Agenda item

The Governance report urged members to consider whether they were content with the existing work programme; whether they wished to implement the idea of Member Champions and whether the rules of procedure needed any amendments (although any changes to the last point would be necessarily reliant on the legislation).

During the discussion the following points were made:

·         The Chairman noted that in the past, task and finish groups had been set up to complete discrete pieces of work but for various reasons had not managed to meet. If members wished to set up task and finish groups or introduce the idea of champions there would be an increased workload for panel members

·         One panel member recognised that local authorities had limited resources and that this impacted on how effective the work programme could be. He suggested that perhaps member authorities should contribute to a part time scrutiny post to support the Panel and the member champions. It was pointed out that Champions already existed at District Council level and they were in contact with the Ambassadors.  There was not much support for the Panel Champions proposal at present

·         Other Panel Members felt that the work programme needed to be more proactive and until that was in place it was difficult to ascertain what resources would be needed

·         Members generally considered that task and finish groups could be useful provided that they had a tight remit.  It was agreed that a further report should be considered at a future meeting on the options for task and finish groups

·         It was suggested that if independent members were asked to do a different or wider job than the job they applied for, remuneration should be re-considered

·         The setting up of a budget task and finish group was supported with five members volunteering – Cllr Middlebrough, Cllr Bowen, Cllr Evans, Cllr Reynolds and Mrs Clive,

·         With regards to the Rules of Procedure the Panel was generally content with them but it was proposed that the requirement for the Chairman to alternate between Worcestershire and Non-Worcestershire members was no longer necessary and should be removed to allow for the best person to be appointed to the role despite which area they represented. The requirement for the Vice-Chairman to have a geographical counter-balance to the Chairman was similarly unnecessary and shouldbe deleted. The office of Vice-Chairman should be open to all panel members, whether elected members or not. These proposals were agreed.

RESOLVED that the Police and Crime Panel:

a)    Further consider the future work programme of the Panel;

b)    Would not implement the role of Panel member Champions at present;

c)    Agreed to a Task and Finish Group being set up to consider the precept consisting of Cllrs Middlebrough (Chairman), Bowen, Evans, Reynolds and Mrs Clive;

d)    Should receive a report at a future meeting with suggestions for topic areas to be investigated by a task and finish group; and

e)    Agreed that the Rules of Procedure should be amended

                       i.       to state that The Chairman of the Panel should be elected from amongst the Members of the Panel but should not have to alternate between Worcestershire and Non-Worcestershire Members

                      ii.       that the Vice-Chairman role be appointed from the members of the Panel (whether elected or not) and the geographical restriction be removed.