DN 01/YNYCA/M/2024 – Preferred appointee officially named for new role of Deputy Mayor for Police, Fire and Crime

Date 22/05/2024

Background

1. Paragraph 9 of Schedule 1 to the Police Reform & Social Responsibility Act 2011, as amended by the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority Order 2023, requires the Mayor when proposing to make an appointment to the role of Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, to notify the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Panel (‘the Panel’) of the following
   • the name of the person whom the Mayor is proposing to appoint;
   • the criteria used to assess the suitability of the proposed appointee, for the appointment;
   • why the proposed appointee satisfies those criteria; and
   • the terms and conditions on which the proposed appointee is to be appointed.
2. The York & North Yorkshire Combined Authority Order 2023 permits the Mayor to allocate Fire & Rescue Authority delegations, to the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime – creating, in effect, a Deputy Mayor for Policing, Fire and Crime.
3. The Mayor is permitted by law[1] to propose a direct appointee to the role and has chosen Jo Coles for the consideration of the Panel.
4. The Home Secretary’s statement in March 2021[2], on the outcome of Part One of the PCC Review, included a segment establishing a presumption in favour of making an appointment to the nearest equivalent role in the Police & Crime Commissioner governance model (the ‘Deputy Police & Crime Commissioner’) of a person who holds the same party affiliation as the Commissioner.
5. The name of the person proposed for appointment is Jo Coles.
6. The criteria for selection and the reasons for Jo Coles satisfying those criteria, are coterminous with the reasons for the Mayor’s proposed appointment. They are more fully articulated in the formal notification papers for the Panel, which will be published in accordance with the Panel’s due process. In summary they are
   • Jo Coles’ track record of accomplishment as an elected representative in local democracy and promoting and achieving beneficial outcomes for diverse communities, including sections of the community who may be considered to be under-represented or seldom-heard by virtue of (for example) race, religion, sexuality, disability, age, or isolation through geography or deprivation; and
   • Jo Coles’ professional experience of working closely with blue light stakeholders (including Mayors, Police & Crime Commissioners and other elected local policing and fire bodies) in commissioned consultancy work; and
   • Jo Coles’ direct and subject-matter-specific engagement with the serving Shadow Home Secretary and her broader political engagement and ability to influence positively for the communities of York & North Yorkshire
7. The terms and conditions will provide for the Deputy Mayor for Policing, Fire and Crime to serve for a term aligned with that of the Mayor, in accordance with the law. The detailed terms and conditions of appointment will be appended to the notification to the Panel.
8. It is proposed that the functions to be delegated to the Deputy Mayor for Policing, Fire and Crime are to be determined and set out in the Constitution of the York & North Yorkshire Combined Authority and in the detailed letter of appointment for the DMPFC; but with a view to empowering the DMPFC and the Officers of the York and North Yorkshire Office for Policing, Fire, Crime & Commissioning to ensure in conjunction with the Mayor that North Yorkshire Police and North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service are efficient and effective; and that the causes and effects of crime and antisocial behaviour are addressed; and that the powers and duties of elected local policing body and Fire & Rescue Authority are carried out for the benefit of the communities of York & North Yorkshire.

Decision Record

The Mayor has decided

• To propose Jo Coles for appointment to the role of Deputy Mayor for Policing & Crime
• To designate the role as “Deputy Mayor for Policing, Fire & Crime” or “DMPFC”
• To delegate functions to be determined; but with a view to empowering the DMPFC and the Officers of the York and North Yorkshire Office for Policing, Fire, Crime & Commissioning to ensure in conjunction with the Mayor that North Yorkshire Police and North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service are efficient and effective; and that the causes and effects of crime and antisocial behaviour are addressed; and that the powers and duties of elected local policing body and Fire & Rescue Authority are carried out for the benefit of the communities of York & North Yorkshire.

David Skaith
Mayor

Statutory Officer Advice

Legal, Management and Equality Implications

The York & North Yorkshire Combined Authority Corporate Director for OPFCC and Deputy Monitoring Officer for Mayoral Policing, Fire & Crime functions, having read this report and having considered such information as has been provided at the time of being asked to express this view, is satisfied that this report does not ask the Mayor to make a decision which would (or would be likely to) give rise to a contravention of the law.

Financial and Commercial

The York & North Yorkshire Combined Authority Assistant Director of Resources and Finance Lead for Policing, Fire & Crime functions, has advised that the financial implications from this decision will not be finalised until a report from an independent remuneration panel is put to the Combined Authority on 31 May, which will recommend a salary for the Deputy Mayor for Police, Fire and Crime. The costs of this role will however be funded from the budget that was previously available for the role of Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner.

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• DN 01-YNYCA-M-2024 Preferred appointee officially named for new role of Deputy Mayor for Police Fire and Crime (002)

References

[1] Schedule 1 Para 8(4) of Police Reform & Social Responsibility Act 2011 as amended, disapplies local government recruitment conventions to the role.

[2] https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2021-03-16/debates/21031653000006/PoliceAndCrimeCommissionerReviewConcludingPartOne?highlight=pcc%20review#contribution-A4FB8178-4110-4B33-887E-DA3CDC97EDE8