is subject however to the final position following consultation by government and the National Audit Office (NAO) on the matter.	The external audit opinions in recent years have been impacted by the national audit backlog. The capacity of the previous external auditors meant that the financial statements for 2021/22 and 2022/23 were not fully audited and received a disclaimed opinion. The impact of this has meant that KPMG, the current auditors were not able to obtain assurance over the prior year accounts.
In respect of the accounts for 2023/24 these will be audited as normal during 2024 by the newly appointed external auditors KPMG. This will again be after the statutory deadlines but will be in line with revised deadlines as set by government and professional bodies as part of the audit reset arrangements. Due to the historic issues, which are outside the control of the Constabulary, it is expected that a modified opinion on the annual accounts will be issued for the 2023/24 accounts due to their being no audit opinion relating to the prior year and opening balances for 2023/24	The 2023/24 audit of the accounts were concluded with a disclaimed opinion as a result and through no fault of the Constabulary. A consideration of the arrangements in place to secure value for money was also undertaken by KPMG for 2023/24, which assessed there to be no significant risks or weaknesses in the Constabulary’s arrangements for securing economy, efficiency, and effectiveness in the use of resources. Whilst the external audits are now up to date, it is likely to be at least two further years until an unmodified audit opinion will be provided by the external auditors due to the ripple effects of the disclaimed opinions resulting from the backlog referred to.
The position regarding the audit of the financial statements is outside the control of the Constabulary with numerous other police forces and local authorities in a similar position.	As above
The Constabulary was successful in maintaining its establishment levels for 2023/24. However, there is an ongoing challenge to maintain the Officer headcount at the new establishment of 1,732 Officers. Pressure on recruitment, occupational health, vetting, workforce planning through People and Professional Department and HR and Operational Learning will continue. The Constabulary is positioned well to continue to maintain the 1,732 baseline	The Constabulary was successful in maintaining and exceeding its establishment levels for 2024/25 by 17 officers at the 31 March 2025.
McCloud pension remedy work is in its implementation phase. The Constabulary are providing data for specific Officer cohorts and all active members to the pension administrator to allow for them to produce Remedial Service Statements for all Officers. The implementation is due to continue into 2024/25. A BCH Pension Remedy Project Group is in place, chaired by the Chief Finance Officer and Director of Resources. Once key milestones for the sharing of data have been passed by the Government, the BCH Pension Board will take oversight of ongoing McCloud matters	Throughout 2024/25 the Constabulary has continued to provide the necessary data to the Constabulary’s pension administrator (XPS) to progress the McCloud remedy. This has been a major undertaking given the volume and complexity of the arrangements some of which have continued to move, be put on hold, or updated during the year. The national NPCC pensions team has provided support and guidance which has been invaluable. The Constabulary did have to disclose a breach of the Pension Regulations to The Pension Regulator (TPR) because the complexities of the pension remedy meant in some cases Annual Benefit Statements and Pension Saving Statements could not all be produced by the required deadlines during the year. Further still whilst the Constabulary has made significant progress in issuing Remediable Service Statements (RSS) for different cohorts, with the majority being issued by the 31 March 2025 deadline, there are some that will not have been issued for example where the data relating to a Pension Sharing Order is still outstanding. Those still outstanding at the end of the year are not considered to be a material breach of the Regulations, except for the Deferred Choice RSS position which will be reported to TPR as a further breach of the Regulations.
Internal Audit issued a minimal assurance report relating to BCH Cyber Security early in 2023/24. A follow up review was conducted later in the year, highlighting Good Progress in addressing the actions identified by Internal Audit.	The Constabulary has responded to the actions raised by Internal Audit, including the following: A Break-Glass Admin Account procedure has been defined in draft, aligned with the BCH Password Policy; A Vulnerability Management Policy is now in place, with weekly vulnerability scanning taking place alongside regular endpoint vulnerability scanning; We have updated our internal password policy and all admin accounts passwords have been set to never expire in line with NCSC guidance; A Role-Based Access Matrix has been defined for administrative accounts with rights assignment documented and standardised based. We further intend to complete a full user access review
The HMICFRS PEEL Assessment for Cambridgeshire Constabulary highlighted a cause of concern relating to the Constabulary’s responsiveness to emergency and non-emergency calls. A further cause of concern was raised relating to the management of risks posed by registered sex offenders in the community. In addition, it identified areas for improvement in relation to achieving good outcomes for victims, and the level of experience and training around safeguarding within the multi-agency safeguarding hub and the child exploitation hub. Further areas for improvement included the management of individual performance of police officers, scrutiny of performance in the demand hub, and management of demand.	The 2023 PEEL inspection also raised a cause for concern in responding to the public. The Constabulary similarly has made focussed efforts to remedy this finding by recruiting and training additional call handlers in the Demand Hub and training 50 police constables to support call handling as required. A transformation of the Demand Hub was also instigated overseen by a Gold Group with task and finish groups. Improvements have been made by looking at best practice, enhancing the Constabulary’s understanding of abandoned calls, implementing rapid video response (RVR) and video response as well as work on the Demand Hub leadership and culture through workshops alongside an operating model review. The performance in response to both 999 and 101 calls is much improved due to this focussed improvement work. March 2025 figures demonstrated 96.5% of 999 calls responded to in under 10 seconds and 96.8% of 101 calls in under 30 seconds. Abandonment rates are also improving, reaching a low of 6.6% in March. Another aspect of the cause for concern was the response in getting to the scene of incidents within a locally published 15 minute response time for immediate grade incidents. Performance has again improved from the work undertaken and in February 2025 was 51.2% compared to 35.5% the prior year. However, more importantly has been the consideration of the appropriateness of the target and the Constabulary has moved away from a published time instead working on the basis of getting to immediate grade jobs as quickly and safely as possible and doing a good job once at the incident. Whilst the cause for concern is not yet officially removed the Constabulary has been making good progress against the issues raised. In December 2024, Government inspectors praised the force for improvements made in managing offenders and suspects. The 2023 PEEL report rated the Constabulary “inadequate” in this area, citing areas of concern including supervisor reviews of registered sex offenders, intelligence checks on registered sex offenders, welfare support for staff and a backlog of online child abuse cases. During 2024/25 the Constabulary made significant progress in respect of this finding and in December inspectors officially closed this cause for concern.