FOI 362319

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NO: 362319

I write in connection with your request for information which was received on 26^th September 2024. Please find below the response to your request:

According to the HMICFRS (An inspection into activism and impartiality in policing), there are more than 200 local staff networks across police forces in England and Wales (p 13). On the same page it states:

"Staff network activity, such as offering advice on, or communicating about, government policy, could lead to a perception that they aren’t impartial."

And;

"Forces need to prioritise their support for networks in line with their recruitment and retention requirements."

https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fhmicfrs.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk%2Fnews%2Fnews-feed%2Fgreater-clarity-on-definition-of-operational-independence-needed-to-maintain-police-impartiality%2F&data=05%7C02%7Cinformation%40westmercia.pnn.police.uk%7Ccc579094410f489669b708dcde396a8e%7Cdd7d99f465c44822bf7b75d61ebc8f4a%7C0%7C0%7C638629585414167300%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=cpaNMoeWNQZhwmEsE4Yy%2F1sO2mIPNA1afN3LiRvTXQI%3D&reserved=0

1. Please provide a full list of the national and local staff networks associated with your force and specify the amount of money you contributed to each in the financial year 2023/24.

2. Please provide a blank copy of the application form that must be completed by individuals seeking to establish a staff network.

Reply

West Mercia Police holds the information requested.

Regarding a list of Networks

Section 17 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 requires West Mercia Police, when refusing to provide such information (because the information is exempt) to provide you the applicant with a notice which: (a) states that fact, (b) specifies the exemption in question and (c) states (if that would not otherwise be apparent) why the exemption applies.

The exemption applicable to the information is:

Sec 21(1) Information Reasonably Accessible by Other Means

This is an Absolute, class based exemption.

The information that you require is already available https://www.westmercia.police.uk/police-forces/west-mercia-police/areas/west-mercia/about-us/about-us/diversity-equality-and-inclusion/our-staff-networks/

The budget allocated to staff networks is £10,000; the specific networks bid throughout the year, there is no specific form.

All networks within West Mercia are linked to National networks and have been in existence for some time. The most recent are Families and Breastfeeding which have been a national drive.