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 Mike Fry (Halton), Cllr Mike Jones (Cheshire West and Chester) and Cllr Andrea Wall (Halton).

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.

Cllr Judy Snowball made a declaration of interest in relation to the question submitted to the Commissioner in relation to operation of his SWAP fund. She was a director of an organisation who had made a request for funding from the fund.

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.

No members of the public wished to speak at the meeting.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 12 September 2025.

RESOLVED

That the Minutes of the meeting held on 12^th September 2025 be approved.

To receive the minutes of the meeting of the Complaints Management Sub Committee held on 30 October 2025.

Mrs Gemma Shepherd–Etchells, the Sub Committee’s Chair outlined the work that has been undertaken to review three complaints of political bias that had been received against the Police and Crime Commissioner. In each case the Sub – Committee, having reviewed submissions from both the complainants and from the Commissioner’s Chief Executive (on behalf of the Commissioner) determined that the Commissioner had not shown political bias when acting in his capacity as Police and Crime Commissioner.

RESOLVED

That the Minutes of the meeting held on 30^th October 2025 be approved.

The Chair noted that she had on 20^th November attended the Commissioner’s Out of Court Resolution Panel Annual Meeting at Constabulary HQ. The meeting had been both well organised and extremely informative.

The Chair invited Mrs Gemma Shepherd  - Etchells to update the Panel on her recent attendance at the Citizens’ Assembly in Macclesfield. Mrs Shepherd  - Etchells indicated that the event had been informative, well attended and that those participating appeared to be a representative cross section of the community. The Constabulary had also been well represented at the event.

To confirm a date for Panel training.

The Secretariat was asked to write to Panel members to firm up a date for the training, following initial consultation the favoured date was Friday 9^th January 2026.

To consider the Panel’s work programme.

The Panel reviewed its work programme for the remainer of the civic year adding a number of issues to the list to be considered at future meetings with the Commissioner.

The Chair welcomed the Commissioner and his Chief Executive to the meeting. The Commissioner briefed the Panel on a range of issues, including the Government’s recent announcement on the future of Police and Crime Commissioner’s.

Five questions had been submitted in advance to the Commissioner; these had been included with the Panel’s papers for the meeting. In addition, an urgent question on the issue of neighbourhood policing had been submitted to the Commissioner in advance of the meeting, but after the agenda had been published.

Panel members asked the Commissioner a number of questions, including the five that had been submitted in advance of the meeting, along with the urgent supplementary question on neighbourhood policing.

In relation to the issue of neighbourhood policing a number of Panel members raised concerns with the Commissioner at the consultation exercise that was currently being undertaken within the Constabulary which could lead to a very significant reduction in the number of Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) employed. The Commissioner explained that no decisions had yet been taken, but that allocation of resources within the Constabulary was an issue for the Chief Constable. He noted the commitment to increase the number of individuals working in community policing from 251 to 327 and agreed to let Panel members have additional information on what he recognised was an important and sensitive issue.

RESOLVED

That the Panel write to the Commissioner expressing its concerns over the possible reduction in the number of PCSO’s employed across the county.

The letter from the Chair to the Police and Crime Commissioner is attached to these minutes.

Details of questions asked of the Commissioner and his responses provided at the meeting can be found on the Police and Crime Panel page of the Cheshire East Council website.