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Meeting

Name: Hampshire Police and Crime Panel (Statutory Joint Committee)
Start: 2021-07-02T12:00:00Z
End: 2021-07-02T14:00:00Z
Location: Ashburton Hall, Elizabeth II Court, The Castle, Winchester

Hampshire Police and Crime Panel (Statutory Joint Committee) - Hampshire

Agenda

Published

Minutes

Published

Meeting Times

Scheduled Time

Start:
Friday, 2nd July 2021
1:00 PM

End:
Friday, 2nd July 2021
3:00 PM

Actual Time

Started:
Friday, 2nd July 2021
12:00 AM

Finished:
Friday, 2nd July 2021
12:00 AM

Meeting Status

Status:
Confirmed; Confirmation Hearing for appointment to the role of Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner

Date:
02 Jul 2021

Location:
Ashburton Hall, Elizabeth II Court, The Castle, Winchester

Meeting Attendees

Committee Member

Councillor Andrew Joy

Conservative

Apologies

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Chairman

Councillor Simon Bound

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council

Present, as expected

Vice-Chairman

Councillor David Stewart

Isle of Wight Council

Present, as expected

Committee Member

Councillor Dave Ashmore

Portsmouth City Council

Present, as expected

Committee Member

Councillor Stuart Bailey

Hart District Council

Apologies

Committee Member

Councillor Narinder Bains

Havant Borough Council

Present, as expected

Committee Member

Councillor John Beavis MBE

Gosport Borough Council

Present, as expected

Committee Member

Councillor Trevor Cartwright MBE

Fareham Borough Council

Present, as expected

Committee Member

Councillor Tonia Craig

Liberal Democrat

Apologies

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Committee Member

Councillor Phillip Lashbrook

Test Valley Borough Council

Apologies

Committee Member

Councillor Matthew Magee

Southampton City Council

Apologies

Committee Member

Councillor David McKinney

East Hampshire District Council

Present, as expected

Committee Member

Councillor Ken Muschamp

Rushmoor Borough Council

Apologies

Committee Member

Councillor Margot Power

Winchester City Council

Present, as expected

Committee Member

Councillor Mark Steele

New Forest District Council

Present, as expected

Committee Member

Councillor Ian Stephens

Isle of Wight Council

Present, as expected

Co-opted Member

Councillor Tony Jones

Additional Local Authority Member

Present, as expected

Co-opted Member

Councillor Matthew Renyard

Additional Local Authority Member

Present, as expected

Co-opted Member

Shirley Young

Independant Co-opted Member

Present, as expected

Deputy

Councillor Ian Bastable

Fareham Borough Council

Not required

Deputy

Councillor Geoffrey Blunden

New Forest District Council

Not required

Deputy

Councillor Tina Campbell

Eastleigh Borough Council

Not required

Deputy

Councillor Angela Clear

Winchester City Council

Not required

Deputy

Councillor Lesley Meenaghan

Conservative

Not required

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Deputy

Councillor Kirsty Mellor

Portsmouth City Council

Not required

Deputy

Councillor Alex Rennie

Havant Borough Council

Not required

Agenda

1 Apologies for Absence

Minutes Apologies were received from:

·         Councillor Stuart Bailey, Hart District Council

·         Councillor Tonia Craig, Eastleigh Borough Council

·         Councillor Andrew Joy, Hampshire County Council

·         Councillor Phillip Lashbrook, Test Valley Borough Council

·         Councillor Matthew Magee, Southampton City Council

·         Councillor Ken Muschamp, Rushmoor District Council

2 Declarations of Interest

To enable Members to declare to the meeting any disclosable pecuniary interest they may have in any matter on the agenda for the meeting, where that interest is not already entered in their appointing authority’s register of interests, and any other pecuniary or personal interests in any such matter that Members may wish to consider disclosing.

Minutes Members were able to disclose to the meeting any disclosable pecuniary interest they may have in any matter on the agenda for the meeting, where that interest is not already entered in their appointing authority’s register of interests, and any other pecuniary or non-pecuniary interests in any such matter that Members may wish to disclose.

No declarations were made.

3 Questions and Deputations

To receive any questions or deputations in line with Rule 31 and 31A of the Panel’s Rules of Procedure.

Minutes No questions or deputations were received by the Panel on this occasion.

4 Confirmation Hearing for Appointment to the role of Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner

Following notification from the Hampshire Police and Crime Commissioner of her intention to appoint the preferred candidate, Mr Luke Stubbs, to the role of Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner, for the Hampshire Police and Crime Panel to hold a Confirmation Hearing in accordance with Schedule 1 of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011.

Attachments:

Document 2021-07-02 Police and Crime Panel Confirmation Hearing Deputy PCC Explanatory Report 24 Jun 2021
Document PCC Report 24 Jun 2021
Document PCC Report - Appendix A 24 Jun 2021
Document PCC Report - Appendix B 24 Jun 2021
Document Police and Crime Panel - Letter to PCC regarding confirmation hearing outcome 24 Jun 2021
Document Police and Crime Panel - Confirmation hearing report 24 Jun 2021

Minutes Following notification from the Commissioner, to the Panel of her intention to appoint a preferred candidate, Mr Luke Stubbs, to the role of Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner (DPCC), the Panel held a Confirmation Hearing in accordance with Schedule 1 of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011.

