PCC starts search for independent members to sit on her Scrutiny Panel

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Merseyside’s Police Commissioner is looking for two independent members to sit on her Scrutiny Panel which oversees the Chief Constable’s progress in maintaining an effective and efficient police service for our region.

The two new Panel members will support Emily Spurrell as she holds the Chief Constable, Serena Kennedy, to account at these important quarterly meetings.

The successful candidates will act as a ‘critical friend’, providing an independent voice on behalf of the communities of Merseyside.

The Commissioner is inviting applications from all of Merseyside’s diverse communities and is seeking candidates who are independent from both her office and the police. She is keen to find people with effective communication skills, the ability to negotiate and influence and someone is empathetic to the views of others.

Applicants must be 18 or over, live or work in the Merseyside area and able to attend meetings during the working day over the next 12 months.

Merseyside’s Police Commissioner Emily Spurrell said: “My quarterly Scrutiny Meetings are a crucial way I hold the Chief Constable to account on how she is delivering an effective and efficient police force for all 1.5million people living across Merseyside, as well as the many hundreds of thousands who work and visit our fantastic region each year.

“Inviting two independent members to sit on the panel alongside me is a crucial way I can ensure a broad spectrum of views from across Merseyside are represented at these key meetings which go into detail assessing Merseyside Police’s progress against the priorities I set.

“These meetings are already live-streamed and include questions submitted in advance by the public. By also having two independent members on the panel, my aim is to make my scrutiny and review of Merseyside Police as accessible and transparent as possible.

“It’s vitally important the public trust the police and can see that money and resources are being used wisely to deliver the best possible service to keep our communities safe, so I would really encourage people from across Merseyside to apply.

“I’m keen to find two people who can effectively engage and represent the diverse communities of Merseyside and who are articulate, knowledgeable and confident constructing coherent arguments and providing challenge where necessary.”

Panel members will be required to attend a minimum of three meetings per quarter for briefings and to attend Scrutiny Meetings. They will be renumerated £216 for a sitting of more than four hours and £108 for less than four hours, as well as provided with expenses.

Applicants must be independent of both Merseyside Police and the Police and Crime Commissioner and will be subject to police vetting procedures.  Appropriate training prior to commencement on the panel will be provided.

To apply, please submit a CV with a covering letter outlining what knowledge, skills and experience you could bring to the role by emailing [email protected] by 5pm on Friday 9th December 2022.

More information and to apply