Agenda and minutes

The Chairman advised the Police and Crime Panel that questions received from members of the public would not be considered today, but that they would be included for the next meeting on the 19^th November, 2014.

The 19^th November meeting would be a one agenda item meeting to consider the experiences over the last three to four months on the role of the Police and Crime Commissioner with invitations being extended to members of the public, the Chief Constable and the newly elected Police and Crime Commissioner.

All those in attendance would have the opportunity to put forward their views for inclusion in recommendations to the Home Secretary to ensure that the experiences recently would not occur again in the future.

Consideration was given to the minutes of the previous meeting of the Police and Crime Panel held on 11^th and 18^th September, 2014.

With regards to the minutes held on the 11^th September, 2014 Councillor Parker referred to a number of matters which included:-

·                The answer to Question No. 12 from a member of the public and whether the Chief Constable had been contacted.

·                Had the Chairman of the Police and Crime Panel made contact with the Chief Constable with regards to an investigation into perjury with regards to information shared at the Home Affairs Select Committee.

·                The former Police and Crime Commissioner had named Councillor Parker and alluded to him being a Councillor at the time.  Councillor Parker requested that he be given the right to reply, which was declined at that meeting.  However, Councillor Parker now wished to place on record his views and set the record straight in his statement:-

“He was not a Councillor at the time of the seminar in 2005 which appeared to be the time that information was given to Councillors.

He was an OPPOSITION Councillor from 2008 to 2012 and in that time had no documentation placed before him.

In 2002 / 2003 there had been two reports suppressed by the Council, at a later stage the alarmed and secured offices of Risky Business were entered without permission and files removed from locked filing cabinets.

There have also been attempts by the Council to place gagging orders on the press so if anyone in their right mind thought that an Opposition Councillor would under those conditions be privy to any information that would help them to bring the Child Sexual exploitation issue to the fore then he suggested they think again.”

·                Clarification as to why the official minute taker was excluded from the confidential decision making session.

·                Clarification as to why Councillor C. Vines was not given the opportunity to make a statement regarding his reasons for voting against the Panel’s decision, when he was told he could do so by the Chairman.

In answer to the questions raised the Chairman confirmed he had written to the Chief Constable and received a reply, but this would form the basis of further discussion at the next meeting to which the Chief Constable was invited.

In terms of the information relating to the Home Affairs Select Committee, this was a matter for them to consider.

With regards to the statement by Councillor C. Vines following the decision making session, the Chairman advised that Councillor C. Vines had issued a media statement to which he was entitled.

The Director of Legal and Democratic Services, in response to the query about the recording of the confidential decision making session where the Panel adjourned, confirmed that she had deputised for the official minute taker, who it was felt due to experience was in a better position to support the public during the Panel’s recess of what was a very difficult meeting.

Resolved:-  That  ...  view the full minutes text for item 20.

Consideration was given to the report presented by the Acting Police and Crime Commissioner, which confirmed how the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 (‘the Act’), under Schedule 1, Paragraph 6(1)(b) directed that the Police and Crime Commissioner for a police area must appoint a person to be responsible for the proper administration of the Commissioner’s financial affairs (referred to as the Commissioner’s Chief Finance Officer).

Under Paragraphs 10 and 11 of Schedule 1, the Panel must review the proposed appointment, hold a confirmation hearing and make a report to the Commissioner on the proposed appointment, including a recommendation to the Commissioner as to whether or not the candidate should be appointed, within a period of three weeks beginning with the day on which the Panel receives notification from the Commissioner of the proposed appointment.

The Acting Police and Crime Commissioner was, therefore, notifying the Panel of the decision recommending acceptance of Mr. Allan Rainford following an in-depth interviewing process by:-

·                The Police and Crime Commissioner.

·                Michelle Buttery, Chief Executive and Solicitor.

·                Bill Wilkinson, former Chief Executive and Treasurer, now PaCCTS Adviser and Chairman of the CIPFA Police Panel.

Following the recruitment, interview and vetting process, the Acting Police and Crime Commissioner was satisfied that Mr. Allan Rainford had suitable experience and understanding of the community of South Yorkshire and the role to which it was proposed he be appointed.

Questions were raised as to whether it was felt appropriate to delay this appointment pending the outcome of the election of the Police and Crime Commissioner on the 30^th October, 2014 so that the person elected could be involved in the process and why the letter offering the appointment was dated 27^th August, 2014.

The Acting Police and Crime Commissioner confirmed that the arrangements for the appointment of the Chief Finance and Commissioning Officer were put in place while the former Police and Crime Commissioner was in post.  The position of Chief Finance and Commissioning Officer was a critical position responsible for the proper administration of the Commissioner’s financial affairs.

Further information was also provided on the contract termination process and the social responsibility placed on the Police and Crime Panel as to the appointment of the Chief Finance and Commissioning Officer.

The Panel retired to consider legal advice and the role to which it was proposed the candidate be appointed.

The Panel considered carefully all the information that had been shared at the meeting, the profile of the candidate and the answers to the questions before coming to a decision.

The Panel returned to the meeting to announce the decision they had made as part of their discussion.

Resolved:-  That the proposed appointment of Mr. Allan Rainford as Chief Finance and Commissioning Officer for the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for South Yorkshire be approved.