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Holding the Police to Account

Debbie Tedds with Philip Seccombe

Warwickshire’s Chief Constable Debbie Tedds with Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Seccombe.

The Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 (PRSRA) places a statutory duty and electoral mandate on the PCC to hold the CC to account for policing services on behalf of the public. The Policing Protocol 2011 details the PCC’s legal responsibilities to:

  • Scrutinise, support and challenge the overall performance of the Force including against the priorities agreed within the Police and Crime Plan
  • Hold the CC to account for the performance of the force’s officers and staff
  • Maintain an efficient and effective police force for the area.
  • Hold the CC to account for the exercise of the functions of the office of CC and the functions of the persons under the direction and control of the CC.

In Warwickshire the Commissioner holds the Chief Constable to account in the following ways:

  • Monthly scheduled meetings focused on performance and governance
  • Weekly meetings with the PCC and Chief Constable,
  • OPCC attendance at identified force meetings
  • OPCC requests for information, reports and briefings on topics, brokered through the CC’s office.

Weekly Meetings

Regular meetings are held between the Commissioner and the Chief Constable, to ensure there is an open exchange of information and help them to maintain an effective working relationship.  These meetings are normally held at the Police Headquarters at Leek Wootton, though other venues are used on occasion.  The meetings allow the Commissioner and Chief Constable Debbie Tedds to discuss a wide variety of subjects relating to routine business.

Topics discussed can include:

  • matters of immediate concern;
  • trends in performance and incidence of crime that may impact on priorities included in the Police and Crime Plan;
  • strategic proposals of the Commissioner/Chief Constable not considered in other forums;
  • matters raised by the Police and Crime Panel;
  • strategic finance;
  • personnel matters;
  • strategic policing initiatives;
  • complaints and misconduct issues.

Meetings are normally held on a weekly basis and a summary of the discussions held in open session and their relevant actions are published here:

Records of the weekly meetings

Governance and Performance Board

Following the publication of the new Police and Crime Plan 2021-2025, police performance is scrutinised through the Governance and Performance Board.  The terms of reference for the Governance and Performance Board can be found here.  While the board meets monthly, performance data are scrutinised quarterly and will be published alongside the relevant meeting papers.

Minutes are published following the meetings.

2024 Governance and Performance Board Meetings

2023 Governance and Performance Board Meetings

2022 Governance and Performance Board Meetings

Previous governance and performance meetings

Under the previous Police and Crime Plan, the Commissioner held a monthly Performance and Accountability Meeting and a Force Governance Board as part of the arrangements for holding to account.  Details of these meetings can be found below, arranged by year.

2022 Performance and Accountability Meetings

2022 Force Governance Board Meetings

2021 Performance and Accountability Meetings

2021 Force Governance Board Meetings

A full archive of older performance reports can be found here.