Question by Mr Gareth Derrick

As a Panel you reviewed a draft Police and Crime Plan at your previous meeting on 12th December. At that meeting the Panel agreed that a further draft should be brought to today’s meeting, that was to have addressed concerns raised by the Panel for their further consideration today. Yet without further open scrutiny by this Panel, and to the surprise of its Members, the Commissioner launched her Plan in the media on Thursday 26th January. Do Panel members consider that due process has been followed? 

Response by Councillor Croad (Chair)

The Panel have undertaken their obligations in line with Section 28 of the Police and Social Responsibility Act 2011 Para. 3 (a)(b) having made recommendations to the Police and Crime Commissioner on a draft plan.  The Commissioner is required to have due regard to those recommendations. 

With regard to the Police and Crime Plan the Panel is a statutory consultee and does not have powers to formally sign off the Plan.

Question by Mr Gareth Derrick

The Commissioner has often stated that the she knows (through her public consultation) that PCSOs are highly valued by the public, operating as they do at the front-line of community relations. Are members of the Panel content that the Police and Crime Plan based around an as yet undefined Local Policing Promise but mirrored by a significant reduction by the Chief Constable of PCSO presence on the streets is robust in its ambition to reconnect Policing with our communities?

Response by Councillor Croad (Chair)

This is a matter for members of their Panel to consider during their scrutiny of the revised Police and Crime Plan and the finance report.

Question by Mr Gareth Derrick

At your last meeting, Councillor Saltern declared an interest (understood to be financial in nature but yet to be clarified) relating to consultancy services he provides to the Commissioner. Do the Panel consider it appropriate for a Member of this scrutiny Panel to have been engaged by the Commissioner in this way and /or for Councillor Saltern to continue as a Member?

Response by Councillor Croad (Chair)

All members are aware of the requirement of conformity with the Seven Principles of Public Life. One of these is the principle of integrity – that ‘Holders of public office must avoid placing themselves under any obligation to people or organisations that might try inappropriately to influence them in their work.

Councillor Saltern has declared a Personal Interest in relation to unpaid consultancy work undertaken for the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner.