Agenda and minutes

Members are reminded that, in accordance with governance procedure rule 2.7, 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.

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.

There were no declarations of interest.

To receive questions from members of the public in accordance with governance procedure rule 14.  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.

Members of the public may speak on any matter relating to the work of the Panel. During public speaking time, members of the public may ask questions of the Panel and the Chairman, in responding to the question, may answer the question, may decline to do so, may agree to reply at a later date or may refer the question to an appropriate person or body.

Questions will be asked and answered without discussion.  In order for officers to undertake any background research, members of the public who wish to ask a question at a Panel meeting should submit the question at least a day before the meeting.

Members of the public are able to put questions direct to Cheshire’s Police and Crime Panel via social media platform Twitter.

The Cheshire Police and Crime Panels’ Twitter account @CheshirePCP

There were no of the public present wishing to use public speaking time.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 23 September 2016 as a correct record.

RESOLVED

That the minutes of the meeting held on 23 September 2016 be approved as a correct record.

Matters Arising

With reference to minute 25 - Question 2, it was noted that the information in respect of the details of the survey questions and how they were compiled was still outstanding. This would be followed up.

With reference to minute 25 – Question 3, the spelling of the word “parish” was corrected.

With reference to minute 24 – Cheshire Police and Crime Commissioner’s Annual report, clarification in respect of some of the figures was still awaited and it was agreed that this should be raised with the Commissioner on his arrival at the meeting.

With reference to minute 25, Cllr Dawson requested that his name be associated with the questions that he put to the Commissioner for this and future meetings.

To consider a report in respect of the location of future Police and Crime Panel Meetings.

Consideration was given to a report following a discussion at the previous meeting of the Panel, where members considered options for the location of future meetings. It had been agreed that a further report be submitted to the next meeting of the Panel exploring options for the use of a portable webcasting solution for future meetings, to enable consideration of rotating the venues for the Panel meetings around the four Cheshire Authority areas, including the potential cost and other implications associated with this.

The report specifically addressed the options for the webcasting of meetings and the Panel was asked to determine whether future meetings should be held at Wyvern House in Winsford, or move to other location(s) around the county. It was noted that live webcasting of meetings at a reasonable cost would only available if meetings were held at Wyvern House, or in Cheshire West and Chester accommodation at the HQ in Chester. However, Cheshire West and Chester Council had a mobile webcasting unit, which could be used to record and then webcast meetings. When operating in this way meetings would become viewable approximately 48 hours after the meeting had finished. Other functionality was the same as a meeting which was webcast live. No other Cheshire Council had the equipment or staff to provide such a service.

The Panel considered a number of options - To continue to meet at Wyvern House, with meetings being live webcast; rotating meetings around Cheshire, with meetings being recorded and then made available via a webcast within a couple of days(should occasional meetings continue to be held at Wyvern House live webcasting would continue to be an option from that venue); rotating meetings around Cheshire with no recording or webcast.

Following consideration of the various options, the Panel agreed that the meetings should be rotated around Cheshire, with meetings being recorded and then made available via a webcast after the meeting, unless the meeting was held at Wyvern House, in which case the meeting would be livestreamed. It was considered that the meeting of the Panel when the budget was set should take place at Wyvern House, so that the meeting would be livestreamed.

        RESOLVED

1.     That the venues for future meetings of the Panel be rotated around Cheshire, with meetings being recorded and then made available via a webcast after the meeting, unless the meeting is held at Wyvern House, in which case the meeting be livestreamed.

2.     That the meeting of the Panel where the budget is set, take place at Wyvern House, to ensure that it is livestreamed. 

To receive a report providing feedback from the fifth National Conference for Police and Crime Panels.

Consideration was given to a report providing feedback from the Conference for Police and Crime Panels, held in Birmingham on 20th Oct 2016, attended on behalf of the Panel by Mr Eric Hodgson and Mr Bob Fousert.

The report included details of the key note speakers, the main points and issues raised by the keynote speakers regarding the role of the Police and Crime Commissioner and details of the various workshops. It was noted that the event organisers had undertaken to circulate the key points raised in all workshops to delegates at some time in the near future.

RESOLVED

That the report be noted.

To review the draft Police and Crime Plan and to consider whether any recommendations should be made to the Police and Crime Commissioner in respect of the draft Plan.

The draft Police and Crime Plan was submitted to the Panel for review, to enable the Panel to consider whether any recommendations should be made to the Police and Crime Commissioner in respect of the draft Plan.

In considering the draft Plan, members of the Panel felt that it would be useful to have some measures to monitor performance included in the Plan and requested the inclusion of asuite of performance measures to support the delivery of the Plan, in order to measure performance in the future.

RESOLVED

That the draftPolice and Crime Plan be noted and that the Police and Crime Commissioner be requested to include a suite of performance measures to support the delivery of the Plan, in order to measure performance in the future.

To consider a report summarising a discussion held at an informal meeting of the Police and Crime Panel in respect of the outcomes of the 12 month review of the Constabulary’s operating model.

The Police Operating Model 12 Month Transition Assessment was submitted, together with a report summarising a discussion held at an informal meeting of the Police and Crime Panel in respect of the outcomes of the 12 month review of the operating model.

RESOLVED

That the Police Operating Model 12 Month Transition Assessment document be received into to Panel’s documents.

