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The Elected Local Policing Bodies (Specified Information Order) 2011 (as amended) (“SIO”) places a duty on the Commissioner to publish certain information within specified timescales, and for that information to be reviewed at prescribed frequencies.
Links to all information required to be published in accordance with the SIO are available on this page.
For ease of reference, the wording has been taken directly from the legislation to provide a clear picture of the Commissioner’s compliance with his duties in this area.
1. In relation to the relevant office holders of the elected local policing body-
(a) the name of each relevant office holder; (PCC & DPCC)
(b) the address for correspondence of each relevant office holder
(c) the salary of each relevant office holder;
(d) the allowances paid to each relevant office holder in respect of expenses incurred by the office holder in the exercise of the body’s functions;
(e) a Register of interests of relevant office holders, including every paid employment or office or other pecuniary interest of each relevant office holder.
(f) the number of complaints or conduct matters that have been brought to the attention of a relevant office holder by the police and crime panel (either because they have been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission, or because they are being subjected to informal resolution by the panel).
2. In relation to the staff (and, in relation to gifts and hospitality, also the relevant office holders) of the elected local policing body-
(a) the number of members of the staff;
(b) the proportion of the staff who-
(i) are women,
(ii) are, to the knowledge of the elected local policing body, members of an ethnic minority,
(iii) have, to the knowledge of the elected local policing body, a disability (within the meaning of section 6 of the Equality Act 2010); All required staff information above is available
(c) an organisational chart showing the structure of the staff;
(d) the job title, responsibilities and salary of each senior employee and the name of the senior employee;
(e) a register of each offer of a gift or hospitality made to a relevant office holder or member of staff, indicating whether the offer was accepted or refused.
2A. In relation to-
(a) the duty of the chief officer of the police force maintained by the elected local policing body to provide assistance to the body under section 2(5) or 4(5) of the 2011 Act; and
(b) the power of a local authority to provide administrative, professional or technical services to the elected local policing body under section 1(1) of the Local Authorities (Goods and Services) Act 1970, information as to any arrangements for use by the elected local policing body of the staff of the chief officer or of a local authority under those provisions.
3. In relation to the income and expenditure of the elected local policing body-
(a) the total budget of the elected local policing body;
(b) where the elected local policing body is a police and crime commissioner, the precept issued by the commissioner;
(c) information as to each anticipated source of revenue of the elected local policing body (other than, in the case of a police and crime commissioner, the precept);
(d) information as to the proposed expenditure of the elected local policing body;
(e) a copy of the annual investment strategy of the elected local policing body;
(f) information as to each crime and disorder reduction grant made by the elected local policing body, including the conditions (if any) attached to the grant, the recipient of the grant, the purpose of the grant and the reasons why the body considered that the grant would secure, or contribute to securing, crime and disorder reduction in the body’s area;
(g) information as to each item of expenditure of-
(i) the elected local policing body, or
(ii) the chief officer of the police force maintained by the body, exceeding £500 (other than a crime and disorder reduction grant made by the elected local policing body or an item of expenditure to which sub-paragraph (h) applies), including the recipient of the funds, the purpose of the expenditure and the reasons why the body or the chief officer (as the case may be) considered that good value for money would be obtained.
(h) information as to each item of expenditure of the elected local policing body in relation to travel by, accommodation for, or the subsistence, (included within the expense claims of each office holder) of, a relevant office holder, including the recipient of the funds, the purpose of the expenditure and the reasons why the elected local policing body considered that good value for money would be obtained.
4. In relation to the property, rights and liabilities of the elected local policing body-
(a) the identity of any premises or land owned by, or occupied for the purposes of, the elected local policing body;
(b) a copy of each contract with a value exceeding £10,000 to which-(i) the elected local policing body, or
(ii) the chief officer of the police force maintained by the body, is or is to be a party;
(c) a copy of each invitation to tender issued by—(i) the elected local policing body, or
(ii) the chief officer of the police force maintained by the body, in relation to a contract which the body or chief officer (as the case may be) expects will have a value exceeding £10,000;
(d) a list of every contract with a value not exceeding £10,000 to which—
(i) the elected local policing body, or
(ii) the chief officer of the police force maintained by the body, is or is to be a party, including the value of the contract, the identity of every other party to the contract and the purpose of the contract.
5. In relation to the decisions of the elected local policing body-
(a) the date, time and place of each public meeting to be held by the elected local policing body;
(b) a copy of the agenda for each public meeting held by the elected local policing body, and any report or other document that is the subject matter of an item on the agenda;
(c) a copy of the minutes of each public meeting held by the elected local policing body, and of each meeting which is not a public meeting but at which matters of significant public interest arising from the exercise of the body’s functions are discussed.
(d) a record of each decision of significant public interest arising from the exercise of the elected local policing body’s functions, whether made by the body at or as a result of a meeting or otherwise.
6. In relation to the policies of the elected local policing body-
(a) a statement of the policy of the elected local policing body in relation to the conduct of relevant office holders, including procedures for the handling of qualifying complaints and conduct matters (within the meaning of section 31 of the 2011 Act);
(b) a statement of the policy of the elected local policing body in relation to the making of decisions of significant public interest arising from the exercise of the body’s functions;
(c) a statement of the policy of the elected local policing body in relation to records management, including procedures for the security and sharing of information and the retention and destruction of documents;
(d) a statement of the policy of the elected local policing body in relation to the handling of qualifying disclosures (within the meaning of section 43B of the Employment Rights Act 1996).
