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 Mick Warren, (Cheshire East), Cllr Norman Plumpton Walsh (Halton), Cllr Wendy Maisey (Warrington) and Cllr Phil Marshall (Cheshire West and Chester). Cllr Peter Lloyd Jones substituted for Cllr Plumption Walsh, and Cllr Gardiner for Cllr Warren.

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.

Three representatives of Northwich Town Council attended the meeting and spoke on the issue of the safety of women and girls.  A number of questions were asked, to which the Chair promised a written response.

The response sent to Northwich Town Council is attached to these minutes.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 2 February 2024.

RESOLVED:

That the Minutes of the meeting held on 2^nd February 2024 be approved.

To appoint a Deputy Chair.

RESOLVED:

That Cllr Keith Millar be appointed as Deputy Chair of the Complaints Management Sub Committee.

Cllr Stewart Gardiner abstained from voting, as a substitute member of the Panel, he indicated that, excepting fellow Cheshire East Councillors, he did not know other Panel members.

To note the summary of complaints.

The Panel noted that two complaints about the Police and Crime Commissioner had been received during 2023. One complaint had been rejected as it was judged to be a complaint about an operational policing issue. The second complaint had been considered by the Panel’s Complaints Management Sub Committee, with the outcome being published on the Panel’s page of the Cheshire East Council website.

Both complaints had been processed within the timescale (40 working days) set by the Panel

The Chair briefed the Panel on his work as Vice Chair of the National Association of Police, Fire and Crime Panels, commenting that all Panels in England and Wales were now members of the Association. He also referred to a meeting that the Association had recently held with the Home Office, where the issue of support hubs to Panels has been discussed.

The Panel noted the papers for the Commissioner’s Scrutiny meeting held on 19 February 2024.

To agree the programme of meetings for the 2024/25 civic year.

The programme of meetings for the coming civic year was noted.

The Chair explained that four questions had been formally submitted to the Commissioner in advance of the meeting and that these had been included in the published papers.

The Chair welcomed the Commissioner to the meeting.

The Commissioner made a number of introductory comments, including updating the Panel on a Retail and Business Crime conference held on 15^th February, an event that he had mentioned at the previous meeting of the Panel. He also briefed the Panel on the installation of a new “speed on green” camera in Halton and the planned construction of new Police Stations in Wilmslow and Crewe.

Noting that the current Panel meeting was the final one before the Police and Crime Commissioner elections in May, the Commissioner reviewed his achievements over his three-year term of office, He made reference to scrutiny documents which had been circulated with the Panel’s papers.

Background document from Commissioner’s Office attached.

The Commissioner will make a short presentation to the Panel, before taking questions.

Sarah Tilling from the Commissioner’s Office made a detailed presentation on the wide range of work that had been undertaken over the last three years in relation to the safety of women and girls in Cheshire.

The Chair thanked Ms Tilling for her comprehensive and informative presentation. Following the presentation Panel members asked Ms Tilling and the Commissioner a number of questions. The areas covered included the Casey Review (which had specifically related to the Metropolitan Police Service, but had potential wider implications for policing), the work of the Commissioner’s Youth Commission, the vetting of Police Officers, coercive control, “Clare’s Law” (the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme) and CARA (Cautioning and Relationship Abuse) interventions.

The importance to national policing of the Angiolini Review was discussed by the Panel.

RESOLVED

That the incoming Police and Crime Commissioner be encouraged to include the 16 recommendations from the Angiolini Review in their new (2024 – 2028) Police and Crime Plan and that progress should be monitored through the Commissioner’s Scrutiny meetings with the Chief Constable, with reports back to the Police and Crime Panel as appropriate.

Panel members asked the Commissioner a range of 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.

At the conclusion of the meeting the Police and Crime Commissioner thanked the Panel for its support during his three-year term of office. The Chair wished all candidates well in the forthcoming election.