Police and Crime Panel

The Police and Crime Panel is responsible for overseeing the Commissioner and scrutinising his decisions.

Panel membership is made up of ten local Councillors, representing the seven local councils in South Wales, along with two independent members.

The responsibilities of the panel include:

• Make reports and recommendations about actions and/or decisions of the Commissioner;
• Scrutinise the draft Police and Crime Plan;
• Summon the Commissioner, and their staff, for public questioning;
• Scrutinise and potentially, by two-thirds majority, veto the police budget and council tax precept;
• Scrutinise and potentially, by two-thirds majority, veto the appointment of the Chief Constable;
• Hold confirmation hearings for senior staff;
• Deal with lower level complaints against the Commissioner.

The panel is not there to scrutinise the performance of South Wales Police directly – that is the role of the Commissioner. Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council is responsible for the administration of the Police and Crime Panel.

How will the Police and Crime Panel scrutinise the Police and Crime Commissioner?

Panel members have the power to make reports and recommendations about any actions and decisions taken by the Commissioner.  They have a specific role in scrutinising the draft Police and Crime Plan, council tax precept, Chief Constable appointments, and the Annual Report. They also have the power to call in the Commissioner and their staff for public questioning.

All reports and minutes are published publicly.

• Report on the Police and Crime Commissioner for South Wales’ Annual Report 21-22

Procedures

Terms of Reference

Panel Arrangements

Rules of Procedure