Dear Member
A meeting of Northern Joint Police Board will take place in the Council Chamber, Council Headquarters, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness on Friday, 15 June 2007 at 10.30 a.m.
You are invited to attend the meeting and a note of the business to be considered is attached.
Yours faithfully
R Pieroni
Clerk to the Board
Declarations of Interest – Members are asked to consider whether they have an interest to declare in relation to any item on the agenda for this meeting. Any Member making a declaration of interest should indicate whether it is a financial or non-financial interest and include some information on the nature of the interest. Advice may be sought from Officers prior to the meeting taking place.
Preliminaries
1. Interim Chairman
The Clerk will preside at the first meeting of the Board following the local authority elections until the Board elects its Convener, as provided at item 6 below.
2. Membership
There is circulated for noting Report No. pol-23-07 dated 31 May 2007 by the Clerk giving details of the substantive and substitute representatives appointed to the Board by the Constituent Authorities, i.e. The Highland Council, Orkney Islands Council, Shetland Islands Council and Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, in terms of paragraphs 4(1), 5(3) and 5(7) of the Schedule to the Northern Combined Police Area Amalgamation Scheme Order, under reference at item 23 below.
3. Calling of the Roll and Apologies
4. Standing Orders Relating to the Conduct of Meetings
There are circulated in separate Booklet A for retention copy of the Board’s Standing Orders Relating to the Conduct of Meetings, previously approved by the Board in August 2002 and recently reviewed by the Clerk. No amendments are recommended.
Appointment of Office Bearers
5. Office Bearers’ Remuneration
There is circulated for noting Report No. pol-24-07 dated 23 May 2007 by the Clerk on the level of remuneration to be paid to the Convener and Vice Convener in terms of the relevant Regulations and Scottish Executive guidance on their content and implications.
6. Appointment of Convener and Vice Convener
i. Convener
Paragraph 7(1) of the Schedule to the Northern Combined Police Area Amalgamation Scheme Order advises that the Board is required to appoint a Convener. The Clerk will call for nominations.
The Convener will take the chair following his/her appointment.
ii. Vice Convener
Paragraph 7(1) of the Schedule to the Scheme Order advises that the Board is required to appoint a Vice Convener, but that it shall not be competent for the Vice Convener to be a member of the constituent authority of which the Convener is a member.
The Convener will call for nominations.
Other Appointments
7. Sub-Committees and Working Groups
The Board is authorised to appoint sub-committees and/or working groups.
There is circulated Report No. pol-25-07 dated 22 May 2007 by the Clerk recommending that the Board:
i. approve the recommended scheme of Sub-Committees and Working Groups and make the appropriate appointments; and
ii. appoint a representative to sit on any future Police Appeals Tribunal that may be established, and also a substitute representative, should such be required.
8. Appointments to Northern Constabulary Force Review Programme Board
At its meeting held on 30 March 2007, the Board noted a briefing from the Chief Constable on progress on the Force Review Project (item 3 of the Minutes of Meeting at item 18 below refers). The Board is invited to appoint two Members to the Force Review Programme Board.
9. Appointments to Outside Bodies
i. Employers Side of the Negotiating Body for Police Support Staff
The Convention of Scottish Local Authorities has invited the Board to nominate a representative and substitute to the Official Side of the Police Staff Council (Scotland) (PSC), the body responsible for negotiating the pay and conditions of service of police support staff, on which all Scottish Police Authorities are represented. The appointee or his/her substitute will be expected to attend Council meetings held approximately every quarter. (Notice has been received that the next meeting will be held in Edinburgh on 28 June 2007.) Further meetings to discuss particular issues relating to Police Staff are held on an ad hoc basis and attendance at these is also usually required. Members are advised that the Board is normally represented by the Convener, with the Vice Convener as substitute.
The Board is invited to nominate a representative and a substitute.
ii. COSLA Appointment to the Official Side of the Negotiating Body for Police Officers
The Convention of Scottish Local Authorities has invited the Board to nominate a representative who may be selected to serve as one of the three elected members on the body which is responsible for negotiating the pay and conditions of service of police officers in the UK. For those who are selected as representatives, attendance at quarterly Board meetings, usually held in central London, is required. As with the PSC, further meetings to discuss particular issues surrounding Police Officer pay and conditions are held on an ad hoc basis. Attendance at these is usually required.
The Board is invited to nominate a potential COSLA representative
iii. Shetland Community Planning Board
Shetland Islands Council has invited the Board to nominate a representative to serve on Shetland’s Community Planning Board.
The Community Planning Board was established in January 2000 to set out a clear vision for Shetland, promote joint working between all different agencies and undertake effective consultation with communities. It currently consists of representatives from the Islands Council, NHS Shetland, Shetland Enterprise, the Association of Shetland Community Councils and the local Chief Inspector.
Members are advised that the Board is normally represented by one of the Shetland Members.
Policy and Finance
10. Revenue Budget
i. Revenue Budget Monitoring Statement 2007/08
There is circulated for noting Report No. pol-26-07 dated 6 June 2007 comprising a statement and commentary by the Chief Constable on Revenue Expenditure and Income for the period 1 April to 31 May 2007.
