Agenda and minutes

Consideration was given to the minutes of the previous meetings of the Police and Crime Panel held on 28^th January, 2013.

Resolved:-  That the minutes of the previous meetings of the Police and Crime Panel held on 28^th January, 2013 be agreed as a true record.

Consideration was given to the Police and Crime Plan presented by the Police and Crime Commissioner, which detailed how the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act (2011) required the Police and Crime Commissioner to issue a Police and Crime Plan in the financial year that the election was held and as soon as was practicable after taking up office.

The Police and Crime Plan as submitted set out the Police and Crime Commissioner’s police and crime objectives for the area and would be used to commission services for the people of South Yorkshire to deliver the right services at the right times in the right ways.

Prior to developing the Plan the Commissioner obtained a comprehensive understanding of local needs, resources and priorities and considered the views of the public, partners and other stakeholders.

Police and Crime Plans fulfil a range of requirements which impact upon a wide variety of stakeholders in different ways and this Plan had been written to reflect those different audiences.

The Police and Crime Commissioner confirmed that the Plan was still very much in draft form and welcomed any suggestions.

Further information was provided on the content of the Plan which included:-

·                The budget allocated.

·                Priority One – Reducing Crime and Anti-Social Behaviour.

·                Priority Two – Vulnerable People.

·                Priority Three – Improving Visible Policing.

·                Holding the Chief Constable and other service providers to account.

·                How the budget was to be delivered.

·                National considerations.

·                Vision and Mission going forward.

·                Partnership working.

·                Commissioning.

·                Collaborative Arrangements.

·                Performance Management and Governance.

A discussion and a question and answer session ensued and the following issues were raised and subsequently clarified:-

-           Collaboration with the Chief Constable in ensuring that the robust plan is both realistic and achievable.

-           Membership of the Black Minority Ethnic (BME) Advisory Panel and the ability of members to engage with all communities.

-           Diversity of the four Local Authorities and how these can be reflected in the Plan going forward.

-           Maximising the use of existing Police buildings.

-           Changing the terms “elderly” to “older people”.

-           Capturing all information around child abuse, including domestic abusive of women and children.

-           Partnership working and ways to encourage innovation.

-           Improvements to Police visibility and use of technological advances.

-           Reduced figures for anti-social behaviour and whether these were realistic or as a result of non-reporting.

-           Attendance at PACT meetings and the availability of PSCOs to attend meetings within communities.

-           Inclusion of domestic abuse as a priority within the five year plan.

The Chairman took the opportunity to thank the Police and Crime Commissioner for his presentation of the Police and Crime Plan, which was succinct and easy to read.

Resolved:-  That the draft Police and Crime Plan be received and any further comments forwarded onto the Police and Crime Commissioner.

Consideration was given to a report presented by Jacqueline Collins, Director of Legal and Democratic Services, which set out the proposals for allowing a period for public questions at the commencement of each meeting.

The Panel has previously expressed a wish that, to support the principles of transparency and public accountability, members of the public should be permitted to ask questions of the Panel at the beginning of each meeting.

The proposed arrangements were set out in detail as part of the report along with what to determine and be subject to the existing Rule 6 of the Panel Arrangements.

The Panel discussed the merits of restricting the question to no more than fifty words in length, the maximum allocated time to questions and the timescales involved for submitting questions.

The Panel were in agreement with various suggestions and concluded that the questions should be restricted to no more than fifty words in length, that there be an allocated time of fifteen minutes for questions/answers and that questions should be submitted at least twenty four hours before the meeting.

Resolved:-  That the proposed arrangements for public questions be approved.

Consideration was given to a report presented by Deborah Fellowes, Scrutiny Manager, which proposed a forward plan of dates for the Police and Crime Panel for the next twelve months and which took into account the timescales for fulfilling all of the statutory responsibilities of the Panel. 

The report also set out the forward plan of dates for meetings of the Police and Crime Panel for the forthcoming twelve months.  These dates took into account the timescales for fulfilling all of its statutory duties; consideration of the precept, the Police and Crime Plan and the Annual Report of the Police and Crime Commissioner.  These dates all fell at the beginning of the calendar year, leaving the suggested dates in the later part of the year open in terms of agenda items.  It was suggested, therefore, that the Panel give some consideration as to what areas of activity they would like to focus on for further scrutiny.  This could then be discussed with the office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for further planning.  This further planning would also assist the Host Authority in considering the resourcing implications of this work.

Discussion ensued on the specific areas on which the Panel would like to target.  It was, therefore, suggested that the Task and Finish Group be reconvened to look at issues that were taking place regionally, sub-regionally and nationally and who in turn could brief their relevant representatives on the Panel, including the two independent co-optees.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the forward work programme be approved.

(2)  That areas of work it would like to include in the plan for further scrutiny be forwarded to the Scrutiny Manager.

(3)  That the Officers Task and Finish Group be reconvened to look at issues to share with Panel Members on a national, regional or sub-regional basis and that Panel Members be briefed accordingly.

Further to Minute No. J25 of the meeting of the Police and Crime Panel held on 28^th January, 2013, consideration was given to the complaint in accordance with the Panel’s Complaints Procedure.

The complainant alleged that the Police and Crime Commissioner had, in urging the public to support Sarah Champion in a parliamentary by-election, breached the requirements of the declaration of office made by the Commissioner upon election.

In accordance with the procedure that the Panel has adopted, it may be determined that certain complaints shall not proceed. It was not considered that this complaint fell into any of those categories. Accordingly the Panel should consider what steps to take by way of informal resolution of the complaint, in accordance with Paragraph 28 of the Complaints Procedure.

In determining the informal resolution the Panel may wish to consider:-

1.         Whether the declaration of office imposes a duty of impartiality upon the Commissioner.

2.         If so, has the Commissioner acted in breach of that duty.

3.         What would be the appropriate action to take to informally resolve the complaint.

In considering the complaint discussion ensued on the legalities of making political statements and legal advice was sought accordingly.

The Panel then considered the complaint and concluded   that the Police and Crime Commissioner was not in breach of the oath he took upon taking office.

Resolved:-  That the complaint be not upheld.