Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Cllr Abdul Amin – SBC, Cllr Alan Bishop – SBC, Cllr Caryl Sidney-Smith – SBC, Cllr Tom Rounds – Wiltshire Council and Cllr John Smale – Wiltshire Council (Substitute Cllr Sue Evans)

Cllr Jonathon Seed – had made an application for the position.

The Chairman advised that both he and the other panel members were disappointed that the OPPC had failed to provide them with biographical information on the successful candidate. The PCP were also disappointed that they had had no input in the recruitment process.

A motion was proposed to defer the meeting until biographical information on the successful candidate could be provided by the OPPC. This motion was defeated, with the Chairman having the casting vote to continue the meeting.

It was then proposed by the OPPC to adjourn for 15 minutes whilst they obtained biographical information for the panel members to read.

The meeting reconvened after the panel had read the biographical information.

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 3 clear wkg days before meeting. 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 was no public participation.

Background Information for Panel members - (Report to follow).

The Chairman welcomed Jerry Herbert to the meeting and requested that he gave the panel an overview of his career and the relevance of it to the post of Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner.

Points made by Jerry Herbert included:

·         That he had worked at a fairly high political level during his career.

·         That he had had a long interest in political life.

·         The importance of “holding to account”.

·         An interest in policing matters.

The panel were then given the opportunity to question Jerry Herbert.

Points raised during the question and answer session included:

·         The importance of understanding diversity particularly in Swindon.

·         The need for more partnership working with the other blue light services.

·         The need for clarity of the role and good public and community engagement.

To ask the preferred candidate questions in relation to their professional

competence and personal independence.

The panel then discussed in closed session their impressions of the preferred candidate.

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

·         That the Wiltshire Police and Crime Panel endorses the appointment of Jerry Herbert as the Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner.

·         The panel did have some reservations and it was agreed that the panel Chairman would write to the Police and Crime Commissioner to outline these.

Note: Cllr Jonathon Seed abstained from the vote.