Agenda item

RESOLVED that:

a)    The Panel agrees that its work programme for 2021/22 should include the following matters:

·      A workshop session open to all Panel members in January 2022 on the development of the Police, Fire & Crime Commissioner’s proposed precepts, to include separate sections on Police and Fire & Rescue.

·      A workshop session open to all Panel members in September 2021 on the 2021/22 Police and Fire & Rescue budget positions.

·      Two briefing sessions open to all Panel members with the Chief Constable and the Chief Fire Officer on their respective service’s priorities and challenges, to take place in venues appropriate to the subject matter 

·      A visit to Darby House for all Panel members

·      The Joint Independent Audit Committee Annual Report 2020/21

·      Police & Crime Plan and Fire & Rescue Plan delivery updates presented to each regular meeting of the Panel

·      Police and Fire & Rescue Authority budget updates presented to each regular meeting of the Panel

·      Scrutiny of the Police, Fire & Crime Commissioner’s updated Police & Crime Plan and Fire & Rescue Plan

·      A report on action being taken in Northamptonshire to respond to the outcomes of the Kerslake Report and the Public Inquiry into the Manchester Arena terror attack.

b)    The Panel agrees that a skills audit of Panel members be carried out to support its operation.

c)    The Panel prioritises the following considerations in relation to the locations to be used for its formal meetings in 2021/22:

·      The ability to webcast meetings

·      A location that is relatively central in Northamptonshire, that is accessible and that offers appropriate parking.

d)    The Panel requests that a proposal regarding the future location of its formal meetings be developed for consideration by the Panel.

e)    The Panel requests to receive confirmation that remuneration can be paid to independent co-opted Panel members under the West Northamptonshire Council Scheme of Member Allowances. 

f)     The Panel agrees to continue its membership of the East Midlands Police, & Crime Panels Network for 2021/22.

g)    The Panel agrees to continue its membership of the National Association of Police, Fire & Crime Panels for 2021/22.

The Democratic Services Manager presented the report, highlighting the following points:

·         The Panel should use its first meeting to consider its work programme for the year ahead. The Panel was required to carry out specific statutory tasks but should identify those other matters that it also wished to scrutinise.

·         The Panel needed to resume holdings its formal meetings in-person following the expiry of legislation permitting remote meetings in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Panel was asked to agree the broad approach it wished to take regarding the location of future meetings.

·         The Panel was asked to agree to continue its membership of regional and national network bodies that had previously helped to inform its work.  

The Panel considered the report. Panel members made the following points concerning its potential work programme:

·         The workshop session on the development of the PFCC’s precept and budget held in 2020/21 had been useful and should be repeated.

·         It would be helpful for the Panel to visit the enabling services base at Darby House.

·         It would assist the Panel to carry out a skills audit of its new membership.

·         The PFCC was due to produce a new Police & Crime Plan later in 2021. The Panel could seek to comment on what the new Plan might include at an early stage in the development process.

·         Pre-decision scrutiny of the Police & Crime Plan would need to reflect the respective remits of the Panel and the PFCC.

·         The previous workshop session on the PFCC’s precept and budget could provide a model for scrutiny of the draft Police & Crime Plan.

·         The Panel should pursue the question of additional remuneration for independent co-opted members, which had been raised at the final meeting in 2020/21.

·         The Home Office had recognised in 2012 the principle of a disparity between the remuneration of councillor members and independent co-opted members, which panels could need to address. 

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

·         He welcomed input from the Panel to the new Police & Crime Plan. However, when the Panel scrutinised the Plan it should recognise that he had been elected on the basis of commitments that he now needed to deliver. 

·         The Panel should consider including in its work programme the topic of how Northamptonshire was respond to the outcomes of the Kerslake Report and the Public Inquiry into the Manchester Arena terror attack.

·         The OPFCC was able to arrange further opportunities for Panel members to observe force activity relating to the night time economy if desired.