The Board is invited to note the current revenue position and agree to transfer the income received in respect of transfer values to the Commutations Budget.
ii. Revenue Budget 2007/2008
There is circulated Report No. pol-27-07 by the Chief Constable informing Members of the revenue budget position for 2007/2008.
The Board is invited to note the 2007/2008 budget position and agree that a year-end adjustment will be made in respect of constituent authority requisitions.
11. Capital Expenditure Monitoring Statement 2006/07
There is circulated for noting Report No. pol-28-07 dated 6 June 2007 comprising a statement and commentary by the Chief Constable on Capital Expenditure for the period 1 April to 31 May 2007.
12. Estate Management Programme
There is circulated for noting Report No. pol-29-07 dated 1 June 2007 by the Chief Constable providing a summary of capital development works on the Police Estate.
13. Procurement Activity
There is circulated for noting Report No. pol-30-07 dated June 2007 by the Chief Constable providing a summary of recent significant Procurement Activity.
14. Gender Equality Duty
Members are advised that the Equality Act 2006 provides that, from April 2007, all public bodies have a duty to promote gender equality (similar to the duties to promote race equality under the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 and disability equality under the Disability Discrimination Act 2005). The Act requires both the Chief Constable and the Board to have developed Gender Equality Schemes by 29 June 2007.
There is circulated Report No. pol-31-07 dated 23 May 2007 by the Clerk setting out for approval a draft Northern Joint Police Board Gender Equality Scheme and advising that copies of the Chief Constable’s Scheme will be circulated to all Members in due course.
There is also circulated for noting Report No. pol-32-07 by the Chief Constable on progress on the development of his Scheme.
Members are also advised that reviews of the Board’s Race Equality and Disability Equality Schemes will be brought to a future meeting of the Board.
Operational Matters
15. Chief Constable’s Periodic Report
There is circulated for noting Report No. POL33/07 by the Chief Constable comprising his Periodic Report and covering the following issues:-
i. Crime and Road Accident Statistics (circulated in a separate booklet);
ii. Crime Situation;
iii. Update from Operational Support Service Unit; and
iv. Mountain Rescues
16. Letters of Appreciation
There will be tabled for noting 24 letters of appreciation by the Chief Constable for the period 1 March to 30 April 2007. There is also circulated for noting Report No. pol-34-07 dated 14 May 2007 by the Chief Constable illustrating letters of appreciation.
17. Complaints against the Police
There is circulated for noting Report No. pol-35-07 dated 14 May 2007 by the Chief Constable regarding complaints against Police Officers from 1 March to 30 April 2007.
It is recommended that the Complaints Books specifying complaints against the Northern Constabulary, which will be available for inspection by members prior to the meeting, be declared exempt information by virtue of Paragraph 1 of Part I of Schedule 7A of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973.
General
18. Minutes – Previous Meeting
There are circulated for confirmation Minutes of the Board Meeting of 30 March 2007.
19. Recess Powers
Members are asked to note that the recess powers granted by the Board at its meeting held on 30 March 2007 required to be exercised in relation to:
• the grant of legal assistance to a police officer, on the recommendation of the Chief Constable, in terms of Police Circular 18/1978;
• the approval of an ill-health retirement, on the recommendation of the Chief Constable, in terms of the Police Pensions Regulations 1997.
20. Schedule of Meetings
It has been the Board’s practice to meet 4 times in most calendar years and 5 times in an election year. When selecting meeting dates, every effort is made to minimise conflict with the Constituent Authorities’ own schedules of meetings and also, as appropriate, to take into account the requirements of the budgetary process. It is recommended that the next two meetings of the Board take place in Inverness on Friday 14 September 2007 and Thursday 22 November 2007.
21. Execution of Deeds
Members are asked to note the following deeds recently executed on behalf of the Board:
• Disposition by the Northern Joint Police Board in favour of Lochaber Housing Association Ltd of 42 and 42a Alma Road, Fort William
• Disposition by the Northern Joint Police Board in favour of Lochaber Housing Association Ltd of 2 garages adjacent to Aird Mhor, Mallaig
22. Corporate Governance
There is circulated a copy of the Board’s Scheme of Delegation to Officers, approved by the Board at its meeting on 18 November 2003, with wording slightly amended for clarity and to reflect subsequent Board decisions; this will be combined with the scheme of Sub-Committees and Working Groups approved at item 7 above to produce a composite Scheme of Reference and Delegation to Sub-Committees, Working Groups and Officers.
There are also circulated in separate Booklets B & C for approval and retention by Members:
i. a copy of the Board’s Financial Regulations, previously approved by the Board at its meeting on 29 August 2003; Members are advised that these are currently subject to review and that any recommended changes will be brought to a future meeting of the Board (Booklet B);
ii. draft Standing Orders relating to Contracts, recently revised by the Force Procurement Manager in consultation with the Head of Internal Audit, the Highland Council (Booklet C).
23. Members’ Guidance
There is circulated for noting Report pol-36-07 dated 29 May 2007 by the Clerk (i) advising Members of the provisions of the Northern Combined Police Area Amalgamation Scheme Order 1995 on the constitution, membership and functions of the Board and (ii) outlining the principal responsibilities and functions of the Board. Members are invited to note the arrangements for a National Training Event in Glasgow on 27 June 2007 and that arrangements will be made for further local induction training.