Guidance for Officers, Staff and Volunteers for the Dorset Police & Crime Commissioner Elections May 2016 & Beyond

Transcription

1 Guidance for Officers, Staff and Volunteers for the Dorset Police & Crime Commissioner Elections May 2016 & Beyond

2 1. Introduction & Summary of Guidance 2 2. The Election Process & Key Dates Police Area Returning Officer (PARO) Incumbent PCC Standing for Election Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner (DPCC) Candidate Manifesto/Priorities/Vision Social Media and Website 5 3. Interaction with Candidates OPCC Candidates Information Page Politically Restricted Posts Election Process (Notification of Election and Pre-Election Period) Hustings Candidate Briefing Packs Candidate Briefing Events Candidate Engagement Log Meetings with Chief Constable/Chief Executive or others Visits to Police Stations Candidates that Currently Hold Office OPCC & Force Interaction with Candidates Use of Images of Police Officers/Staff and Police Premises Communication with the Media Re-elected Police & Crime Commissioners Re-Elected PCCs Newly Elected Police & Crime Commissioners Handover of Executive Powers Swearing in the Oath of Office Induction Pack Governance Structure Budget Planning & Commissioning 2016/17 14 Summary 14 1

3 1. Introduction & Summary of Guidance In accordance with the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011, elections will take place in 41 police areas in England and Wales to elect Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) for the period This includes the police area served by Dorset Police; the PCC elections are all scheduled to take place on Thursday 5 May This joint protocol sets out the arrangements in Dorset to ensure that Dorset Police and the Office of the Police Crime Commissioner (OPCC) for Dorset provide information to candidates and prospective candidates in an open and even-handed manner. The first element of this guidance provides support on the pre-election process. This section includes information on the timings and key dates through to the declarations for PCC elections and beyond. It also gives instruction on the locally agreed means by which the OPCC and Dorset Police interact with prospective candidates (pre April 2016), official candidates (post April 2016) and the incumbent PCC, Mr Martyn Underhill, in his capacity as both the directly elected PCC for Dorset and as a prospective/official candidate. The second part of this guidance focuses on the post-election period and is separated between re-elected and newly elected Commissioners. For newly elected PCCs, this guidance also includes advice on inductions, the oath, governance arrangements and planning for the first 100 days in office. A Joint Transition Working Group (JTWG) has been established to oversee the OPCC and Dorset Police roles with regard to this democratic process. The JTWG involves the Chief Executive (chair), Deputy Chief Constable, Head of Communications and Head of Corporate Communications. Should there need to be any clarification for staff, officers or volunteers, please do not hesitate to contact the Chief Executive, Dan Steadman (PCCElections@dorset.pnn.police.uk). Dan Steadman Chief Executive Debbie Simpson Chief Constable 2

4 2. The Election Process and Key Dates 2.1 Police Area Returning Officer (PARO) Each local elected policing area will have a nominated Police Area Returning Officer (PARO), who is responsible for managing the democratic process of the election. The PARO for Dorset is Mr Paul Morris of Poole Borough Council (p.morris@poole.gov.uk). A PARO is responsible for giving notice of the election, managing the nomination process, as well as the calculation and declaration of the result. Any election queries, including complaints, must be directed to the PARO. For further information on the role of the PARO, please see Chapter 6, section 54 of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act (PRSRA) 2011 and the Electoral Commission website - The Chief Constable and the Chief Executive have agreed that the single point of contact (SPOC) for interaction with candidates will be the OPCC Chief Executive, Dan Steadman, which follows the 2016 NPCC guidance. The SPOC will manage candidate requests and facilitate engagement in a consistent manner. Date 3 Note From now Election period candidate declarations considered to be unofficial 10/03/16 Prospective Candidates Briefing Event Police HQ 30/03/16 Notice of Election and start of official pre-election period (PURDAH) 07/04/16 Confirmation of official candidates (deadline of registering intent to stand) 11/04/16 Familiarisation event for Official candidates Police HQ 12/04/16 Official candidates briefing event on election process with PARO 05/05/16 Election (polls open hrs) 05/05/ hrs - Verification of Ballot 06/05/ hrs Count* (declaration expected mid-afternoon) The Lighthouse, Poole 11/05/16 First term of office for PCC ends (midnight) 12/05/15 Swearing in ceremony for PCC and term of office for PCC Commences *Restriction in attendance and by invitation only. Once the formal Notification of Election is made by the PARO, the pre-election period (sometimes referred to as PURDAH) will begin on the 30 March 2016 and will continue until the PCC and election process is officially concluded (result announced). Candidates must complete and submit their nomination papers, including 100 signatures of registered electors for the local elected policing area who assent to the nomination, and submit a deposit of 5,000 to the local PARO. Candidates also need to be 18 years old, resident in Dorset and must not be a Member of Parliament or a member of staff or officer of a police force or OPCC in England or Wales. Full disqualification criteria can be found in Section 66 of the PRSRA. To reaffirm, this is not an OPCC or Dorset Police responsibility and any enquiries need to be referred to the PARO. In accordance with the amendments to Schedule 3 to the 2012 Police and Crime Commissioner Elections Order, PCC candidates must declare their intention to stand for election as a Police and Crime Commissioner by 4pm on the nineteenth working day before the poll with their local PARO. This will be 7 April The PAROs will then publish a final list of confirmed candidates.