Police Commissioner Decision Meeting Notices: To receive, note and inform any future scrutiny or work programme items.

The notes of the meeting of the Scrutiny Board held on 26 October 2016 had been circulated to the Panel members in advance of the  meeting.

RESOLVED

That the minutes be received and noted.

To consider a report relating to whether an allowance should be paid to permanent Panel Members.

           Consideration was given to a report to allow consideration as to whether an allowance should be paid to permanent Panel Members.

          Central Government made regular payments to the Panel’s host local authority in respect of the administration of Panel business.  However, a sum of money was also made available for Panel Members. This could not be paid by central Government unless claimed by the host authority. There had been a lack of clarity over how this sum (£11,960pa) may be administered. Some Panel host authorities used this sum to pay an annual allowance to Panel members. Others used it only to pay Panel Member expenses.

           In order to understand how the central Government funding might be used, contact had been made with the Crime, Policing and Fire Group Finance and Estates Directorate at the Home Office. It had been confirmed that the sum available may be used to pay an annual allowance to Panel members.  If the Panel was minded to follow this option, it was recommended that the payment of an annual allowance should remove the right from Panel Members to claim expenses from the host authority.

           If it was decided to pay an allowance, the Panel would need to consider the following issues, subject to continuation of funding from Central Government:-

·       Payment of an allowance only to permanent Panel Members (ie not substitute members).

·       The amount of such allowance: the sum available would equate to £920pa per permanent Panel Member.

·       Whether such allowance should be paid as a lump sum to Panel Members and, if so, when payment should be made.

·       Whether a proportion of the available monies should be retained by the host authority to pay Panel Member expenses, or whether they should either forego expenses, or claim from their own local authority, if they were permitted to do so.

It was proposed and seconded and :-

RESOLVED

1.     That an allowance be paid to permanent members of the Panel.

Discussion then took place regarding the sum of the allowance and how it should be paid.

It was proposed and seconded and :-

RESOLVED

2.     That a sum of £500 be set aside by the host authority to cover the payment of any Independent Panel Member expenses, where claims were submitted, and that the remaining sum be divided equally, in order to pay an allowance to the thirteen Panel members. The payment would be made on a monthly basis, with the first payment to be made in May each year. The amount to be paid to each Panel member for the current year would be paid during the remaining months of the year, it being noted that the administrative arrangements for doing so would need to be put in place and may take some time.

(Cllr A Dawson voted against the two above motions and asked for this to be recorded in the minutes).

3.     That the Head of Governance and Democratic Services be authorised to make any consequential changes to the Panel’s Rules of Procedure  ...  view the full minutes text for item 36.

To provide an opportunity for members of the Panel to submit questions to the Police and Crime Commissioner.

1.     The Commissioner was welcomed to the meeting. He noted that the Panel had given consideration to the Police and Crime Plan earlier in the meeting. He stated that it was an honour and privilege for him to present the Plan. The Plan set out a clear vision for a Police service in Cheshire and would support him in holding the Chief Constable to account, for the delivery of an efficient and effective Police service.  He referred to the process and felt that the Plan had been delivered hand in hand with residents and communities and had provided the opportunity for them to tell him what their priorities were and to give their views on the priorities in the Plan. There had been a huge level of support for the objectives from residents. The safety of all communities in Cheshire was very important and he saw the Plan as been for every resident in Cheshire. It set out a vision for the next four years, in which Cheshire Constabulary would focus on community policing, putting residents first.

A summary of the questions asked of the Commissioner and a summary of the responses given are set out below:-

2.     A member of the Panel asked a question concerning Corporate White Ribbon status in respect of domestic violence. He noted that Cheshire East and Cheshire West and Chester Councils had Corporate White Ribbon status and Halton was in the process of doing the same and he hoped that Warrington would follow suit. PCCs across the country had encouraged their Police forces to seek Corporate White Ribbon status and he felt that there was a fantastic opportunity for the Police and local authorities in Cheshire to share this. He asked the Commissioner whether he would support Cheshire Police in seeking Corporate White Ribbon status.

The Commissioner responded to say that he absolutely supported this ambition and applauded those organisations who already had Corporate White Ribbon status and encouraged those who had not to seek it. He had already spoken to the Chief Constable, who chaired the Cheshire Domestic Abuse Group, about this issue and he had put some funding into supporting an awareness campaign to increase confidence in reporting domestic violence. The question could potentially lead to the County being the first where the Police and local authorities had this status. He reported that he would be attending the Chester Women’s Aid event on White Ribbon status on the following Sunday and would have the opportunity to discuss this issue with the people of Chester. He wanted to provide reassurance of his strong commitment on this issue.

A supplementary question was asked by another Panel member concerning the charge made by Doctors for a letter to prove that people had been in a domestic violence situation. The Commissioner was asked whether he would help in supporting the removal of this charge.

The Commissioner responded to say that he would oppose any measures that prevented people from achieving justice, due to a local financial  ...  view the full minutes text for item 37.

To consider the Work Programme.

Consideration was given to the Work Programme.

It was noted that it would be necessary to agree the date and rota for future meetings. It may also be necessary to schedule Confirmation Meetings, if the Commissioner decided to appoint a deputy.

RESOLVED

That the Work Programme be agreed, subject to the correction to the date of the March meeting to 24 March 2017.