Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Cllr Glenis Ansell, Cllr Chris Caswill and Cllr Peter Hutton – Wiltshire Council and Cllr Oliver Donachie – Swindon Borough Council.

Councillor Richard Britton declared a non-pecuniary interest as he had been a member of the selection panel when the Police Authority had interviewed Mike Veale for the post of Deputy Chief Constable – Wiltshire Police.

The Chairman advised that:

·       That the draft Police & Crime Plan 2015/17 had now been released and would be circulated to all panel members in due course.

·       That Angus Macpherson and Kieran Kilgallen would be in attendance for the panel’s questions to Mike Veale, they would however take no part in the process.

The Panel welcomes contributions from members of the public.

Statements

If you wish to make a statement at this meeting on any item on this agenda, please register to do so at least 10 minutes prior to the meeting. Speakers are permitted to speak for up to 3 minutes on any agenda item. Please contact the officer named on the first page of the agenda for any further clarification.

Questions

Members of the public are able to ask questions in relation to the responsibilities and functions of the Panel at each meeting. Those wishing to ask questions are required to give notice of any such questions in writing to the Head of Democratic Services at Wiltshire Council no later than 5.00 pm on Tuesday 5^th May 2015.Please contact the officer named on the first page of the agenda for further advice. Questions may be asked without notice if the Chairman decides that the matter is urgent.

There were no questions from members of the public.

5a. Background Information for Panel members

A copy of the applicant information booklet provided by the Office of

      the Police Commissioner is attached.

5b. Selection process

To receive a report from the selection panel’s independent person

      describing the selection process. (Report to follow)

A copy of a report prepared by Geoff Pears – Independent member of the Selection Panel had been circulated to all Wiltshire Police & Crime Panel members. Pre-meeting notes and summary of the meeting held with Geoff Pears which Cllr Richard Britton, Cllr Peter Hutton and Chris Henwood had attended on Friday 8 May 2015 were also circulated.

To ask the preferred candidate questions in relation to their professional

competence and personal independence.

The panel were given the opportunity to question Mr Veale on a range of topics.

The Chairman made the point that the Confirmation Hearing panel members were not being asked to re-run the selection panel interview, but to reassure themselves that the selection process had been robust and that the applicant’s suitability and competency for the role had been adequately proven by the Selection Panel, and that the PCP could properly endorse the Selection panel’s recommendation that Mr Veale should be appointed Chief Constable of Wiltshire Police.

To consider passing the following resolution:

To agree that in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 to exclude the public from the meeting for the business specified in Item Number 8 because it is likely that if members of the public were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in paragraph 1 of Part I of Schedule 12A to the Act and the public interest in withholding the information outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information to the public.

The Police & Crime Commissioner and members of the OPCC in attendance were asked to leave the room so that the panel could deliberate its decision.

The Panel will be asked to make a decision on the proposed appointment.

At the Confirmation Hearing Mr Veale satisfied the panel with his responses to a wide range of questions put to him by the panel members.

The panel were pleased to endorse the Selection Panel’s recommendation that Mr Veale be appointed Chief Constable of Wiltshire Police.