Stephen Pickup

Cheshire Safer Future Communities Network

• Overview

• Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC)

• Candidates

• Police and Crime Panel

• Transfer

• The Future Landscape

• Commissioning

Overview

• Currently the Police Authority (17 people) has responsibility to hold the Chief Constable to account, set the budget & council tax precept & monitor performance

• The Police Reform and Social responsibility Act 2011 abolishes the Police Authority

• The Police Authority will be replaced by one directly elected individual – the Police and Crime Commissioner

• Elections will take place in every Force area on 15 November

• Police and Crime Commissioners will take up their role on 22 November

A Voice For The Public

• Police Reform & Social Responsibility Act 2011

• “To provide stronger and more transparent accountability of the police, PCCs will be elected by the public to hold chief constables and the force to account; effectively making the police answerable to the communities they serve”. – Home Office

Role of the PCC

• Maintain an efficient and effective police force

• Hold the Chief Constable to account • Set the budget and council tax precept• Publish a police and crime plan• Scrutinise police performance• Publish an annual report• Appoint and remove the Chief Constable• Monitor complaints

Wider Duties

• Delivery of community safety and crime reduction

• Partnership working – bring together partners, hold funding, commission services

• Consult with victims in setting priorities• Enhancement of the delivery of criminal justice• Victims & witness services• Probation Services – proposal for consultation

Candidates

• Declarations by 19 October• “Police and Crime Commissioners will

need to be outstanding leaders. They will be hugely important figures in the communities they represent. This is a real opportunity for dynamic and driven individuals to step forward to ensure that the public get the PCCs they need”.– Nick Herbert, Minister for Policing

Police & Crime Panel

To hold the PCC to account

(not the Chief Constable)

• Warrington Borough Council – lead Chief Executive

• Establish Panel by 2 July 2012

• Membership – 10 members drawn from four Borough Councils and 2 co-opted members

They do not replace the Police Authority

Panel – The Role

Two important powers of veto:

1. The appointment of a Chief Constable

2. Setting the precept

• Review the draft Police and Crime Plan and Annual Report

• Under a duty to support the P&CC critical friend role

• Require the P&CC to attend a public hearing• Ask HMIC for a professional view on Chief

Constable dismissal

Chief Constable

• Operational voice of policing• Corporation Sole - employ police staff & officers• Still be accountable to the law for the exercise of

police powers• Retain direction and control over police officers• Accountable to the PCC for the delivery of

efficient and effective policing, management of resources and spending

• Politically independent of the PCC • Must allow the PCC to have access to all

necessary information and staff

Governance of Transition

• Transition Board

• Partnership Sub Group

• Transition Project Team

Transfer

22 November 2012• All buildings, land, vehicles and other assets will

transfer to the PCC• Staff will transfer as part of a statutory transfer

under an Act of Parliament• Stage 2 Transfer – April 2014• Police Officers will remain officers of the Crown,

working under the direction and control of the Chief Constable

HOW WILL PCC FIT INTO THE LANDSCAPE?

COMMUNITY SAFETY

CRIMINAL JUSTICE

SAFEGUARDING

VICTIMS AND

WITNESSES

PCC

COMMUNITY SAFETY

PCP oversight

CRIMINAL JUSTICE

• PCC and criminal justice bodies will be under a duty to co-operate to provide an efficient and effective criminal justice system

• MoJ consultation on effective probation: – Effective relations between PCC and

Probation required– Over time, potential to consider broader

statutory role for PCC and them becoming accountable for probation services

VICTIMS & WITNESSESAND SAFEGUARDING

• MoJ ‘Getting it right for victims and witnesses consultation’ sets out that: – PCC will be given a role in deciding the

priorities for local victims services– Government intend that, from 2014, PCC will

have primary responsibility for deciding what services are available locally for victims and witnesess

• Act provides a role for PCC in holding the Chief Constable to account regard child safeguarding

Commissioning

PCCs will have funds to commission services for crime and community safety

Options

• Use all their budgets to fund policing

• Free market – Community Safety Partnerships, private, voluntary and charities

• Jointly commission with others.

PCC’s Commissioning Pot

• £100m funding pot for crime and disorder reduction grants expected

• One consolidated pot by 2014/15

• Clarity still required on exactly what funding streams will make up this pot

• Element of YOT funding transferred in 2012/13

• Community Safety and Drug Intervention Programme funding will go to existing recipients in 2012/13

What we don’t know

• What manifesto have they been elected on?• What prior knowledge will the PCC have about

Policing, Crime & Disorder and Criminal Justice?• What are their views / will be their priorities for

Policing, Crime & Disorder & Criminal Justice?• What will be their approach to commissioning in

relation to community safety work?

Summary

• A major change in police governance• Directly elected PCCs will be responsible

for holding the police to account• Police and Crime Panels will form a key

element of checks and balances• PCC will commission community safety

activity• Clarity is still required in a number of areas• Working to secure a safe and secure

transition