(e) a statement of the policy of the elected local policing body in relation to the Data Protection Act 2018.
7. In relation to the prevention of crime and disorder-
A copy of any report required by the elected local policing body from the responsible authorities for a local government area under section 7(1) of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998.
7A. In relation to the key national priorities for policing, as communicated to elected local policing bodies by the Secretary of State—
(a) a statement on the contribution of the police force maintained by the elected local policing body to achieving improvements against those priorities;
(b)an explanation of which of the national priorities are assessed to be applicable and which not applicable in the context of the relevant police area and the reasons for that assessment.
7B. In relation to inspections and reports by the inspectors of constabulary under section 54(2) of the Police Act 1996 (appointment and functions of inspectors of constabulary)(2), the most recent—
(a) annual report on the effectiveness, efficiency and legitimacy of the police force maintained by the elected local policing body;
(b) summary assessment of the performance of the police force maintained by the elected local policing body.
7C. In relation to complaints concerning the police force maintained by the elected local policing body—
(a) the most recent—
(i) quarterly data in relation to that police force;
(ii) annual statistics report,
published by the Independent Office for Police Conduct;
(b) a report setting out—
(i) details of how the elected local policing body has fulfilled its duty under—
(aa) in the case of police and crime commissioners, section 1(8)(ca) of the 2011 Act (police and crime commissioners)(3) to hold the chief constable to account for the exercise of the chief constable’s functions under Part 2 of the Police Reform Act 2002(4) in relation to the handling of complaints;
PCC Assessment of fulfilment of duty to hold the chief constable to account for the exercise of their functions under Part 2 of the Police Reform Act 2002 in relation to the handling of complaints.
How the force is measuring complainant satisfaction.
There is no direct measure of complainant satisfaction. However, there are a number of indirect measures the PCC receives reports on. Each quarter the PCC receives at the Strategic Executive Board a report on data from the professional standards department detailing numbers of public complaints, both dealt with by PSD formally under Schedule 3 of the 2002 Act and resolved informally by the Complaints Resolution Team (RT) in the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC), the number of reviews concluded and upheld by the OPCC and IOPC and how this compares to other forces in the Beds, Cambs and Herts strategic alliance and other national benchmarks. The number of reviews indicates the number of outcomes of cases dealt with by PSD where the complainant was dis-satisfied with the outcome. The data also shows the number of cases where the outcome of lower-level complaints dealt with by the OPCC resulted in the complainant requesting the matter be referred on to PSD.
A summary of the systems in place to monitor and improve the performance in the timeliness of complaint handling.
The quarterly data also shows the timeliness of contact being made with complainants and the time taken to complete cases in CRT and to complete local reports and investigations in PSD. This allows the chief constable to advise the PCC of any actions being taken and any background information that is relevant. It also allows the PCC to question the chief constable if the timeliness appears to be less than expected or worse than benchmarks.
The number of written communications issued by the force under Regulation 13 of the 2002 Act where an investigation has been delayed
The data also shows the number of delayed investigations both by PSD and the IOPC in relation to Hertfordshire complaint and conduct matters. The PCC also receives reports on trends in complaints both from PSD and CRT and from CRT on the nature of the complainant, whether they are a victim, witness, suspect or other.
Quality Assurance mechanisms in place to monitor and improve the quality of its responses to complaints
The force receives feedback from complainants. In addition the review system operated by the OPCC provides for feedback on any issues raised by complainants including the quality of initial responses even if the review is not upheld. The OPCC also carries out dip sampling of complaints files and provides feedback to PSD.
Details of the administrative arrangements the PCC has put in place to hold the chief constable to account for complaints handling e.g. frequency of meetings and a summary of discussions.
The SEB report on complaints is received quarterly. Dip sampling and a follow up meeting for feedback are conducted quarterly. The PCC and Chief Constable meet monthly, and the topics discussed are published.
(ii) an assessment by the elected local policing body of its performance in exercising its functions under paragraph 30(1)(b) of Schedule 3 to the Police Reform Act 2002 (reviews: the relevant review body)(6);
Performance is reported quarterly to the Strategic Executive Board and this report is published. The reviews are checked by a member of the senior management team and are dip sampled, for quality, timeliness, and complainant feedback.
(iii) where the elected local policing body has given notice to the chief officer of the police force maintained by the body under section 13A of the Police Reform Act 2002 (local policing bodies: functions in relation to complaints) (7) that it is to exercise certain functions of the chief officer in relation to complaints, an assessment by the body of its performance in exercising those functions.
The PCC gave notice in February 2020 that he intended to take on the function of initial handling of complaints. A report is taken to Strategic Executive Board quarterly of performance including number of cases, breakdown of complainants, and proportion of complaints resolved and not passed on to PSD under Schedule 3 of the 2002 Act. The latter is an indication of complainant satisfaction. In addition, though, cases are dip-sampled. There is also regular liaison with PSD and the IOPC and analysis of statistics to allow comparison of performance.
8. In relation to the independent custody visitor arrangements made under section 51 of the Police Reform Act 2002 -
Information as to the operation of the arrangements. These are reported on every year in the Independent Custody Visiting Annual Reports.