Meeting of the The West Yorkshire Police and Crime Panel today. ‬

‪The panel works in support of the residents of Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds & Wakefield to ensure that the Police and Crime Commissioner meets the needs of all communities.

The Panel is made up of 12 elected members from the five West Yorkshire authorities and 2 independent members. Panel members work in close partnership, with each other and with other key agencies, to guarantee the best possible policing and crime outcomes for the whole of West Yorkshire.

The West Yorkshire Police and Crime Panel is responsible for:

Reviewing and making recommendations on the amount of Council Tax the Commissioner intends to collect from each household to support policing. The Panel can demand that the proposed amount is made higher or lower (i.e. exercise a veto) but the Commissioner only needs to meet this demand once.

Reviewing the Commissioner’s proposal about who should be Chief Constable and therefore in charge of the operational running of the police force. The panel has the power to turn down the preferred candidate but again they can exercise this veto only once.

Reviewing and making recommendations on the Commissioner’s five year Police and Crime Plan.

Reviewing the Commissioner’s Annual Report which will outline his/ her performance against the Police and Crime Plan.

Confirming the appointment of senior staff who will be working for the Commissioner, including the proposed Deputy if he/ she chooses to have one.

Dealing with non-criminal complaints made against the Commissioner