5 The election is scheduled for 5 May This coincides with a number of District and Parish Council elections in Weymouth and Portland Council and a referendum in the West Dorset Council area. The local Councils are responsible for staffing the various polling stations around the County (even those where District and Parish Council elections are not being held). However, the election for the PCC (collection and counting of PCC ballot papers) is the responsibility of the PARO. The count for the PCC will occur on Friday 6 May The initial stage is the verification of ballot papers at the close of the poll on 5 May The actual count will commence at 1000hrs and declaration likely to occur in the afternoon. Attendance at the count is by invitation only. If the incumbent PCC is announced the winner of the election, business will carry on as normal. If, however, the election results in a change of PCC, the formal handover of business will not commence until 12 May 2016, following a swearing-in ceremony. Any enquiries regarding alleged election irregularity should be directed to the PARO, Chief Executive or the Deputy Chief Constable (james.vaughan@dorset.pnn.police.uk), where the issues will be considered in confidence. 2.2 Incumbent PCC Standing for Election The current term of office for the PCC for Dorset, Mr Martyn Underhill, ends 6 days after the election (midnight, 11 May 2016). The PCC s statutory duties and executive powers are retained within this period. The OPCC and Dorset Police must continue to work with the PCC right up until the end of term of office (11 May 2016), providing support to perform his role. However, OPCC or Dorset Police Officers or Staff must not provide any support which may be reasonably perceived to be relating to his candidacy in advance of the election. The legitimate promotion of the democratic process through encouraging people to vote and broaden understanding and awareness of the PCC role could be inferred as supporting Mr Underhill indirectly. Therefore, the OPCC will not play a proactive role in this regard. Mr Underhill has declared his current intent to stand for election in 2016 for another term of office, although that declaration is unofficial until 7 April It is clearly understood by him that he cannot use OPCC resources to support his campaign e.g. Diary management for events linked to election / candidacy; Managing correspondence linked directly to his candidacy and; Researching / providing information not available to other candidates, specifically for electioneering purpose regarding his personal manifesto. As monitoring officer, the Chief Executive will need to be the final arbiter on these matters. If you have any queries in relation to any of the above or how it relates to you, please contact Dan Steadman, Chief Executive, as soon as possible. (PCCElections@dorset.pnn.police.uk) 2.3 Deputy Police & Crime Commissioner (DPCC) Since the inception of the post of PCC, the demand of the role has grown significantly in Dorset and taken on a national aspect. As a result of this development, it became Martyn Underhill s view that a Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner (DPCC) was required to share his workload. 4

