SLIDE 1 Where we are, what we know
A Presentation on Police and Crime Commissioners
Graham Hooper Kayleigh Nicholson KPA Chief Executive KPA Policy Officer
Graham.Hooper@kent.pnn.police.uk Kayleigh.Nicholson@kent.pnn.police.uk
SLIDE 2 The government’s philosophical underpinning of PCCs revolves around:
- 1. A desire to significantly strengthen police accountability,
increasing its visibility.
- 2. That ‘new’ accountability should be local and largely free
from central (Whitehall) controls.
- 3. That the present local accountability arrangements (i.e.
police authorities) are ‘not sufficiently connected to the public’. Police and Crime Commissioners – Why?
SLIDE 3 Out (according to the government) goes bureaucratic control of the police – in comes democratic accountability. New commissioners will be ‘big local figures with a mandate to drive the fight against crime and anti-social behaviour’. PCCs will determine:
- The policing strategy for an area
- The force budget
- Set the local tax precept (police element)
- Appoint - and if necessary dismiss - the chief constable
Police and Crime Commissioners – Why?
SLIDE 4 PCCs – The Timetable
PCCs will be introduced in November 2012 for a four-year
- term. They will be salaried. Kent PCC post - £85k (proposed).
Elections will take place on 15 November 2012. A 7 day period will then elapse in which the PCC-designate will prepare to take office. Police Authorities will hand over to PCCs at 00.01 on 22
- November. All staff will be transferred to the PCC who will
determine the arrangements for his/her support.
SLIDE 5
PCCs – The Timetable PCC arrangements will apply to every police force in England & Wales save for the Met (the Mayor will act), British Transport Police and the City of London. PCCs have to produce a five-year Police and Crime Plan but this will address wider issues than just the police role in tackling crime. PCCs have a duty to co-operate with the broader Criminal Justice System – but are not a Responsible Authority on a Community Safety Partnership.
SLIDE 6
PCCs & Police and Crime Panels PCCs will be obliged to consult and engage with the public, just as police authorities currently do. PCCs will be scrutinised by Police & Crime Panel (PCP) Police & Crime Panels are intended as a check and balance to the new PCC, although the panels will not have direct control over a commissioner’s decisions. Police and Crime Panels will scrutinise the actions of the Commissioner and not those of the force.
SLIDE 7
Establishing Police and Crime Panels
Panel Membership: Panels will include a councillor representative from each of the LAs in the force area. For Kent this will mean 14 councillor Members: 1x KCC 1x Medway Unitary 12x District representative The panel is also required to recruit a minimum of two co-opted Independent Members. (A total Membership of 16) PCPs may also choose to recruit further members up to a maximum membership of 20. Kent’s PCP can therefore co-opt a further 4 Members if it so wishes. The Panel will hold the PCC to account by.
SLIDE 8 PCCs & Police and Crime Panels
Holding to Account
- Requiring the PCC to attend public hearing to respond to concerns
- Reviewing the PCC’s draft Police & Crime Plan and make
recommendations
- Review PCC expenditure proposals and make recommendations
- Require information in the possession of the Commissioner
- Deal with complaints about the conduct of the Commissioner
A Panel will have the right to veto (with 2/3 majority):
- the precept/budget
- the chief constable appointment
SLIDE 9
Item 6 - Establishing Police and Crime Panels
Panel Arrangements: One local authority in the force area will host the panel – to be decided by agreement locally This local authority will receive £30k funding pa, largely to fund a Scrutiny Officer Panel members receive a £920 member grant
SLIDE 10 Police and Crime Commissioners - Community Safety
Reciprocal duty for Commissioners and responsible authorities to co-operate with each other for the purposes
- f reducing crime and disorder
Commissioners will have the following powers and duties relating to community safety: 1 Power to bring a representative of any of all CSPs in their area together to discuss priority issues 2 Power to require reports from CSPs about issues of concern 3 Power to approve mergers of CSPs on application of the CSPs concerned 4 Power to commission community safety work from a range of local partners including, but not limited to, CSPs 5
SLIDE 11 PCCs – Some things to ponder
- General relationship with the force/chief? Public/private
conversations?
- PCC sensitivity to operational events (especially those with
significant impact on police/public relations)?
- Differing requirements for accountability/oversight
- Electoral mandate – the PCCs ‘promises to the people’?
- Commissioning policing services from private sources – look out!
SLIDE 12 PCCs – Some things to ponder
- PCC and the Police & Crime Panel. A new dynamic.
- PCC and localism (v the national)
- PCCs take over the world! The expansion of PCCs into criminal
justice territory
- Confused electorate – will think they have voted for their chief
constable By the waythe PCC may be ok!
SLIDE 13
PCCs - is this the Future?
SLIDE 14
Graham Hooper – Chief Executive Graham.Hooper@kent.pnn.police.uk 01622 604488 Kayleigh Nicholson – Policy Officer Kayleigh.Nicholson@kent.pnn.police.uk 01622 604480
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