Members received a report setting out the powers of the Panel and the process to be followed in the Confirmation Hearing, as per the agreed ‘Confirmation Hearing protocol’. The Panel noted the information provided by the Commissioner relating to the appointment of the Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner, which included:

·         The name of the preferred candidate and CV;

·         A statement/report from the PCC stating why the preferred candidate met the criteria of role;

·         The terms and conditions of appointment;

The Commissioner expressed her pleasure in presenting the preferred candidate, and welcomed the input of and feedback from the Panel through the confirmation hearing process.

The Commissioner explained that it was essential, in her role, to be visible to residents and partner organisations. In order to achieve that visibility the Commissioner was proposing the appointment of a DPCC, who would complement her skillset and be inward focussed, supporting delivery of the Police and Crime Plan. Further, Members heard that due to the number of commitments on the Commissioner’s time senior officers, including the Chief Executive and Deputy Chief Executive, had substituted for the PCC at various meetings and the Commissioner was keen to release their time to focus upon service delivery.

Members heard that the Commissioner and the candidate had worked together successfully in the past and that the Commissioner felt the candidate would offer her both challenge and support and would be able to effectively represent the Commissioner and her views. The Commissioner explained that the proposed candidate had a good understanding of risk management, public sector finance and budgeting processes and the separate and interrelated role of key statutory partners.

Discussion was held between the Panel and the Commissioner regarding the decision to appoint a DPCC, through which the Panel heard that:

·         Had the Commissioner taken the approach of selecting a candidate based on geographical representation then some parts of the policing area would have lost the opportunity to meet with her directly, with a DPCC representing those areas in her place. To compliment the Commissioner’s strength in engaging with the public and partners she sought, instead, to identify a candidate who could demonstrate strength in delivering inward facing priorities, through an analytical approach.

·         The costs of the OPCC would not be increased through this appointment and the salary for the role was set by the Home Office at 75% of the salary of the PCC.

The candidate introduced himself, providing an overview of his past experience relevant to the role. The Panel then asked questions of the candidate which related to his professional competence and personal independence, the answers to which enabled Members to evaluate Mr Stubbs’ suitability for the role. At the end of questioning, the Chairman thanked the candidate and provided an opportunity to clarify any responses given.

5 Exclusion of the Press and Public

To resolve that the public be excluded from the meeting during the following item of business, as it is likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the public were present during that item there would be disclosure to them of exempt information within Paragraph 3 of Part I Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972, being information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding the information) and, further, that in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

While there may be a public interest in disclosing this information, namely openness in the deliberations of the Panel in determining its recommendation regarding the proposed appointment, it is felt that, on balance, this is outweighed by other factors in favour of maintaining the exemption, namely enabling a full discussion regarding the merits of the proposed appointment.

Minutes The press and public were excluded from the meeting during the following item of business, as it was likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the public were present during that item there would be disclosure to them of exempt information within Paragraph 3 of Part I of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972, being information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding the information) and, further, that in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information. While there may have been a public interest in disclosing this information, namely openness in the deliberations of the Panel in determining its recommendation regarding the proposed appointment, it was felt that, on balance, this was outweighed by other factors in favour of maintaining the exemption, namely enabling a full discussion regarding the merits of the proposed appointment.

6 Closed Session to discuss the proposed appointment to the role of Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner

Following notification from the Hampshire Police and Crime Commissioner of her intention to appoint to the role of Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner, for the Hampshire Police and Crime Panel to hold a closed session to agree its recommendations

Minutes The Panel held exempt discussions which examined the evidence provided in the Confirmation Hearing session. The final reports of the Panel are appended to these minutes.

The Panel agreed that:

·         The Commissioner required a Deputy, not only to support delivery of her role, but also to release senior staff officers at the OPCC to focus on their proper areas of responsibility.

·         The candidate had a clear understanding of the Commissioner’s vision of the Deputy role and provided thoughtful, genuine responses to questions posed.

·         The PCC and the candidate had developed a strong working relationship over a number of years in previous roles and the confirmation hearing process had demonstrated how their skillsets would complement each other in the role of PCC and DPCC.

·         The strength of the candidate’s experience in project delivery, finance and his analytical approach would support the PCC in the delivery of the Police and Crime Plan.

·         The candidate was keen to learn and absorb the information required to be effective in the DPCC role.

The Panel also noted some reservations about the candidate proposed, for which it was agreed reassurance would be sought from the Commissioner:

·         The candidate stated that he would remain in his position as a local authority councillor for a period of 9-10 months, but would not stand for re-election 2022. Concerns were raised about the candidate’s ability to fully commit to the role of Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner during this period.

·         As both the Commissioner and candidate had similar political and geographic backgrounds, the Panel would require evidence, going forward, that the PCC and DPCC understood the needs of and could be representative of all communities across the policing area.

On the basis of the information provided by the Commissioner, and the discussions held in the Confirmation Hearing, the Panel agreed unanimously the proposed recommendation in relation to the appointment of the preferred candidate to the role of Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner

RESOLVED:

That the proposed candidate, Mr Luke Stubbs, is recommended to be appointed to the position of Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner.

Previous Meetings

21st Nov 2022