Agenda, decisions and draft minutes

Apologies for non-attendance were received from Councillors Smith, Carr, Gonzalez De Savage, Maxwell and Roberts and from substitute members Councillors Irwin and Jelley. Councillor Lunn substituted for Councillor Smith.

Any requests to speak on an item on the agenda should be notified to the Chair (c/o the Committee Manager) by 12 noon two working days before the date of the meeting.

None received.

Members are asked to declare any interest and the nature of that interest which they may have in any of the items under consideration at this meeting.

None declared.

To receive communications from the Chair.

The Chair welcomed all those present to the meeting and thanked Panel members for their commitment in attending recent additional meetings that the Panel had needed to hold.

The Chair welcomed Mr David Peet to the meeting and Panel members present introduced themselves.

The Democratic Services Assistant Manager summarised the statutory requirements relating to confirmation hearings and the process to be followed by the Panel, highlighting the following points.

·         The Panel’s questions to the candidate at the confirmation hearing should focus on their professional competence and personal independence.

·         The confirmation hearing was intended to be a final check and not to repeat or duplicate the process that the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner (PFCC) had used to identify the candidate.

·         The Panel did not have the power to veto the proposed appointment of a chief executive of the Office of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner (OPFCC). It could decide to recommend that an appointment not be made. However, this should be a rare scenario as it would effectively mean that the Panel considered that the candidate did not meet the minimum standards for the role.   

The Chair then invited the PFCC to introduce Mr David Peet as his proposed appointment as interim Chief Executive of the OPFCC. The PFCC made the following points:

·         Mr Peet had 14 years’ senior experience in policing governance, including with Northamptonshire Police, which meant that this was not the first confirmation hearing he had attended. 

·         Panel members were aware of the background to the current appointment. The PFCC needed to appoint an interim Chief Executive and needed a candidate with sufficient seniority and experience for the role.  

·         Mr Peet’s previous experience and local knowledge would enable him to make a fast start, with the support of colleagues in the OPFCC.

·         The appointment of an interim Chief Executive would provide continuity whilst the permanent role was advertised.

·         The Panel had an important part to play in the overall appointment process and he was sure that it would carry out this role with appropriate vigour and insight.   

In response to a question from the Panel the PFCC confirmed that Mr Peet would be employed on a contract as a consultant, as the PFCC had received HR advice that this represented the most straightforward approach to take. However, Mr Peet would have the full powers of the Chief Executive.

The Panel then asked Mr Peet a series of questions relating to his professional competence and personal independence.

Mr Peet was asked what particularly attracted him to this opportunity to carry out the role of Chief Executive on an interim basis. Mr Peet responded that when he had been contacted by the PFCC he had thought that the role offered a great opportunity to use his previous experience. Northamptonshire always had a place in his heart. He also liked a challenge.

Mr Peet was asked what he saw as the priorities for the OPFCC in the immediate future and what he would take from his previous professional experience to enable him to contribute to delivering these effectively. Mr Peet made the following points:

·         One of the key priorities for the OPFCC was dealing with the recent  ...  view the full minutes text for item 168.

The Chair to advise whether they have agreed to any items of urgent business being admitted to the agenda.

There were no items of urgent business.

In respect of the following items the Chair may move the resolution set out below, on the grounds that if the public were present it would be likely that exempt information (information regarded as private for the purposes of the Local Government Act 1972) would be disclosed to them: The Panel is requested to resolve: “That under Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following item(s) of business on the grounds that if the public were present it would be likely that exempt information under Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act of the descriptions against each item would be disclosed to them.”

The Chair requested the Panel to agree that the remainder of the meeting be held in private session.

RESOLVED that: under Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, the public and press be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that if the public and press were present it would be likely that exempt information under Part I Paragraph 1 of Schedule 12A to the act of the descriptions would be disclosed to them.

The remainder of the meeting took place in private session.

Exemption under Paragraph 1 – Information relating to any individual.

RESOLVED that: the Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Panel recommends that the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Northamptonshire appoints Mr David Peet as interim Chief Executive.

The Panel considered its report and recommendation on the proposed appointment.

At the conclusion of discussion the Chair invited the Panel to reach a resolution on the proposed appointment. On a vote of 7 members in favour and one against it was:

RESOLVED that: the Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Panel recommends that the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Northamptonshire appoints Mr David Peet as interim Chief Executive.