Cheshire Police and Crime Panel
The Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 introduced significant changes in police governance and accountability, in particular the introduction of directly elected Police and Crime Commissioners and a Police and Crime Panel for each force area.
The Panel maintains a regular check and balance on the performance of the Commissioner. The Cheshire Police and Crime Panel is made up of 10 local councillors from across the county, plus 3 co-opted independent members.
The Panel may co-opt additional members including extra councillors provided the panel does not exceed 20 members and the Home Secretary agrees to the increased size of the panel.
Vacancy for independent member of Police and Crime Panel
There is currently a vacancy for an independent co-opted member of the Panel (PDF, 120KB).
Scrutiny of the Police and Crime Commissioner
At every meeting of the Panel (normally five a year) Panel members have the opportunity to ask the Commissioner questions, these can be submitted in advance or asked on the day.
Questions asked at recent meetings and the response provided by the Commissioner.
Anyone wishing to make a suggestion for issues which should be raised with the Commissioner at future meetings should contact martin.r.smith@cheshireeast.gov.uk
Requests under the Freedom of Information Act
The Cheshire Police and Crime Panel is not classed as a public authority under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and is therefore is not obliged to respond to such requests. However, if you are looking for information regarding operational policing, the Cheshire Police website shows how you can make a requests for this information.
Alternatively, there is also information about the strategy and oversight of Cheshire Police.
The Police and Crime Panel’s responsibility for the management of complaints
The Police and Crime Commissioner is elected to make sure that policing in Cheshire meets the needs of the community. His role is to oversee how the county is policed, the police budget, the amount of Council Tax you pay for policing and the information that you receive about what the Police are doing.
The Commissioner has to be satisfied that the Chief Constable has in place a system to enable complaints against police officers to be dealt with efficiently and fairly, it is not part of his role to look at individual complaints against the Police, although since 1 February 2020 he has had a role in the review of certain complaints.
The Police and Crime Panel has established a Complaints Management Sub Committee to manage its responsibility for complaints. It does not deal with complaints involving the conduct / behaviour of Police Officers or the delivery of operational policing matters. You will find information on how to make a complaint about the Police on the Cheshire Constabulary website.
The Complaints Management Sub Committee is not an appeals body for complaints against Cheshire Constabulary or the Chief Constable and has no legal power to look into, investigate or order actions to be taken in such cases.
If you wish to make a complaint about the Police and Crime Commissioner, you will need to tell the Complaints Management Sub Committee what the Commissioner himself has done or not done which has had an impact on you. You will need to provide as much evidence as you can.
Any correspondence about complaints should be addressed to martin.r.smith@cheshireeast.gov.uk
If you are sending information by post it should be addressed to:
Cheshire Police and Crime Panel
Cheshire East Council
Democratic Services and Governance
c/o Municipal Buildings
Crewe Cheshire CW1 2BJ
If your complaint is about the actions of a member of the Commissioner’s staff, you should address your complaint to:
Chief Executive
Office of the Police & Crime Commissioner
Clemonds Hey
Oakmere Road
Winsford
Cheshire CW7 2UA
Email: pcc@cheshire.police.uk
If your complaint is in relation to the Chief executive, your complaint should, in the first instance, be referred to the Police & Crime Commissioner at the above address.
Read the Complaints Management Sub Committee Terms of Reference (PDF, 165KB) to find out more about how the Complaints Management Sub Committee works and for detailed information on the Panel’s Complaints procedure
A simplified complaints procedure flow chart (PDF, 79KB) shows how the Complaints procedure operates.
Please be very careful when sending confidential information, ensuring you are using the correct address and do not send original copies of any documents.
The current Complaints procedure came into operation on 1 November 2020.
Complaints considered by the Complaints Management Sub Committee
Public participation at panel meetings
Panel meetings are held in public, anyone can attend. Details on how to attend will be found on the agenda for the meeting. Members of the public may speak and ask questions at Panel meeting.
Further information on public speaking (PDF, 111KB)
Consultative Meeting of the Police on Crime Panel
At the start of the Coronavirus pandemic the Panel met informally with the Police and Crime Commissioner. A video of the meeting can be viewed at:
Review and Scrutiny
Review and Scrutiny of the Cheshire Police and Crime Commissioner’s decisions and actions in relation to the disciplinary action taken against former Chief Constable, Simon Byrne.
If you require the above report in an accessible format please email Martin.R.Smith@cheshireeast.gov.uk
2020/21 Police Precept
The Chairman of the Panel has received the attached letter from the Commissioner (PDF, 607KB) at its meeting on 7 February 2020 the Panel will discuss the Commissioner’s proposed precept for 2020/21. The meeting of the Police and Crime Panel can be watched live via the webcast on the Cheshire West and Chester Council website.
2019/20 Police Precept
The Commissioner is required to set an annual budget and precept (the Commissioner’s element of Council Tax). A report from the Commissioner was considered by the Police and Crime Panel at its meeting on 8 February 2019. The Commissioner’s proposed precept was supported without qualification or comment.
2018/19 Police precept
The Commissioner is required to set an annual budget and precept (the Commissioner’s element of Council Tax). A report from the Commissioner was considered by the Police and Crime Panel at its meeting on 2 February.
Current webcasts
Send your questions to the Panel @CheshirePCPanel.
Responsibilities of the panel
- To consider the Cheshire Police and Crime Commissioner’s proposed council tax precept for policing, with the power to veto
- To consider the Commissioner’s proposed appointment of a Chief Constable, with the power to veto
- The ability to review the police and crime plan and annual report
- To request reports and call the Police and Crime Commissioner to attend its meetings
- To consider complaints against the Police and Crime Commissioner of a non-criminal nature.
The Panel will not scrutinise the performance of the Constabulary - that is the role of the Police and Crime Commissioner. The Panel will only scrutinise the actions and decisions of the Commissioner.
Panel rules of procedure
Publications and Submissions
In January 2020 the Panel made a submission to the Barbour Review of Policing. See more information on the review.
Letters received by Chairman from the Home Office
The Chairman has received the attached letters from the Home Office.
Page last reviewed: 09 December 2024
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