The first Police and Crime Commissioners will be elected in the 41 areas in England and Wales on 15 November (not London, which already has the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime). Established by the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 the reform is a major plank of coalition policy, aimed at bringing direct democratic accountability to community safety.
However, until recently, most comment on the elections was about the lack of interest they were stimulating among the general public and there has been controversy over candidates barred from standing because of past convictions. Projections of a low turnout continue to be a key concern. This seminar aims to stimulate thinking about how the police and the community safety landscape will be changed and how elected members, local communities and organisations involved in community safety, should work with and hold Police and Crime Commissioners to account.
A knowledgeable and expert team of speakers will explore with delegates practical strategies that can be used, following the PPC elections in November, to build strong accountability and engagement in the new structures.
Programme*
10:00 Registration and refreshments
10:30 Welcome and introductions, Alan Waters, Learning & Development Manager, LGIU
10:40 Police & Crime Commissioners: how will they change the policing and crime landscape? Rt Hon David Hanson MP, Shadow Minister for Policing
11:40 Scrutinising Police & Crime Commissioners: what does good scrutiny look like? Gareth Wall, Head of Overview & Scrutiny, Hackney Council
12:40 Lunch
13:20 Making connections: how do we link up communities with Police Commissioners? Maxine Moar, Director, Grant Moar Communities
14:05 Facilitated breakout sessions: What are the priorities and tasks to ensure strong accountability and engagement with Police & Crime Commissioners?
14:45 Feedback
15:00 Concluding remarks
*This programme is correct at time of publication, but may be subject to alteration of speakers or sequence without notification.