6 In September 2015, the PCC appointed Mr Colin Pipe as DPCC. This appointment followed the procedure set out in the PRSRA This post is currently undertaken on a voluntary basis for no remuneration and the term of office of a DPCC ends simultaneously to that of the PCC which, under current arrangements, would be 11 May Any DPCCs wishing to stand for election as a PCC would have to resign from the OPCC, in line with other OPCC staff who are similarly disqualified from being elected as a PCC. In order to stand as a candidate, the DPCC would have to step down in line with the nineteen days prior to election submission of nomination rule (Friday 7 April 2016). The DPCC would also have to conform to the same rules as other candidates during the election and therefore will be treated as a candidate when this policy is considered. The current Dorset DPCC has indicated that he will not be standing as a candidate but is supporting the current PCC as a candidate in the election campaign with the expectation that he will be the DPCC should Martyn Underhill be successful in the election. As such, he will be treated as a candidate insofar as he cannot be supported by the OPCC in relation to Martyn Underhill s campaign for election. In accordance with a request from the PCC (following the September 2015 meeting of the Police & Crime Panel [PCP]), a budget allocation has been made in the financial year 2016/17 for a salaried DPCC. Should this post not be required post-election, then the funds will be reallocated within the OPCC budget. This fact is on the public record (PCP minutes) and can be reported factually if requested. 2.4 Candidate Manifesto/Priorities/Vision To help ensure an effective transition, the JTWG will review and collate candidates manifestos, priorities and visions during the pre-election period. This information will be used to inform limited skeleton planning for incoming PCCs, including draft high level strategies ready to implement from day one. This information will be for internal use only. 2.5 Social Media and Website In Dorset, the PCC has their own personal social media account(s), which they personally administer, whilst the OPCC has separate accounts, which the PCC can personally use as well in his official capacity (which is prefaced with MU ). During PURDAH, the PCC will not be using the official Dorset PCC account to avoid the impression that the OPCC support his campaign and any OPCC use of social media needs to remain neutral and not open to criticism or electioneering. The OPCC website will have dedicated PCC information for candidates webpages, showing information for candidates to help promote transparency and ensure equal access to requested information (see 3.1). These pages will not promote candidates or give information on the candidates (once candidates are official, the OPCC page will link to the PARO candidates page). The Dorset Police website will link to the OPCC page only. Guidance for officers and staff will be placed on the force intranet ahead of the election. 5

7 3. Interaction with Candidates 3.1 OPCC Candidates Information Page During the election period, the web page will be used to provide basic information on the election and links to other sites with further information. For example, providing basic PCC election information on the following: The date of the election; Contact details of who is responsible for administering the election locally (PARO); Where to find information on voting (i.e. the Electoral Commission); and Where to find information on who is standing in your area (i.e. government website, Cabinet Office and/or the website of the PARO) 3.2 Politically Restricted Posts All OPCC staff contracts (and certain Dorset Police contracts) are politically restricted posts in accordance with the Local Government & Housing Act (1989). As politically restricted posts, OPCC staff must not only be impartial but be seen to be impartial, by not participating in political activities, publicly expressing support for a political party or individual or undertaking other activities such as canvassing on behalf of a person who seeks to be a candidate; speaking to the public at large or publishing any written or artistic work that could give the impression that they are advocating support for a political party. The Chief Executive has made clear to OPCC staff the limitations placed on them under the PRSRA, in terms of political restrictions and in the supporting of candidates. Schedule 16 part 3 (200) of the PRSRA, confirms that all OPCC staff are politically restricted, (except the Deputy PCC). Breach of these principles could potentially be a disciplinary matter, which all parties would wish to avoid, so any ambiguity in the minds of staff needs to be urgently discussed with line management and/or the Chief Executive. 3.3 Election Process (Notification of Election and Pre-Election Period) Once the formal Notification of Election is made by the PARO, the pre-election period (sometimes referred to as Purdah) will begin on the 30 March 2016 and will continue until the PCC and election process is officially concluded (result announced). Once in this period, careful consideration has to be given to anything that the OPCC or Dorset Police publicises so as to avoid criticism of favouring any one candidate. This includes publicity via social media and publicity from commissioned services or partners. It would be best to avoid any announcements during this time from the OPCC but, if something arises that may have to involve an element of publicity, you must first liaise with the Chief Executive and seek his authorisation to continue. 3.4 Hustings Hustings are meetings or events where PCC election candidates debate future policies and manifesto promises and answer questions from the audience. The OPCC has and will continue to receive requests for attendance by the incumbent PCC to attend hustings events. However, as hustings form part of the campaign process, neither Dorset Police nor the OPCC must play a role in organising or facilitating hustings events (including checking Mr Underhill s availability). Any such requests must be passed directly to Mr Underhill for his 6

