The Panel will conduct confirmation hearings in respect of the proposed appointment of the Police and Crime Commissioner’s selection of –

·         Chief Executive and Monitoring Officer

·         Treasurer

The Chair advised Panel members that two confirmation hearings would take place today for the following posts –

·         Chief Executive and Monitoring Officer

·         Treasurer

The Chair welcomed Mrs Frances Hughes (the preferred candidate for the post of Chief Executive and Monitoring Officer) to the meeting and outlined the procedure for the confirmation hearing.  After the hearing, the Panel would adjourn to consider the appointment, in private.  The Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) would then be advised of the Panel’s decision and the Panel would seek to agree with the PCC how and when an announcement would be made.

The Chair gave the PCC the opportunity to address the Panel to outline her reasons and deliberations for choosing Mrs Frances Hughes as her preferred candidate; Mrs Hughes was then invited to address the Panel in order to advise them how she met the criteria for the post.

Mrs Hughes responded to questions from Panel members on –

·         the Police Estate, in particular the building of the new Criminal Justice Hub at Middlemoor and the shared estate;

·         interface with the media on behalf of the PCC;

·         her ability to act personally independent of the PCC;

·         the future of policing, in particular her vision of policing in rural areas in the 21^st century;

·         the promotion of Equality and Diversity opportunities within the Devon and Cornwall Police;

·         her plans for community policing/engagement with communities;

·         her ability to deal with any conflicts that could arise between the Chief Constable and the PCC;

·         the use of CCTV for community safety.

The Chair welcomed Mrs Nicola Allen (the preferred candidate for the post of Treasurer) to the meeting and outlined the procedure for the confirmation hearing.   After the hearing, the Panel would adjourn to consider the appointment, in private.  The Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) would then be advised of the Panel’s decision and the Panel would seek to agree with the PCC how and when an announcement would be made.

The Chair gave Duncan Walton (Chief Executive and Monitoring Officer) the opportunity to address the Panel to outline his reasons and deliberations for choosing Mrs Nicola Allen as his preferred candidate; Mrs Allen was then invited to address the Panel in order to advise them how she met the criteria for the post.

Mrs Allen responded to questions from Panel members on –

·         her views on solo working, having previously been part of a team;

·         the relationship of the OPCC Treasurer with the Police and Crime Panel;

·         her ability to deal with any conflicts that could arise between the Chief Constable and the PCC on matters of performance or related funding;

·         collaborative working, in particular with Cornwall;

·         her views on frontline services versus the digital agenda;

·         her views on the ‘one public estate’ and how she would encourage participation;

·         her views on working with Dorset (in the Strategic Alliance);

·         the savings realised through the Strategic Alliance with Dorset (question answered by Duncan Walton).

Agreed that under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act, 1972, the press

and public are excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the

grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in

paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, as amended by the Freedom of

Information Act 2000.

The Panel adjourned at 11.25 am to consider the suitability of the candidates for the posts of Chief Executive and Monitoring Officer and Treasurer.

Following the adjournment, the Panel reconvened at 11.45 am and the Chair advised that the Panel had had the opportunity, in private session, to consider and review –

·         the Police and Crime Commissioner’s recruitment and selection processes;

·         details about the candidates;

·         the criteria used to assess the candidates;

·         how the candidates satisfied that criteria and their terms and conditions of employment;

in order to satisfy themselves as to whether or not Mrs Hughes and Mrs Allen were suitable appointments.

The Panel reached a decision in respect of the Police and Crime Commissioner’s

proposed appointment of Mrs Frances Hughes as Chief Executive and Monitoring Officer and Mrs Nicola Allen as Treasurer and the OPCC Chief Executive and Monitoring Officer had been informed.

Following a vote,

Agreed that the Panel confirmed the Police and Crime Commissioner’s proposed appointments and recommends to her that Mrs Frances Hughes is appointed as Chief Executive and Monitoring Officer and Mrs Nicola Allen is appointed as Treasurer.

A separate letter outlining the Panel’s decision will be provided to the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner on the next working day after this meeting.