Independent Members for Police and Crime Panel

Role Responsibility

Background to the post

The Kent and Medway Police and Crime Panel (PCP) is part of the governance and accountability arrangements for policing in Kent and Medway through their role in maintaining a regular check and balance on the performance of the directly elected Police and Crime Commissioner for Kent (PCC).  (Matthew Scott, elected May 2021).  

PCPs have three types of member:

• Local authority members – Councillors who are appointed by their councils to sit on the Panel,
• Local authority co-opted members – Councillors who are appointed by their local parties to enable the Panel to better meet the political  and geographical proportionality of Kent objective,

And….

• Independent co-opted members – local people, who are not councillors, who are chosen to provide additional knowledge, expertise, community knowledge and apolitical input and co-opted onto the Panel. 

More information about the Kent and Medway Police and Crime Panel, including its membership can be found here:  Kent and Medway PCP

The Panel requires two motivated people to serve as independent panel members from November 2021 until the next PCC elections in 2024.

The role of a Panel member is an important and demanding one.  You will be expected to attend and participate in public meetings of the PCP and meetings of any working groups that you may be appointed to.  You will need to be prepared to read papers, reports and background information in advance of meetings and keep up to date with national and local crime and disorder issues and maintain a good working knowledge of the PCC’s role and responsibilities.   

Meetings will generally be held during normal office hours at varying locations throughout Kent (formal Panel meetings are held at Sessions House).  The commitment required from a co-opted independent Panel Member will depend on the work programme approved by the Panel, but typically might average one day a month, including preparation time. 

The two independent panel members will receive an allowance which is currently £500 per annum (in line with KCC’s standard co-optee allowance).  All Panel members will be able to claim reasonable travelling expenses. All Panel members will receive induction and other appropriate training.

Interview dates: Thursday 16th September morning and all day Wednesday 22nd September.

This post is subject to a Basic Disclosure Application to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Please note that online applications are not required, if interested to send your cv and one side A4 reasons for interest for this role to anna.taylor@kent.gov.uk

Contact Details

Anna Taylor 03000 416478

anna.taylor@kent.gov.uk

About the Company

KCC is committed to building a workforce which reflects the diversity of the county's working residents, encouraging applications from people of all ages, abilities, genders, sexual orientations, ethnic backgrounds and faiths, and aspires to create an inclusive workplace where everyone can be themselves at work.

Please note – if you are interested, please apply as soon as possible as the closing date for this advert may be earlier than stated should a number of suitably qualified candidates apply.