8 personal consideration and response. OPCC staff should simply acknowledge the request and inform the requestor that the matter has been referred to Mr Underhill. Staff must record the enquiry on a Candidate Enquiry Log. 3.5 Candidate Briefing Packs For the 2012 transition from Police Authorities to Police and Crime Commissioners, the Association of Chief Police Officers created guidance for police officer and staff interaction with candidates. This guidance has since been superceded by the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) for the 2016 PCC election. The NPCC s guidance notes how candidates must be treated even-handedly; for example in meeting information requests from candidates, each candidate should receive the same level of detail and right of access. The Chief Executive and Chief Constable have authorised the compilation of a candidate briefing pack, available from the candidates page of the OPCC website. This will be published in late January Candidate Briefing Events The Chief Constable and Chief Executive have agreed to the holding of a Prospective Candidates Briefing Event, which will be held on 10 March 2016 at Dorset Police HQ. The event will be an opportunity for prospective candidates to be briefed on the role of Police and Crime Commissioner, the performance of Dorset Police and the current direction of travel for the role of PCCs based on current consultations (particularly with regard to Blue Light collaboration and the Criminal Justice System). This will help prospective candidates to fully understand the role and will aid them in their decision to move to be an official candidate. As candidates are officially required to declare their candidacies by the 7 April 2016, this will leave only 19 days until the election. A candidate familiarisation event for Official Candidates will be held on 11 April 2016 at Police HQ, where candidates will be personally briefed by the Chief Constable, Chief Officers, Chief Executive and OPCC Staff. The briefing information and familiarisation days are likely to include: The police and crime landscape national, regional and local focus; The role of the PCC - summary of key functions: Police and Crime Plan, Budget, Commissioning; The role of the Chief Constable summary of key functions; The role of the Chief Executive and OPCC - monitoring officer functions and the role of Chief Finance Officer; The role of the Police & Crime Panel - summary of key functions; Partnership working - statutory partners and their responsibilities, PCC s responsibility to ensure an effective and efficient criminal justice system; Collaboration, Strategic Alliance and Regional Collaborator Local Partnerships Local Children s Safeguarding Boards etc.; Governance Framework - operational independence and the PCC s working relationship with the Chief Constable; 7

9 2016 budgets, finances and commissioning snapshot; Police Force - key challenges, useful information; Legacy issues and National bodies - e.g. APCC, NPCC, APACE, IPCC, PACCTS, HMIC; The Joint Transition Working Group, set up to coordinate activity between the Force and OPCC, will coordinate both of these events. By proactively providing such information, it can potentially reduce the number of queries they receive, avoid duplication and improve transparency at the same time. However, if a candidate does individually seek information from the OPCC or Dorset Police, the Chief Executive will apply a transparent approach and ensure this information is shared with all candidates, with all responses to requests published on the OPCC website. 3.7 Candidate Engagement Log To help monitor the number of requests received from candidates and provide resilience against accusations of not sharing information equally, the OPCCs will manage a record of all requests and information shared with candidates on the candidates log. This will provide an audit trail and will be accessible by both OPCC and Dorset Police staff, if required. 3.8 Meetings with Chief Constable/Chief Executive or others The Chief Constable and Chief Executive wish to facilitate transparent access to prospective and official candidates (where practicable and operationally viable). In addition to the candidate briefing events, there can be 1:1 meetings arranged with the Chief Constable, the Chief Executive and others. These meetings will be arranged through the SPOC and announced on the OPCC Candidates briefing page of the website. These meetings will be unscripted, with candidates given free opportunity to ask questions to the host of the meeting. However, the candidates will be made fully aware that the meeting will be noted and questions and responses may be published on the OPCC website for the benefit of all candidates to ensure transparency and freedom of access to information. The only exception to this would be personal questions levied about Mr Underhill or other candidates in the election. The OPCC will provide staff to note the meeting. 3.9 Visits to Police Stations Candidates may wish to make official visits to police stations and Neighbourhood Policing Teams. Such requests for visits with the purpose of fact-finding and receiving briefings are reasonable requests, but not visits that are purely intended to generate publicity for the candidate, or where officers/staff find themselves inadvertently part of that publicity. If a request is agreed, then the Chief Executive/JTWG will ensure that the candidate is fact finding and not simply promoting publicity. All candidates should be offered equal access to ensure consistency and to protect individual OPCC/Police Force staff or officers from any suggestion of bias or interference in the election process. Officers and staff should avoid being in publicity photographs and must not comment on the suitability of a candidate. All requests by candidates or other politicians to visit OPCC or Dorset Police premises or to observe officers and staff at work must be referred to the Staff Officer or Chief Executive, as appropriate, for a decision. In cases of doubt, guidance should be sought from the PARO. Official support must not be given to visits and events with a party political or campaigning purpose. In the event that approval is given to a specific visit, officers and staff must not 8

