Issue - meetings

RESOLVED that: the Panel notes the report.

The Democratic Services Assistant Manager presented the report providing an overview of complaints and conduct matters for the period from January – August 2021. The Panel was advised that one new complaint had been recorded during this period and had been subject to Informal Resolution by the Panel’s Complaints Sub Committee in March 2021. There were no other outstanding complaints or conduct matters.

The Panel considered the report. The Democratic Services Assistant Manager provided additional information in response to questions from members as follows:

·         The membership of the Complaints Sub Committee for 2021/22 consisted of Councillors Pritchard, Maxwell and Roberts, with Councillor Gonzalez De Savage as a substitute; Councillor Strachan, with Councillor McGhee as a substitute; and Mrs Shields and Miss Woodhouse, acting as a pool.

·         The Panel had delegated to the host authority’s Monitoring Officer the functions of receiving, recording and referring complaints. This included determining whether a purported complaint qualified to be recorded or, for example, was considered not to concern the conduct of the PFCC.

·         The Complaints Sub Committee could not investigate a complaint as part of the Informal Resolution process but did consider information provided by both parties.

·         The Complaints Sub Committee could request further information on a complaint from the PFCC as part of the Informal Resolution process. It was aimed to complete Informal Resolution at a single meeting where possible, but there was precedent for the Sub Committee considering a complaint across two meetings where further information had been requested.    

The PFCC made the following points during the course of discussion:

·         The Complaints Sub Committee should feel able to request further information if this was thought to be necessary when it was carrying out Informal Resolution of a complaint.

·         The greater role given to Police & Crime commissioners in the police complaints process increased the risk that dissatisfaction with the force could lead to complaints about the PFCC. The OPFCC also had to deal with some enquirers who were seeking to take up time.

RESOLVED that: the Panel notes the report.