Agenda and minutes

Members are reminded that where they have an interest in any business to be considered at this meeting they must declare it in accordance with their respective Code of Conduct.

There were no declarations of interest.

In respect of the following items the Chair may, if required, move the resolution set out below, on the grounds that if the public were present it would be likely that exempt information (information regarded as private for the purposes of the Local Government Act 1972) would be disclosed to them. The Panel is requested to resolve:

“That under Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following item(s) of business on the grounds that if the public were present it would be likely that exempt information under Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act of the descriptions against each item would be disclosed to them”.

The Chair indicated that he did not propose to exclude the press or public from the meeting unless it was necessary to discuss issues which would require the disclosure of exempt information.

To consider the proposed appointment of a Chief Constable for the South Yorkshire Police Force, as recommended by the Police and Crime Commissioner under Section 38 and Schedule 8 of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011.

The Chair welcomed Panel Members, the Police and Crime Commissioner and the preferred candidate for the role of Chief Constable, Mr. S. Watson, as well as members of the public in attendance, to the meeting. He also apologised to the Police and Crime Commissioner and Mr. Watson for the need to re-schedule the meeting to ensure that a sufficient number of members could attend in order for the Panel could exercise its statutory powers.

The Panel considered a report from the Police and Crime Commissioner setting out his proposal to appoint a new Chief Constable for South Yorkshire Police, Mr Stephen Watson, in accordance with the requirements of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011. The Police and Crime Commissioner provided a brief overview of the recruitment and selection process that had been undertaken and explained that the key characteristics that were required from the postholder included the authority to build  and rebuild the public trust, and confidence in South Yorkshire Police and lead fundamental change and inspire the workforce

The Panel asked the Police and Crime Commissioner to explain why Mr. Watson was the best candidate of those that had made it to the final stage of the process. Dr. Billings explained that he had been impressed by Mr. Watson’s ability to handle the media and understand a developing situation quickly. He also indicated that he had been impressed by the way in which Mr. Watson had appreciated how reputational issues affecting South Yorkshire Police had impacted on the morale of the organisation and what he would do in order to improve morale and the reputation of the Force. The Panel also sought assurances from the Police and Crime Commissioner that the proposed appointment would not be a short term fix. In response, Dr. Billings cited a number of long-term issues that required resolution and that the contract for the new Chief Constable would cover a five year period. He was satisfied that Mr. Watson was the best candidate to address the challenges that lay ahead and put right the reputation of the force both locally and nationally.

In order to make a recommendation to the Police and Crime Commissioner, the Panel asked questions of Mr Watson and initially sought further information on the qualities that he would bring to the role. In response, Mr Watson set out his career history and outlined specific examples of high profile policing activity that he had led or been involved in throughout his career.

Members sought to understand from Mr Watson how he would begin to change the culture of the force and address legacy issues arising from the Hillsborough tragedy, Orgreave and child sexual exploitation. Mr Watson indicated that it would require a cultural shift within South Yorkshire Police and one which returned to old fashioned behaviours which had previously engendered trust and confidence in the police. He categorically confirmed that understanding and learning from victim experience would be a lynchpin of the approach that he would embed within the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 19.