Agenda and minutes

Members are reminded that, in accordance with governance procedure rule at Part 3 paragraph 2.6, Panel Members, or their constituent authority, may nominate substitute members of the Panel in the event that the appointed representative(s) is/are unable to attend the meeting.  Advance notice of substitution should be given to the host authority wherever possible.  Members are encouraged wherever possible to secure the attendance of a substitute if they are unable to be present.

Apologies were received from Cllr Sam Naylor (Cheshire West and Chester) and Cllr Rob Moreton (Cheshire East).

Mr Evan Morris was elected as Chair of the Panel for the 2024/25 Municipal Year.

Miss Yasmin Somani was elected as Deputy Chair for the 2024/25 Municipal Year.

Members are reminded of their responsibility to declare any disclosable pecuniary or non-pecuniary interest which they have in any item of business on the agenda no later than when the item is reached.

No issues were raised.

To receive questions from members of the public. A total period of 15 minutes will be allocated for members of the public to speak at Panel meetings. Each member of the public shall be limited to a period of up to 5 minutes speaking. At the Chair’s discretion the period made available for questions and statements may be extended.

In order that an appropriate answer to the questions can be given, the deadline for indicating a wish to speak or for submission of questions is 3 clear working days before a meeting of the Panel. The Chair has the discretion to waive the 3-day rule for issues deemed to be urgent.

In response to questions or statements the Panel may choose to agree to either provide an agreed verbal response, that will be minuted or to provide a written reply to a questioners chosen address.

Those wishing to ask a question or make a statement should register by email to: martin.r.smith@cheshireeast.gov.ukor send the question or statement by post to:

Cheshire Police and Crime Panel

Democratic Services and Governance

c/o Municipal Buildings

Earle Street

Crewe

CW1 2BJ

A list of those speaking or asking questions at a meeting of the Panel will be drawn up by the Panel’s Secretariat in order of receipt. Copies of questions and statements will be circulated to all Panel members in advance of the meeting and will be made available to the public attending the meeting. Copies will also be available on the Police and Crime Panel’s page of the Cheshire East Council website.

Nobody may submit more than one question or make more than one statement at the same meeting, but a supplementary question, related to the subject raised in the question /statement, will be permitted for clarification at the discretion of the Chair.

Those speaking or asking questions will not be permitted to address any issue that is the subject of a current or proposed complaint by them against the Police and Crime Commissioner. They are also advised that reference to an issue that could become the subject of a future complaint by them could prejudice the Panel’s consideration of that complaint.

The Panel will not accept a question or statement if:

There is insufficient detail to enable a proper response to be provided.

It is not about a matter for which the Police and Crime Panel has responsibility.

It is potentially defamatory, frivolous or offensive against named individuals.

It is substantially the same question which has been put at a meeting of the Police and Crime Panel in the last six months.

It requires the disclosure of confidential or exempt information.

There were no members of the public wishing to speak or ask questions.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 15 March 2024.

RESOLVED:

That the Minutes of the meeting held on 15^th March 2024 be approved.

To note the nominations received from four Cheshire Police Area Councils.

It was noted that Warrington Council had notified the Panel’s Secretariat that Cllr Bob Hignett had replaced Cllr Mark Browne as one of their nominated Panel members for the 2024/25 Municipal Year.

The Panel discussed the membership of the Complaints Management Sub Committee for the 2024/25 Municipal Year.

RESOLVED

That Mrs Gemma Shepherd Etchells and Cllr Keith Millar be appointed respectively as Chair and Deputy Chair of the Panel’s Complaints Management Sub Committee, with the Panel’s Secretariat instructed to liaise with Panel members following the meeting to allocate the remaining five places on the Sub Committee.

To review and adopt the Rules of Procedure for the 2024/25 Municipal Year.

The Panel’s Procedure Rules were noted and adopted for the Municipal year.

The Panel to consider how it wishes to proceed when the term of office of an independent co-opted member of the Panel comes to an end on 30 September 2024.

The Panel noted that Miss Yasmin Somani’s three-year term of office would come to an end on 30^th September 2024.

RESOLVED

That as Miss Somani had been re-elected as the Panel’s Deputy Chair, her term of Office as an independent co-opted member of the Panel will be extended for a further three years, until 30^th September 2027, in line with the provisions of the Panel’s Procedure Rules (Part 2, Section b).

To consider the proposed budget for the Panel for the 2024/25 Municipal Year.

The Panel’s budget for 2024/25 was noted and approved.

To consider the programme of meetings and work programme.

The programme of meetings for the coming municipal year was noted. Panel members were asked to let the Secretariat know of any issues that they would wish to discuss at either formal meetings of the Panel or at informal meetings held with the Commissioner.

The Chair welcomed the Commissioner to the meeting and congratulated him on his election.

The Commissioner made a presentation to the Panel, covering issues ranging from the development of his Police and Crime Plan, the appointment of a Deputy Commissioner on a job share basis, his proposed use of citizen assemblies and how during his time in office he would champion the interest of victims.

As was customary, the Panel had submitted a number of questions in writing to the Commissioner in advance of the meeting. The Commissioner informed the Panel that he had determined that the questions related to operational policing issues and had sought a written response from the Constabulary on each question. The responses that the Commissioner had received were circulated to the Panel and to members of the press and public in attendance and are attached to these minutes.

The Chair expressed his dissatisfaction with this approach to answering questions raised by Panel members. There was agreement that in advance of the next meeting of the Panel, a meeting would be held between the Commissioner and the Chair and Deputy Chair of the Panel, along with relevant officers, where the issue of questions to the Commissioner and their responses would be discussed.

The pre-submitted questions and the written response provided by the Commissioner are attached to these minutes.

Councillor Judy Snowball brought to the attention of the Commissioner a Resolution[1]  that had been made by the Panel at its last meeting, this related to the recommendations of the Angolini Review, which had been established to uncover the circumstances and failures that led to the abduction, rape and murder of Sarah Everard by a police officer in 2021. The Commissioner indicated that he would be very carefully considering including the recommendations in his Police and Crime Plan, but at the current time could give no assurances over what would be included.

Panel members asked the Commissioner a range of further questions. Details of questions and the Commissioner’s responses can be found on the Police and Crime Panel page of the Cheshire East Council website.