PCC launching new webcast public meeting to hold Chief Constable to account

Hertfordshire’s new Police and Crime Commissioner Jonathan Ash-Edwards is launching a regular new webcast public meeting to hold the Chief Constable to account for the performance of Hertfordshire police.

During the live webcasts every month, the PCC will scrutinise the delivery of policing in Hertfordshire, asking questions about performance and on topics of high public interest. The meetings will enable the PCC and the Chief Constable to publicly demonstrate accountability, transparency and value for money over a broad range of police functions and decisions.

Future meetings will also be used for the Chief Constable to demonstrate progress made against objectives set out in the PCC’s forthcoming Police & Crime Plan.

The Accountability and Performance Meetings will take place at Police Headquarters in Welwyn Garden City and will be available to be watched online by following a web link. A recording will also be available to view on the PCC’s website after the meeting for those who can’t watch live.

The first webcast meeting will take place at 10.30am on Thursday 18^th July. A link to the meeting and the agenda will be published on the Commissioner’s website in advance of the meeting.

They will then take place on a monthly basis, usually starting at 10.30am, with public invitations and reminders sent out in advance.

Jonathan Ash-Edwards, Police & Crime Commissioner for Hertfordshire, said:

“The Police & Crime Commissioner is the public’s voice in local policing and holds the Chief Constable to account for the Constabulary’s performance. For the first time in our county, this accountability role will be done publicly as it is important to me that there is transparency about how Hertfordshire is policed and how decisions are made.

“I will be discussing a range of crime and policing issues which matter to the public with the Chief Constable. The meetings will be strategic and constructive, both to provide reassurance where things are working well and provide scrutiny and challenge over any areas where improvements are necessary, so we can work together to address them.

“These meetings will provide an excellent opportunity for me to raise issues on behalf of the public and I hope people will find them useful. I hope that residents will take the opportunity to watch the meetings, either live or the recording, to get a greater insight into how Hertfordshire is policed”.

Police and Crime Commissioners have a statutory duty to hold Chief Constables to account for their running of the force as set out in the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011. Holding to account meetings have always been held in Hertfordshire, but have not previously been held publicly.

More details and links to future and past meetings, along with agendas, will be available at Hertscommissioner.org.