Agenda and minutes

Dyfed Powys Police and Crime Panel - Wednesday, 6th November, 2019 10.30 am

Venue: Chamber & Ante Room, 3 Spilman Street, Carmarthen, SA31 1LE. View directions

Items
No. Item

1.

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND PERSONAL MATTERS

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Alun Lloyd-Jones (Ceredigion County Council) and Councillor David Evans (Powys County Council).

 

VARIATION OF BUSINESS

The Panel agreed to vary the order of the business on the agenda so as to bring forward Item 5 (Complaints and Conduct) to discuss before Item 4 (Recruitment of Co-opted Panel Members).

2.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Minutes:

Panel Member

Minute Item

Nature of Interest

Cllr. W. Powell

Item 7 – Complaint against the PCC by C.C.

Association with the complainant

Mrs. H.M. Thomas

Item 5 – Recruitment of Co-opted Panel Members

Co-opted Panel Member

Prof. I. Roffe         

Item 5 – Recruitment of Co-opted Panel Members

Co-opted Panel Member

 

3.

MENTAL HEALTH AND POLICING CONFERENCE pdf icon PDF 363 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Panel received a report by Mrs Helen Thomas and Councillor William Powell on the annual Mental Health and Policing Conference, which they had attended on the 23rd and 24th September in Chester. They advised the Panel that this year’s conference had focussed on the mental health of children and young people and had provided valuable insights into how ongoing challenges could be addressed. Two main messages from the diverse contributions at the conference were the importance of early intervention in addressing mental health issues and the value of partnership working in response to increasing budgetary pressures. Police and crime commissioners had a key role to play in this context because they could encourage partnership working and ensure that the right agencies were accountable. The Panel thanked Mrs. Thomas and Cllr. Powell for their detailed and informative report.

 

The Commissioner emphasised the importance of working with partners such as the Hywel Dda Health Board and advised that he was trying to offset some impacts of budgetary cuts by providing funding to youth services in the Dyfed-Powys area. In response to a query on the welfare of police officers dealing with challenging situations, the Commissioner advised that services were available and a mental health lead had recently been appointed in the occupational health team.

 

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

4.

COMPLAINTS AND CONDUCT [FORMERLY AGENDA ITEM 5] pdf icon PDF 359 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Panel considered a report on the impending changes to the police complaints process and their possible impact on the work of the Panel. The Panel was advised that the proposed changes would shift responsibility in relation to the appeals process for complaints against the Force to the Commissioner. This could potentially lead to an increase in the number of complaints against the Police and Crime Commissioner which would have to be considered by the Panel. The changes were expected to come into effect in early 2020 and could provide an opportunity for the Panel to review its complaints procedure.

 

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

5.

RECRUITMENT OF CO-OPTED PANEL MEMBERS [FORMERLY AGENDA ITEM 4] pdf icon PDF 364 KB

Minutes:

[Note: Mrs H. Thomas and Prof I. Roffe had declared an interest in this item and left the Chamber prior to the consideration and determination thereof.]

 

The Panel considered a report on the recruitment of co-opted Panel Members. Following public criticism of the composition of the Panel in 2018-19, Panel Members had indicated that they wished to consider increasing the number of co-opted members in an effort to address the problem. The Panel was advised that it could not give preference to applicants who were female or from BME backgrounds but it could actively encourage applications from these groups. The Panel would not receive further funding for an additional co-opted member.

 

A comment was made suggesting that the Panel could seek to engage young people in its work, for instance through social media and inviting schools, youth councils and police cadets to attend meetings.

 

RESOLVED that

5.1.    The number of co-opted members on the Panel not be increased;

5.2.    The recruitment process for co-opted members in 2020 actively encourage applications from women, younger people and people from BME backgrounds;

5.3.    Schools, youth councils and police cadets be encouraged to attend meetings of the Panel;

5.4.    An appointments sub-committee be established, consisting of one member from each constituent authority, to oversee the recruitment process up to and including the shortlisting of candidates for interview.

 

6.

EXCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC

THE REPORTS RELATING TO THE FOLLOWING ITEMS ARE NOT FOR PUBLICATION AS THEY CONTAIN EXEMPT INFORMATION AS DEFINED IN PARAGRAPH 12 OF PART 4 OF SCHEDULE 12A TO THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT 1972 AS AMENDED BY THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT (ACCESS TO INFORMATION) (VARIATION) (WALES) ORDER 2007. IF, FOLLOWING THE APPLICATION OF THE PUBLIC INTEREST TEST, THE BOARD RESOLVES PURSUANT TO THE ACT TO CONSIDER THESE ITEMS IN PRIVATE, THE PUBLIC WILL BE EXCLUDED FROM THE MEETING DURING SUCH CONSIDERATION.

Minutes:

RESOLVED, pursuant to the Local Government Act 1972, as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) (Wales) Order 2007, that the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items as the reports contained exempt information as defined in paragraph 12 of Part 4 of Schedule 12A to the Act.

 

7.

COMPLAINT AGAINST THE POLICE AND CRIME COMMISSIONER BY C.C.

Minutes:

Following the application of the public interest test it was RESOLVED, pursuant to the Act referred to in Minute 6 above, to consider this matter in private, as disclosure would place in the public domain sensitive personal information about a member of the public.

 

The Panel received a report on a complaint recorded against the Police and Crime Commissioner.

 

RESOLVED

7.1.    To note the complaint;

7.2.    To send a report to the complainant and the Police and Crime Commissioner detailing the outcome of the complaint.

 

8.

COMPLAINT AGAINST THE POLICE AND CRIME COMMISSIONER BY A.R.

Minutes:

Following the application of the public interest test it was RESOLVED, pursuant to the Act referred to in Minute 6 above, to consider this matter in private, as disclosure would place in the public domain sensitive personal information about a member of the public.

 

The Panel welcomed the complainant to the meeting and received a report on his complaint recorded against the Police and Crime Commissioner.

 

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED

8.1.    To note the complaint;

8.2.    To send a report to the complainant and the Police and Crime Commissioner detailing the outcome of the complaint.