The Democratic Services Assistant Manager provided additional information regarding remuneration for Panel members as follows:

·         All Panel members could claim expenses for activities connected with their roles according to an agreed Member Expenses Scheme. The question of disparity related to the fact that councillor members also received a basic allowance from their local authority to support them as councillors. 

·         West Northamptonshire Council had adopted a Scheme of Allowances that included provision for an allowance for independent co-opted Panel members. This provision had been recommended by an Independent Review Panel. Subject to checking some details involved, this situation seemed to substantially answer questions on this matter that the Panel would otherwise need to ask.  

The Panel went on to consider and confirm potential items of business listed in the report that it wished to include in its work programme for 2021/22.

The Panel subsequently considered the location for its future formal meetings. Panel members made the following points during the course of discussion:

·         The Chair noted that past Panel meetings had generally been held at County Hall and webcast live. The Panel had tried meeting in different locations around the county but the disadvantages of this outweighed the advantages. The Panel should prioritise webcasting its future meetings.

·         The safety of participants should be a key factor in choosing venues for future meetings in the current situation.

·         The Panel operated on behalf of Northamptonshire residents. They should have the opportunity to attend meetings. The Panel should consider rotating meetings between different locations.

·         The Corby Cube offered good facilities and the Panel should consider holding a meeting there. 

·         It could be more difficult for Panel members to attend meetings held in locations near the edges of the county.

The Democratic Services Assistant Manager provided additional information in response to points raised by members during the course of discussion as follows:

·         The current Panel meeting had not been webcast as the priority had been to secure a venue that could accommodate the meeting with social distancing measures. 

·         It would be necessary to investigate whether the webcasting arrangements used for Panel meetings up to March 2020 could be brought back into use. The Panel would also need to take into account the approach that the two Northamptonshire authorities might adopt regarding webcasting meetings.

·         The Panel was now legally required to hold its formal meetings in-person but informal activities could still be held remotely.  

The Chair invited the Panel to confirm its priorities regarding the location of future meetings.  

RESOLVED that:

a)    The Panel agrees that its work programme for 2021/22 should include the following matters:

·      A workshop session open to all Panel members in January 2022 on the development of the Police, Fire & Crime Commissioner’s proposed precepts, to include separate sections on Police and Fire & Rescue.

·      A workshop session open to all Panel members in September 2021 on the 2021/22 Police and Fire & Rescue budget positions.

·      Two briefing sessions open to all Panel members with the Chief Constable and the Chief Fire Officer on their respective service’s priorities and challenges, to take place in venues appropriate to the subject matter 

·      A visit to Darby House for all Panel members

·      The Joint Independent Audit Committee Annual Report 2020/21

·      Police & Crime Plan and Fire & Rescue Plan delivery updates presented to each regular meeting of the Panel

·      Police and Fire & Rescue Authority budget updates presented to each regular meeting of the Panel

·      Scrutiny of the Police, Fire & Crime Commissioner’s updated Police & Crime Plan and Fire & Rescue Plan

·      A report on action being taken in Northamptonshire to respond to the outcomes of the Kerslake Report and the Public Inquiry into the Manchester Arena terror attack.

b)   The Panel agrees that a skills audit of Panel members be carried out to support its operation.

c)    The Panel prioritises the following considerations in relation to the locations to be used for its formal meetings in 2021/22:

·      The ability to webcast meetings

·      A location that is relatively central in Northamptonshire, that is accessible and that offers appropriate parking.

d)   The Panel requests that a proposal regarding the future location of its formal meetings be developed for consideration by the Panel.

e)    The Panel requests to receive confirmation that remuneration can be paid to independent co-opted Panel members under the West Northamptonshire Council Scheme of Member Allowances. 

f)     The Panel agrees to continue its membership of the East Midlands Police, & Crime Panels Network for 2021/22.

g)   The Panel agrees to continue its membership of the National Association of Police, Fire & Crime Panels for 2021/22.