Agenda item

The Panel considered a report of the Police and Crime Commissioner which provided a summary of the Policing and Crime Bill, including the key policies and what they entailed (for copy see file of Minutes).

Councillor Armstrong informed the Panel that a lot had been achieved in the area of collaboration and requested that an update on collaboration be provided.  He referred to paragraph 19 on page 58 regarding the ability of the Home Secretary to change the name of a police force area outside of London by regulations and sought clarity on this.  The PCC replied that he could not understand the reasoning behind this part of the legislation.  Councillor Harker informed the Panel that a previous issue had arisen where an Act of Parliament was required when a force wanted to change its name, which had been a reason Durham Constabulary had not changed to County Durham and Darlington Constabulary upon Local Government Reorganisation in 1997.

Mr Dodwell referred to the first bullet point under paragraph 2 on page 53, about enhancing local accountability of the fire and rescue service by enabling directly elected PCCs to take over the governance from Fire and Rescue Authorities where a local case was made.  He asked who would make such a case, and if the PCC did not, would a case be made bu another body.  He considered this to be weak legislation.

The PCC replied that PCCs would have to be enacted in the process and make a strong case for such a move, adding that he would not support such a case.

Councillor Forster referred to the stopping of the detention of children and young people under 18 in police cells who were experiencing a mental health crisis and asked what currently happened in such cases.  The PCC replied that the force had a Mental Health Concordat which made places available for such young people at one of two facilities.

Councillor Boyes asked whether, while there was no appetite on the part of the County Council for the governance of the fire and rescue service to be taken over by the PCC, this could change in the event of a directly elected mayor under devolution.  The PCC replied that two parties needed to agree any change, one of which was the PCC.

Resolved:

That the report be noted.