Police and Crime Panel

The Police and Crime Panel oversees the work of the Police and Crime Commissioner.

Panel members

The Police and Crime Panel is made up of:

 

Hartlepool Borough Council representatives

  • Councillor Shane Moore
  • Councillor Carole Thompson

Middlesbrough Borough Council representatives

  • Mayor Andy Preston
  • Councillor Barrie Cooper (Vice-Chair)
  • Councillor Tom Mawston

Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council representatives

  • Councillor Graham Cutler
  • Councillor Carrie Richardson
  • Councillor Chris Jones

Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council representatives

  • Councillor Stefan Houghton
  • Councillor Tony Riordan (Chair)
  • Councillor Steve Nelson
  • Councillor Norma Stephenson OBE

Non-political independent members

  • Paul McGrath
  • Luigi Salvati

Meeting papers and agendas

Meeting papers and agendas for meetings of the Police and Crime Panel can be found below:

For historic agendas and minutes for this board, please visit the Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council website.

Public participation

Members of the public will be able to speak and ask questions at meetings of the Panel under the direction of the Chair. If confidential information is discussed, the public will be excluded either from the whole or part of the meeting. 

Questions

Members of the public can only ask questions related to items identified on the Panel’s agenda. 

However, the Monitoring Officer of the Council may reject a question if: 

  • It is not about a matter for which the Panel has a responsibility 
  • It is defamatory (or potentially so), or is frivolous or offensive
  • It is largely the same as a question which has been put at a meeting of the Panel in the past six months 
  • It requires the disclosure of confidential or exempt information 

Notice 

The question should not sound like a statement. It may only be asked if Council’s Monitoring Officer has been notified in writing or by email at least seven clear working days before the day of the meeting, unless the Chair exercises his/her discretion and agrees that a question(s) may be asked without the required period of notice. 

Allocated time 

The total time allocated to public questions, submitted on notice at a Panel meeting, will be 15 minutes. 

Order of questions 

Questions will be asked in the same order in which their notice has been received, except that the Chair may group together similar questions. 

Number of questions 

A person/organisation can submit no more than two questions.

Asking the question at the meeting 

The Chair will invite the questioner to put the question to the Panel.

If person who has submitted a written question is unable to be present, they may ask a representative or the Chair to put the question on their behalf. If neither the questioner, nor their representative are present, the Chair may ask the question on the questioner’s behalf, indicate that a written reply will be given or decide that the question will not be dealt with. 

Supplementary question 

A questioner or a representative of a questioner may also put one supplementary question, without notice.

A supplementary question must arise directly out of, and be related to the original question or the reply. The Chair may reject a supplementary question. 

Time limit on questions and answers

One minute will be allowed for each of the following:

  • asking the original question
  • the response to the question
  • any supplementary question
  • the response to any supplementary question 

Written answers 

Any question which cannot be dealt with during public question time will be dealt with by a written answer. 

Referral of question or issue to the Commissioner 

Questions received on notice, issues raised as part of the discussion of a question, including any supplementary question may be referred to the Commissioner if considered appropriate by the Council’s Monitoring Officer, in consultation with the Chair, or by the Panel.

The Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) role

The PCC role is to:

  • Represent the interests of local communities
  • Hold the Chief Constable to account for police performance
  • Set the priorities for the Force and prepares the Police and Crime Plan
  • Appoint (and dismiss if necessary) the Chief Constable
  • Set the Police budget and the part of council tax that goes to policing
  • Work with other agencies and partners to improve public safety
  • Commission police and crime services



Learn More about the role of the Police and Crime Panel on the PCC Website.