West Yorkshire Police Authority

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West Yorkshire Police Authority
Councillor Mark Burns-Williamson Chair of West
Yorkshire Police Authority
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West Yorkshire

• West Yorkshire - Key Statistics
• 2.1 million population
• 838,000 households
• 780 square miles
• 5 Local Authorities
• Fourth Largest Police Force
• 5,880 Police Officers
• 4,627 Police Staff, including 759 Police
  Community Support Officers

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Timeline

• Early 1800s police forces established
  accountable to magistrates
• 1830s Watch Committees in new councils formed
  to run police forces
• 1888 Local Government Act created Standing
  Joint Committees in County Councils forerunners
  of police authorities
• 1964 Police Act police authorities created
  made up of elected members and magistrates
• 1994 Police and Magistrates Court Act reduced
  size of police authorities and introduced
  independent members. Ability to levy precepts.
  Consultation become law
• 1998 Crime and Disorder Act partners involved
  in crime reduction
• 2008 Police and Justice Act separate category
  of magistrate member abolished. At least one
  independent member must be a magistrate

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Tripartite Arrangement

• Home Office
• Sets Strategic Priorities for policing
• Drives Police Performance
• Provides approximately 80 of funding

Police Service

• Police Authorities
• Set the Police Budget
• Appoint the Chief Constable and Senior Officers
• Ensure an Effective and Efficient Police Service

• Chief Officers
• Operational Decisions - Direction and Control
• Day to Day Running of the Force
• Accountable to the Police Authority

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West Yorkshire Police Authority

• 17 Members
• 9 Councillors (3 Leeds, 2 Bradford, 2 Kirklees, 1
  Wakefield and 1 Calderdale)
• Councillors reflect the political balance across
  West Yorkshire (4 Labour, 3 Conservative, 2
  Liberal Democrat)
• 8 Independent Members

• 23 Full/Part Time Support Staff
• Admin Support
• Consultation
• Research
• External Relations
• Policy
• Treasurer/Internal Audit
• Legal Support

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Overarching Purpose

• To ensure an effective and efficient police
  service for the area
• Hold the Chief Constable to account for the
  delivery of operational policing services in West
  Yorkshire

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How We Work

• Main Committee Structure
• Full Authority
• Meets 5 times a year
• Performs key statutory functions e.g. budget
  setting, approving the Policing Plan
• Overview of high profile Force projects e.g.
  Neighbourhood Policing, funding of Police
  Community Support Officers
• Delegated responsibility for scrutiny of other
  Force activity to the 5 main committees, which
  each meet 4 times a year
• Other Committees that meet less often e.g. Senior
  Appointments Committee, Standards Committee
• Other Scrutiny Groups

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Main Functions of a Police Authority

• Publish a Policing Plan, setting out the
  priorities for the Force over the next three
  years.
• Agree the police budget and what people will pay
  in their council tax.
• Consult widely to be able to reflect local views
  and opinion
• Work in partnership to reduce crime and
  anti-social behaviour

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Other Functions

• Run a scheme where volunteers visit custody areas
  to check on the welfare of people detained there
• Issue an annual Local Policing Summary to all
  households in West Yorkshire
• Appoint (and dismiss) chief police officers
• Oversee joint working between police forces

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Investment Over The Past Six Years
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Business Crime Consultation

• Four district-wide events held between January
  and March 2005
• Planned with help from Chambers of Commerce, West
  Yorkshire Police and Government Office
• 135 businesses attended

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Main Issues Raised

• Access to local information, advice and contacts
• Business crime to be given a higher priority
• Recording of business crime by the police
• (Better) feedback given to victims of crime
• Under-reporting of business crime
• Better engagement by businesses with key players

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Examples Of Activity

• Business Crime Sub-groups
• Business Watch/Shop Watch Schemes
• Raid-control Anti-robbery Initiative
• Forecourt Crime Initiative - make offs and retail
  crime
• Parkmark Scheme - reducing vehicle crime
• More recently, Business PACT meetings

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