All Wales Policing Group - Terms of Reference

Purpose

The All Wales Policing Group provides a forum to enable the Police and Crime Commissioners and Chief Constables in Wales to co-ordinate and scrutinise collaborative and partnership working across the region.

The purpose of the Group is to:-

1. Enable Police and Crime Commissioners and Chief Constables to discharge their statutory collaboration duties.
2. Provide strategic leadership, direction and appropriate authority for collaboration and partnerships for policing in Wales.
3. Provide direction to the All Wales Deputy Chief Constable and scrutinise the delivery of the collaboration programme.
4. Consider the contribution to the Strategic Policing Requirement and the impact it has in Wales.
5. Consider issues for discussion at the Policing Board for Wales and the Cross Party Group.
6. Determine how policing as a non-devolved service can effectively contribute to the predominantly devolved public sector in Wales.
7. Consider the impact of matters that affect policing in Wales which go beyond individual force level and to formulate appropriate response strategies.
8. Consider and respond appropriately to matters arising from the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners and National Police Chiefs’ Council.
9. Consider and determine how best to represent the interests of Wales at regional and national level.
10. Exchange best practice between Commissioners teams and Forces.

Operational Independence

Chief Constables, their constables and staff remain operationally independent and will have the ability to determine upon such operational issues. Paragraph 103 of the Statutory Guidance on police collaboration makes it clear that Chief Officers cannot be bound operationally by the decisions of a joint oversight committee, in this instance the All Wales Policing Group, any more than by the decisions of a policing body itself i.e. their respective Police and Crime Commissioner.  

Membership

Membership of the All Wales Policing Group shall consist of:

• Chief Constable, Dyfed Powys Police
• Police and Crime Commissioner for Dyfed Powys
• Chief Constable, Gwent Police
• Police and Crime Commissioner for Gwent
• Chief Constable, North Wales Police
• Police and Crime Commissioner for North Wales
• Chief Constable, South Wales Police
• Police and Crime Commissioner for South Wales
• Deputy Chief Constable, All Wales

Chairperson

The Chair of the Group shall be a Police and Crime Commissioner who will perform the role for a period of 12 continuous months. The role will rotate between the four Police and Crime Commissioners in Wales so that they each chair the Group during the period between scheduled elections for Commissioners which take place every 4 years.

The Chair will represent the interests of the Group by working with the Chair of the Welsh Chief Officer Group as necessary outside the formal meeting structure. In doing so the Chairs of both Groups will ensure that their respective colleagues are kept informed of developments and actions undertaken on their behalf. For the avoidance of doubt this is to ensure the smooth operation of the business of the Group and it is not intended to provide either Chair with the authority to commit colleagues to executive decisions without the necessary consent of the other Commissioners and Chief Constables.

Attendees

In addition to the Members of the Group meetings will also be attended by:-

• Deputy Police and Crime Commissioners
• Chief Executives from the four Police and Crime Commissioner teams in Wales
• Police & Crime Commissioners Advisor to the All Wales Policing Team
• Chief Superintendent, Police Liaison Unit
• Secretarial support
• Guest speakers and presenters at the discretion of the Chair
• Deputy or Assistant Chief Constables may deputise for their respective Chief Constables if they are unable to attend.

Secretariat

Secretariat support shall be provided by the APCC Wales Policy Manager. This includes the preparation of agendas, minutes, action tables, collation of reports, liaising with visiting speakers, guests and all matters relating to the meeting venue.

Meeting Structure

The meetings shall be divided in to two parts. Part one will be attended by all members of the Group. Part two shall only be attended by the Commissioners, Chief Executives, secretarial support and invited guests and speakers at the discretion of the Chair.

The Chair will consult on items for the agenda, parts 1 & 2, in advance of each meeting and will retain the discretion to decide whether they should be included. This is to ensure effective time management and consideration of priority items. All requests for agenda items should be submitted to the Chair’s Chief Executive no later than two weeks before the date of the meeting.

Frequency of Meetings and Timescales

Meetings will be held on a quarterly basis. They will be convened to allow for the timely consideration of matters to be raised at the Policing Board for Wales and the Cross Party Group on Policing. The Chair’s Chief Executive will consult all members of the Group on the dates of meetings beforehand.