Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors K. Howell (Carmarthenshire County Council), M. James (Pembrokeshire County Council) and S. Joseph (Pembrokeshire County Council).

There were no declarations of personal interest.

The Chair advised that no questions from Panel members had been received.

The Chair advised that no public questions had been received.

The Chair advised the Panel that item 5 on the agenda for the meeting that day related to the Panel’s role in confirming an appointment made by the Dyfed Powys Police and Crime Commissioner to the post of Chief Financial Officer. He advised that whilst the Panel would be interviewing the successful candidate it could only confirm the appointment made as it had no power of veto. However, if appropriate, it could make recommendations/observations on that appointment to the Commissioner.

The Panel thereupon proceeded to interview the successful applicant, Ms. B. Peatling, who had been appointed to the post of Chief Financial Officer.

The Chair thanked Ms. Peatling for attending following which she left the meeting with the other Police and Crime Commissioner’s representatives.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED to confirm the following appointment made by the Dyfed Powys Police and Crime Commissioner:

Ms. B. Peatling – Chief Financial Officer.

Ms. Peatling, together with the other Police and Crime Commissioner’s representatives, was recalled to the meeting to be advised of the Panel’s decision. The Chair congratulated Ms. Peatling on her appointment and wished her every success in her role.

The Panel received, for information, a report detailing decisions made by the Police and Crime Commissioner relating to the restructuring of his Office to ensure that it provided him with efficient and effective support in discharging his statutory responsibilities.

Amongst the questions/issues raised on the report were the following:-

·         In response to a comment the Commissioner stated that every effort was made to ensure that supplies and services were procured from within the Dyfed-Powys area;

·         the Commissioner commented that he would take every opportunity to promote the work of the Panel as best he could;

·         the Commissioner extended an invitation to the Panel to visit his offices and staff when it was convenient;

·         the Commissioner clarified the reasons for appointing the new Chief Financial Officer on a part-time basis which involved having a dedicated officer rather than sharing the post on a full-time basis with the police where there could be a conflict of interest.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the report be received.

The Panel was advised that the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) would come into effect in May 2018 in place of the requirements of the Data Protection Act. Police and Crime Panels were registered as separate data controllers with the Information Commissioner and were therefore obliged to comply with the requirements of the Regulation. The Panel was therefore required to implement appropriate technical and organisational measures that ensured and demonstrated that it complied with the regulation. In reality the Panel did not itself hold or process personal data and any such activity was conducted via the host authority, in whose offices Panel records were kept and which supported the operation of the Panel website.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED to adopt, and operate in accordance with, the Data Protection policies and procedures of the host authority that exist from time to time.