10 play an active part in any media coverage of the visit and will be briefed on those terms by the Chief Constable s Staff Office. To ensure transparency, hosting officers/staff need to be aware that all questions from candidates and provided answers will be published on the OPCC website. The Chief Constable s staff office will provide a nominated officer to make notes of these visits and discussions. Limitations on resources and the unpredictable demands of operational policing may mean that such visits are limited to a single visit per candidate, or that visits will be arranged to accommodate more than one candidate at a time Candidates That Currently Hold Office The Chief Executive is responsible for ensuring, as much as possible, that all candidates, including incumbents standing for re-election, are treated equally. The PCC, Mr Underhill, has publicly indicated his intention to respect the PURDAH period by leaving his office space at Police HQ from 30 March However, he remains the PCC with all the relevant executive powers and responsibilities during this period. Mr Underhill will work remotely for PURDAH, and will use video conferencing facilities to join weekly Joint Executive Boards, and other Force Strategic Meetings held during that time. Mr Underhill will retain his phone, IT, PCC identification and the Force vehicle, to enable him to undertake his duties remotely. If the Force faces a critical incident, he retains the right to re-engage at Police HQ. As Mr Underhill s current term of office ceases on 11 May 2016, he will continue to be paid the salary for a PCC and will be able to claim expenses related to his official duties until that time. The Chief Executive is obliged to ensure that the OPCC or Dorset Police are not involved in supporting incumbent PCCs in their election campaign. However, the Chief Executive is absolutely clear of the need for a business as usual approach and will ensure the PCC is supported in performing their statutory duties through to 11 May OPCC or Dorset Police staff cannot provide evidence for election debates or in the development of a manifesto for Mr Underhill. However, the incumbent PCC must continue their current responsibilities and may ask relevant and pertinent questions in relation to that duty, and can reasonably expect a response. The Chief Executive will need to manage such requests OPCC & Force Interaction with Candidates During the election, candidates (or their election agents) may directly approach both the OPCC and the Police Force with requests for meetings, information and to request media opportunities. There must be even-handedness in meeting information requests from the individual candidates, political parties and campaigning groups, coordinated by the Chief Executive. Where it is clear that a candidate s request is a Freedom of Information (FOI) request, it must be handled in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act The Act requires public authorities to respond to requests promptly and in any event, not later than 20 working days after the date of receipt. When the OPCC receives a request for information, it needs to be logged onto the OPCC Candidate Log. As SPOC, the Chief Executive will coordinate a response to all correspondence and both the query and response will be logged onto the election webpage. If similar queries are made, we will refer the individual to the website. For this purpose, standard responses will be produced. 9

