What is Lancashire Police Authority?

Background

Until 1995, police services were run through local authorities, just like other local services such as education or housing. But from 1995/96, separate police authorities were set up, whose sole responsibility is to "secure the maintenance of an efficient and effective police force for their area". In the same respect that a board of school governors hold a Head teacher to account in a school, the members of the Police Authority hold the Chief Constable to account for policing in Lancashire.

Structure

Police Authorities normally have a membership of 17 people; nine councillors nominated by the local authorities of the area; three members who are magistrates; and five independent members who are directly appointed. Police Authorities receive most of their funding from the Government, but set their own police council tax for the area as well.

Police authorities are one leg of what is called the "tripartite structure" for governing policing in England and Wales; the other elements are the Home Secretary (responsible for national planning and financing) and the Chief Constable for the area (responsible for all operational matters).

Specific Jobs

The specific jobs of a police authority are to:

• Set and monitor the police budget
• Appoint the Chief Constable and senior officers
• Consult widely with local people about the policing of their area
• Set local policing priorities and targets for achievement
• Monitor what the police do and how well they perform against the targets set by the authority
• Publish a three year and annual plan which tells local people what they can expect from their police service, and report on achievements every year
• Make sure local people get "best value" from their local police
• Oversee complaints against the police

So a police authority is rather like a board of non-executive directors to the local police service, but with some significant executive jobs to do at a strategic level as well.

Partnership

Part of our work includes working in partnership with the 14 Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships in Lancashire. These partnerships were established following the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. The aim of the partnerships is to bring together local public, private and voluntary sector organisations under one umbrella to work together to develop and implement a strategy to reduce crime and disorder locally.In April 2003 Police and Fire Authorities joined the Police and Local Authorities as 'responsible authorities', with statutory responsibility to carry out the functions of the partnerships.