Agenda item

(Director Environment and Street Scene)To consider the attached report.

Caroline Wiggins, the Safer Communities Manager, introduced the report on the proposed Police and Crime Commissioners. From 2012, regional Police and Crime Commissioners (PCC) are to be elected in all areas other than the Metropolitan and the City of London Police.  They will have the power to appoint, suspend or dismiss Chief Constables. They will issue a Police and Crime Plan, setting out police and crime reduction objectives, set the forces budget, issue precepts and produce an annual report on progress against police and crime objectives.

The Panel noted that:

• The office of PCC will have its own legal personality distinct from the person holding the post;
• In that capacity it will own property, employ staff and make contracts;
• Each PCC will be supported by a team of at least 2 paid (publically funded) staff;
• Election will be held in 2012 and then every 4 years;
• The PCC will appoint a Police and Crime Panel and each local authority in the Police area will be represented on that Panel (usually the Safer Greener (or equivalent) Portfolio Holder);
• In a force area with more than one local authority, there will be a joint committee, consisting of at least 10 members appointed from the local authorities and 2 co-opted members appointed by the panel itself;
• The Panel would scrutinise decisions made by the PCC and could veto appointments, suspension or dismissal of a Chief Constable and police budget;
• They would also ensure the PCC’s annual report, policing plan and any Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary reports are shared with local authorities;
• The PCC will not be an alternative to the current Community Safety Partnerships (CSP); and
• PCCs are not to be statutory partner of the CSPs.

Councillor Spencer asked if any doubts had been expressed about this new system? Mrs Wiggins replied that as far as the Home Officer were concerned this was going to happen. However, concerns were raised by officers over the wide area that each PCC would cover. The local one would cover all of Essex and they would get all the budgets; leaving local areas without any local funding for local schemes.

Councillor Jacobs stated he had more faith in current officers, such as the CSP, than in the new proposed PCC. Would the CSP still be in existence? Mrs Wiggins said that they would still be there, reporting back to this Scrutiny Panel.

Councillor Pond asked what was the difference between a Police and Crime Panel and a Joint Crime Committee.  Mrs Wiggins replied that in a joint committee, consisting of a number of local authorities, would have to agree any proposals they made to the PCC.

Councillor Pond then asked if Police Authorities were being disbanded. She was told that they were, in May 2012 and their Budget would be handed over the new PCC.

The Panel noted that there was a consultation on the proposed PCC last year and it seemed that the  various concerns raised were largely ignored by the Home Office.

Councillor Spencer wanted it confirmed that the Safer Communities Partnership would still be a statutory body, but without a budget. This was confirmed.

The meeting was worried that next year being the Olympic year, a lot of Police resources would be taken from our area to be used in East London. They wanted to be sure that the new regime would deploy resources fairly and that our area would not be left undermanned.

The Panel wanted an item added to their work plan for next year to be kept updated on the new PCC and so that the Chairman of the Safer Communities Partnership would have a clear reporting line. They would also like to receive the minutes from any of the relevant meetings to help them keep in touch with developments and to enable them to help in any way they could.

            RESOLVED:

1)                  That the report on the Police and Crime Commissioners be noted; and

2)                  The report be recommended to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee with the recommendations that two additional items be added to this Panel’s work programme for the new year:

(a) That they be kept updated on the progress on the work for the new Police and Crime Commissioner; and

(b) That they be tasked with monitoring the use of police resources during the Olympic period.