In accordance with best practice for scrutiny and transparency as noted in Schedule 3 – In-Year Monitoring Information Requirements of the Home Office Grant Agreement, an annual report by Police and Crime Panels is an important Key Performance Indicator (KPI) to be monitored and reported on.
This report provides a summary of the activity of the Surrey Police and Crime Panel during June 2020 - May 2021 (up to the elections).
Minutes:
Witnesses:
Amelia Christopher - Committee Manager (SCC)
Lisa Townsend - Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey
Key points raised in the discussion:
1. The Committee Manager (SCC) noted that it was the second of such reports brought to the Panel since being introduced last year and it provided a summary of the Panel’s activity during June 2020 - May 2021.
2. The Committee Manager (SCC) further noted that the report was provided in accordance with best practice for scrutiny and transparency as noted in Schedule 3 – In-Year Monitoring Information Requirements of the Home Office Grant Agreement.
3. The Committee Manager (SCC) highlighted that the report included the newly introduced Chairman and Vice-Chairman’s foreword which summarised that despite the sudden change from in person meetings to remote meetings the Panel continued to act as a ‘critical friend’ to the PCC, it held its Complaints Sub-Committees, it recruited two new Independent Members in September, Panel members attended virtual events such as the was used for the PCP Ninth National Conference in November and received full Panel training in January to investigate its scrutiny approach going forward.
4. The Chairman thanked Panel members for their work over the past year.
5. The Chairman suggested that Panel members used the report to publicise the work of the Panel to their respective Borough and District Councils, and local areas; adding that the Panel’s dedicated website would be upgraded to provide a central location for Panel information and documents available to the public.
6. A Panel member noted that in respect of raising awareness of the Panel, he noted that when Woking Borough Council appoint a representative to an outside body such as the Panel, a report is submitted to Council annually summarising the Panel’s work. He asked whether other Panel members representing District and Borough Councils did something similar or could do going forward.
7. The Chairman noted that it would be useful if Panel members promoted the Panel’s Annual Report at their respective Borough and District Councils particularly in advance of a visit from the PCC; and welcomed any suggestions from Panel members in terms of raising awareness of the Panel’s work.
8. A Panel member noted that the earlier queries he posed to the PCC were reflective of two key issues raised by residents in response to his posts on various local Facebook pages last weekend where he noted his opportunity to question the PCC on behalf of residents.
9. The Chairman requested that the Committee Manager (SCC) re-circulate the Panel’s Annual Report document to Panel members so it could be easily shared.
10. A Panel member noted that he had submitted three of the four Public Questions last year, noting that the lack of Public Questions showed that the work of the Panel was not widely known.
- In response the Chairman confirmed that role of Panel members was to encourage Public Questions and to make the PCC’s and Panel’s work more visible to residents.
11. The Vice-Chairman commented on the process of accountability, highlighting the mismatch between the level of interest that social media exposure generated with making the formal structure of the Panel more visible as a channel of communication on behalf of residents and for Panel members to reflect on that point.
12. The PCC agreed with Panel members’ comments, noting that the OPCC had publicised the Panel’s meeting on social media. She emphasised that it was important that all residents knew that they could contact her and the OPCC, she encouraged all Panel members to continue to publicise their roles and vice versa so that issues could be raised and responded to.
RESOLVED:
That Panel members noted the Surrey Police and Crime Panel’s Annual Report 2020-2021.
Actions/further information to be provided:
1. R14/21 -Panel members will look at using the Panel’s Annual Report 2020-21 the report to publicise the work of the Panel to their respective Borough and District Councils, and local areas; and look to publicise the work of the Panel further.
2. R15/21 -The Committee Manager (SCC) will re-circulate the Panel’s Annual Report document to Panel members so it can be easily shared.
Supporting documents: