A report by inspectors says Gwent Police must improve in a number of areas, but crime commissioner Ian Johnston has slammed the findings. BECKY CARR reports.

A DAMNING report published today says Gwent Police needs to improve in reducing crime and preventing offending, its investigations, tackling anti-social behaviour, and particularly the way it deals with the reporting of domestic abuse.

It also says that without a credible plan to make savings, the force "risks further decline" as its performance deteriorates.

Reported crime has increased - "notably there has been an increase in crime involving violence" - and the level of victim satisfaction has fallen.

Former barrister Dru Sharpling, on behalf of Her Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary, makes the first PEEL (police effectiveness, efficiency and legitimacy) assessment of Gwent after a number of inspections.

Ms Sharpling says that Gwent is "not as effective as it needs to be at cutting crime and anti-social behaviour and victim satisfaction with police services in Gwent is one of the lowest of all forces in England and Wales although the force now recognises these challenges and has plans to bring about improvements."

"There were significant concerns regarding how the force responded to some victims of domestic abuse."

She adds: "The way the force manages the initial reporting of domestic abuse means that there was inconsistency in the approach to assessing the risks posed to victims. The force needs to do more to identify repeat and vulnerable victims."

Specialist teams who deal with domestic abuse do, however, provide a better service.

Ms Sharpling adds: "The absence of effective processes and systems had an impact on the force's ability to manage and minimise risk. There were significant concerns regarding how the force responded to some victims of domestic abuse.

"The domestic abuse conference call, which provides early responses from both the police and other agencies to safeguarding victims, was identified as a good example of innovative practice."

HMIC was particularly concerned about what Ms Sharpling called "a lack of clarity among officers about who is responsible for investigating high-risk domestic abuse cases."

The incidence of anti-social behaviour in Gwent per 1,000 of the population is higher than the rate for England and Wales and there has been an increase in the number of incidents, the report says. The force is not clear why, despite reducing it being an "explicit priority for Gwent". Ms Sharpling says there are weaknesses in the force's ability to identify at the first point of contact victims who might be vulnerable, or have been a previous victim, and need more help.

Gwent Police must improve when it comes to providing value for money, Ms Sharpling adds: "I have been concerned about the way the force is operating and in particular by its deteriorating performance.

"The absence of a credible plan to meet its savings requirement presents a risk, making it more difficult for the force to bring about the necessary improvements.

"The force needs a more sophisticated understanding of the demand it faces and whether the reduced workforce has the required skills and rank mix to provide effective policing.

"In the light of some of these issues, the force has taken action to improve the position and I as reassured by the HMIC's reinspection findings of October 2014."

Gwent has plans for almost all the savings it has to make now, £3.7m in 2014/15, but the lack of future plans is the problem, the report says.

In 2015/16, the force has to save £9.2m with current planned savings of £5.1m - leaving a current budget gap of £4.1m.

"While Gwent intends to use some reserves, there are currently no plans to find the additional recurring savings, other than through the loss of staff," the inspector says.

"The force has made disappointing progress since last year and faces some significant risks in the future if it does not develop plans to structure the provision of policing services within budget."

Savings plans are mainly involving not filling vacancies as they arise.

"However this approach is taken without a full understanding about whether the reduced workforce has the required skills and rank mix, and can continue to provide effective policing.

"Despite relatively small planned reductions in police officer numbers compared with England and Wales, and a big increase in the numbers of community support officers, police performance has declined.

"Crime levels have increased over the last 12 months to March 2014, and success in crime detection and levels of victim satisfaction have both fallen."

The report warns further staffing reductions will be needed to balance future budgets.

HMIC inspected Gwent again in October this year - after the initial May inspection - and found the force had made good progress to delivering affordable policing.

"Issues in relation to victim satisfaction and performance remain," the report says. Plans to address these include a victims' hub set to be opened next year.

There is also concern that, despite efforts by PCC Ian Johnston to improve crime recording, "a notable proportion of reports of crime are not being recorded by the force. This means victims are not receiving the service they should when they first report a crime." In Gwent 89 incidents were examined, and of the 67 crimes which should have been recorded 58 were, though three were wrongly-classified and three were outside the 72-hour Home office time limit.

Some poor decision making and record-keeping was identified in the police standards department - which is "overloaded and too slow."

Its anti corruption processes are, however, a "real strength".

The Crime Survey in Gwent in March 2012/13 showed 53 per cent of adults surveyed think police do an excellent or good job, less than the England and Wales figure of 61 per cent. And 54 per cent said police dealt with local concerns, compared with 60 per cent across England and Wales. The June 2013/14 Victim Satisfaction Survey showed 78.1 per cent of those surveyed in Gwent were satisfied with their police experience - compared with 85 per cent across England and Wales.

The way the force co-operated with other Welsh forces, has put more officers on the front line, and a "positive cultural change", were all praised by the inspector, as were the actions on making decisions not to record crimes.