Agenda item

Further to minute 12 of the Panel’s meeting held on the 28^th July, 2017 the Panel received a report from its attendees at the 6^th Annual Conference for Police and Crime Panels held at the University of Warwick on the 6^th November 2017.

The panel noted that the conference programme included:

1.     A plenary session with a panel of speakers representing Police and Crime Panels. Police and Crime Commissioners and the Centre for Public Scrutiny incorporating a variety of relevant topics and the proposed formation of a National Association of Police and Crime Panels.

2.     Regional/All-Wales Forums discussing issues relevant to those particular Panels

3.     Workshops on a range of issues including complaints handling, confirmation hearings and developing PCP ‘Champions’ for particular issues.

The Lead Officer to the Panel drew its attention to the proposals for the establishment of a National Association of Police and Crime Panels and the preference amongst police and crime panels for the establishment of a Special Interest Group (SIG) under the auspices of the Local Government Association (LGA). He advised that as the establishment of Police and Crime Panels within Wales was different to England, that preference placed Welsh Local Authorities in a difficult situation in that they were not members of the LGA, and had been informed by the Home Office they would not be to utilise their Grant to pay the required membership fee. However, the Chairs of the four Welsh Panels’ had agreed they should meet with the Welsh Local Government Association to consider the situation. Arrangements for that meeting were being progressed by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for South Wales.

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

·        The Panel was advised that, as part of the conference, a debate had been undertaken regarding the recruitment of a Chief Executive by the National Police Commissioners’ Association at an approximate £100k salary. Clarification was sought on whether the Dyfed Powys Police and Crime Commissioner was a member of the Association and, if so, the level of financial contribution paid thereto.

The Commissioner confirmed that he was affiliated to the Association, and was one of the independent/plaid members appointed onto its Board. With regard to the level of subscription, whilst he was unaware of the exact sum, he would relay that information directly to the Panel members.

·        Reference was made to the general content of the conference and the relationships between the Police and Crime Panels and their Commissioners. A suggestion was made that it may be beneficial for the Panel when it met with the Commissioner to discuss public questions (minute 6 above refers) to take the opportunity of discussing with him issues identified in the conference for example, the views expressed that the relationship between Panels and the Joint Audit Committees were not robust enough to provide effective challenge.

The Commissioner in response advised that whilst he was happy to meet with the Panel, as suggested, it was important it recognised that whilst there may be concerns in other force areas there were measures in place to hold him to account. With regard to the Joint Audit Committee he advised that the workings thereof related to him and the Chief Constable and not necessarily direct with the Panel.

·        Reference was made to the level of reserves held by the Dyfed Powys Police and whilst it was accepted there was no statutory level the force had to maintain, clarification was sought on whether the reserves currently held were similar to local authorities at 4%.

The Chief Financial Officer confirmed that whilst the Police were not required to maintain a set level of reserves, it was set at an appropriate level for the forces’ requirements and was reviewed annually. The current level of general reserves held by the force was 5%, in addition to which additional earmarked reserves were held for specific projects e.g. the C.C.T.V project.