Minutes:
11.1 A member of the public asked the following question:-
“As a layman and member of the public I have been led to believe and had the understanding that the police force as a whole was free of external influences with its mandate with respect to monitory, commercial political etc. influences. That its principal objectives were to “keep the peace” and “maintain the law” within society.
If you accept the above in principal could you explain why we are displaying on police cars the flag of a national organisation I believe within South Yorkshire only.”
11.2 Due to this question being of an operational nature, it was a matter for the Police Force and the Police Commissioner. The Chair had made the Commissioner aware of question and would respond direct to the member of the public.
Action:- That the response to the question be reported to the next meeting.
11.3 A member of the public asked the following questions:-
“(a) Please provide an update on the appointment of an additional independent member.
(b) Please add contact details on the agenda for submission of public questions e.g. e-mail address. There was also nothing mentioned on the agenda page that the meeting is to be webcast and extremely difficult to find out where you could access it.
(c) It is difficult to find details of public meetings on the Police and Crime Commissioner’s website e.g. dates, times, venues etc. Please clarify. In particular, 1 issue that was not mentioned were PACT meetings. These were agreed a few years ago to have local meetings with local Police Officers and various officers for members of the public to ask questions. We asked questions on this to the previous Police and Crime Commissioner and he did support them. They do still exist but not very well publicised so the public did not know when and where they were held.
(d) Your website has a Police and Crime Panel Sub-Committee which last met on 7th July, 2014. Please confirm if this still exists and if so who are its members and what is its function.”
11.4 With regard to question (a), the Chair reported that interviews were to take place later that day with, hopefully, an announcement being made as to the newly appointed independent member the week beginning 14th September.
11.5 With regard to question (b), the Chair agreed that it should be clear as to how a member of the public could submit a question.
Action:- That Officers include on the agenda page details of how to submit a question together with a link to the webcast – Immediate.
11.6 With regard to question (c), the Commissioner stated that he attended a number of public meetings by invitation; his Office would have to look at whether it was appropriate for them to be included on the OPCC’s website due to them not being meetings they had organised.
There was some confusion around PACT meetings in that they were Partners and Communities Together and not “Police” and should include the local authority, the Health Service etc. Police engagement at such meetings was currently under review with the Commissioner due to receive a report very shortly with the aim of ensuring attendance at meetings that were the most productive.
11.7 With regard to question (d), the Chair reported that there was a provision for a Sub-Committee of the Panel to be established to look at complaints. The Sub-Committee would consist of 3 Panel members and be convened as and when required. This would be set out in the revised Complaints Procedure.