11 The Joint Transition Working Group (JTWG) will coordinate candidate engagement and ensure consistency Use of Images of Police Officers/Staff and Police Premises All candidates are able to use images publicly available from the Dorset OPCC website, or images they have captured themselves in the course of their campaigns, as a member of the public. The Dorset Police or OPCC logos cannot be used if in doing so, in the view of the Chief Executive and the Chief Constable, it is implying support by either corporation to a candidate statement or manifesto or their campaign. The incumbent PCC is able to use images that have been collated during the course of their duties as an elected official, and in setting the context of their performance in the role. However, it has been agreed with Mr Underhill that all selected images will be approved by the Chief Executive and Chief Constable in advance of their publication and use on campaigning material, in order that there is no disagreement post-publication. Official resources such as telephones, computers, photocopiers, vehicles, stationery or OPCC staff time must not be used in direct or indirect support of Mr Underhill s election campaign Communication with the Media When handling media communications, NPCC s 2016 guidance recommends: A response by the Chief Executive may be appropriate when factually incorrect information is released or where it is necessary to correct misunderstandings that would undermine confidence in the elected office of the PCC and Dorset Police. The factually correct information can be shared by the Chief Executive publically in a neutral manner. A response may not be appropriate when a claim is based on that individual s interpretation of information. The above guidance should apply when both OPCC s and Dorset Police use social media to respond to queries or comments. The OPCC and Dorset Police will continue to provide factual information, both proactively and reactively. However, extra care must be taken to ensure comments cannot be interpreted as support for any candidate. JTWG and the Chief Executive/DCC will have particular oversight of comments during PURDAH. All enquiries relating to Mr Underhill s campaign should be ed to Mr Underhill/Mr Pipe (DPCC) and should not be responded to by OPCC staff. Requests for information on the election process should be referred to the PARO s website or the Chief Executive, if necessary. (see section 2.1) 10

12 4. Re-elected Police & Crime Commissioners 4.1 Re-Elected PCCs Re-elected PCCs will be familiar with the process and demands that immediately follow PCC elections. However, it will be beneficial for the Chief Executive and Chief Constable to have a plan in place for what can be a busy period. This will ensure the transition from the preelection to post-election period is as smooth as possible. JTWG will coordinate this with reference to this guidance. Plans should feature arrangements for the swearing of the oath, media interviews, upcoming key decisions, opportunities to reform governance arrangements, review staffing requirements with the OPCC, revisions to the Police and Crime Plan, and set diary commitments, such as attendance at upcoming public events. If re-elected, the current PCC will/may seek to re-appoint his current Deputy. It should be noted that current legislation is clear that the serving Deputy PCC s term of office must end no later than the day when the current PCC s term of office finishes (11 May 2016). Therefore, if re-elected, the PCC must follow the statutory appointment process for a Deputy PCC and this would mean he/she would not have a DPCC until a meeting of the Police and Crime Panel (PCP). The Chief Executive will liaise with the officers managing the PCP for Dorset and a provisional extraordinary PCP will be set before the election, to allow for an early appointment of the DPCC, should the PCC be re-elected. The appointment process for a Chief Executive (who is also the monitoring officer) and Treasurer does not apply unless there is a change in personnel as these two positions are statutory functions and are permanent contract appointments. The Government is currently consulting over the rules for the appointment of a DPCC as a PCC in emergency situations (such as death or long-term incapacity of the PCC) which may also change the rules post-election. Any changes which will change this guidance will be reflected in the amendment and advice to candidates. 11

