The Policing Plan 2023-2024 outlines our collective policing ambition for the next five years and sets out what we want for the people of Northern Ireland. Our three Outcomes for policing are:
- We have a safe community
- We have confidence in policing
- We have engaged and supportive communities
The Annual Performance Plan 2023/24 sets out the Indicators and Measures which the Board will use to assess PSNI’s progress towards achieving the Outcomes. The Performance Plan is reviewed on an annual basis to enable the Board and PSNI to respond to any new or emerging issues.
View the Northern Ireland Policing Plan 2020-2025 and Annual Performance Plan 2022/23
Background
Issuing a Policing Plan is one of the key legislative responsibilities of the Board. The Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000 outlines the legislative responsibilities of the Board in respect of police performance:
- Section 25(1) states that the Board shall determine, and from time to time revise, objectives for the policing of Northern Ireland.
- Section 26(i) states that the Board shall, before the beginning of each financial year, issue a plan (“the policing plan”) setting out proposed arrangements for the policing of Northern Ireland.
- Section 28(4) states that the Board should prepare and publish a performance plan for each financial year.
The Policing Plan also contains other information, as required in legislation, regarding the police budget, assessment of training and civilianisation through workforce modernisation, and the Justice Minister’s Long Term Policing Objectives.
The Annual Performance Plan for 2023/24 contains nine Indicators and sixteen Measures which will inform the basis of the information reported to the Board by the PSNI. It will tell us what progress has been made towards achieving the Outcomes.
The Policing Plan 2020-2025 was developed following a public consultation. Both Plans use the Outcomes Based Accountability (OBA) framework, in line with the draft Programme for Government (PfG), and contain Outcomes, Indicators and Measures which clearly demonstrate improvement in police performance. They will be reviewed on an annual basis, allowing for the Board and PSNI to respond to issues or opportunities that emerge throughout the year.
Monitoring and Reporting
The Policing Plan is what the Board and PSNI want to achieve in the next five years, the Performance Plan is how we are going to carry it out. A 2023/24 operational Performance Monitoring Framework is also in place which allows the Board to monitor the Measures, includes a clear timeframe for reporting and ensures the PSNI provide qualitative and quantitative data.
Each Indicator within the Performance Plan is allocated to a Board Committee and takes into account the Board’s statutory responsibilities, legislation and the Committee Terms of Reference. This enables each Committee’s Programme of Work to be strategically driven to through the Policing and Performance Plan with the Committees holding PSNI to account.
The monitoring and reporting is further supported with senior PSNI representation at Committees. This provides Members with the opportunity to be informed of PSNI progress, present challenge where applicable, and discuss emerging issues or opportunities in order to ultimately assess the effectiveness of police performance. This consequently ensures the Board effectively delivers on our scrutiny and advocacy responsibilities.
Performance Plan 2020/21 Annual Assessment
This is a comprehensive assessment of the PSNI’s performance against Measures within the Performance Plan 2020/21. All eleven Measures within the Performance Plan 2020/21 were presented to Members through either the Performance, Partnership or Resources Committee between September 2020 and March 2021. This approach enabled the compilation of an evidence based Annual Assessment which takes cognisance of Members’ views and includes areas that the PSNI either: fell short on; need to revisit; or require recognition for.
Annual Assessment.
Policing Plan Survey
On 12 May 2022 the findings from the Northern Ireland Policing Plan Survey 2022 were published. This Official Statistics Survey provides statistical data in relation to the performance of the PSNI against a number of Measures in the Policing Plan 2020-2025 and comprised 2,510 telephone surveys that took place between November 2021 and January 2022. The findings focus on the public perceptions of the performance of the PSNI. It also includes data in relation to the Policing and Community Safety Partnerships, the Policing Board and the National Crime Agency. Read the findings here.