13 5. Newly Elected Police & Crime Commissioners 5.1 Handover of Executive Powers The term of a person elected as a PCC at an ordinary election begins on the seventh day after the day of the poll and ends with the sixth day following the poll. The term for incumbent PCCs should cease on Wednesday 11 May 2016 and the newly or re-elected PCC should commence in office on Thursday 12 May The swearing of the oath will take place on this day too, although newly elected PCCs can swear the oath at any time within two months of the day after the election (Part 1, Section 70 (2) of the Police Reform & Social Responsibility Act 2011). 5.2 Swearing in the Oath of Office The 2016 election of a PCC is a significant local democratic event, for an executive political role with significant powers and responsibilities. Therefore, it is necessary that the swearing of the Oath of Office is an event with the appropriate gravitas and significance, whilst considering costs and limitations on the public purse. The Chief Executive, following consultation with the PARO and Chief Constable, has informed guests from around Dorset of the intention to host a swearing in ceremony on 12 May 2016 at Upton House, Poole. This important ceremonial event will also be an opportunity for the newly elected PCC to meet with Dorset Police and partners in order to highlight their ambitions for their terms of office and JTWG will coordinate the arrangements for the event. Immediately following the event, a meeting of the PCP will be held with the PCC. 5.3 Induction Pack A new PCC or re-elected PCC may wish to start work as soon as possible. Prior to the arrival of the newly elected PCC, JTWG will create induction packs and day one briefings. Information from the candidates manifestos can be used to help inform this work. The following areas will be considered for inclusion in PCC induction packs: PCC statutory responsibilities (See Annex); Chief Executive / Monitoring Officer responsibilities / appointment process; Chief Finance Office / responsibilities / appointment process; Chief Constable responsibilities; PCP responsibilities; Information on the PCP and members (please note, many areas will have local government elections at the same time. Consequently, PCPs may also be in a state of transition); 100 days official diary (including swearing the oath and upcoming key Force & partner meetings); The existing Police and Crime Plan, a draft of an initial Police and Crime Plan for the new PCC and incoming PCC requirements for publishing a new plan; 12

14 Guidance and requirements on Annual Reports; OPCC structure and staff introductions; Police Force structure and officer and staff introductions; Force strategy(ies) and assessment of policing demand; Recent significant HMIC reports and recommendations; Governance arrangements; Financial regulations and standing orders relating to contracts; A snapshot of PCC and Police Force finances; Existing procurement programmes, significant tenders, contracts expiry/renewal dates; A snapshot of PCC and Police Force estates; A snapshot of the current political landscape in the local elected policing area; Information on key partners; Collaboration arrangements; Information on inherited PCC commissioned victims and restorative justice commissioned services; Meeting with Union representatives; Inherited / on-going complaints and role of IPCC (independent Police Complaints Commission); Chief Constable end of contract date; Other significant information not shared in the Candidate Briefing Packs; Regional Collaboration briefing and Covert Protocol (agreement on briefings for the PCC on sensitive cases) The Chief Constable and the Chief Executive (with the Treasurer where required) will also seek the newly elected PCC s views on the following areas: Meeting Strategic Alliance partners and regional Policing partners; Introduction meeting with the Police and Crime Panel; Deputy PCCs (possible recruitment exercised and statutory requirements linked to this appointment); Recruitment/OPCC office restructuring to meet manifesto promises; Training needs (media/social media training); Diarised arrangements for meet and greets (media, key partners); Commissioning and de-commissioning; Community engagement; Funding and budgets; Engaging with public, partners and partnerships (voluntary, Independent Custody Visitors and Criminal Justice Boards); Administrative preferences (briefing format, personal organisation etc.) and Meeting the Joint Independent Audit Committee 13

15 5.4 Governance Structure The Chief Constable and the Chief Executive will seek the Commissioner s views on the following governance areas: Governance frameworks; Code of practice between PCC and Force; Policing Protocol; Decision making; Performance Scrutiny Monitoring; Audit Committee; Association of Police and Crime Commissioners and sub groups; Representation on local partnerships (Local Criminal Justice Boards) 5.5 Budget Planning & Commissioning for 2016/17 The Chief Executives and Treasurer will consult the PCC s original manifesto and provide guidance on funding sources, Police Grant, the Police Property Act Fund and funding for commissioning of victims services, restorative justice and other initiative. This guidance should consider any legacy issues related to funding, the policing precept, commissioning, decommissioning, conditions that apply to the various funding streams and options for commissioning. Summary The term for incumbent PCCs will cease on Wednesday 11 May 2016 and the newly or re-elected PCC will commence in office on Thursday 12 May The JTWG will create induction packs and the Chief Constable and Chief Executive will seek PCC s views on key issues as soon as possible. The JTWG will establish an election lessons learnt log. 14