Surrey Police Authority

WHAT WE DO

To view the SPA business plan please click here

We monitor the performance of Surrey Police
We appoint the Chief Constable and the Chief Officer team
We monitor the handling of complaints against the police
We set the budget and council tax contributions to policing
We consult with you, the public, to identify your policing priorities and make sure your council tax money is spent effectively

Surrey Police Authority Code of Corporate Governance

WHY WE EXIST

The Police Act (1964) gave police authorities certain powers and responsibilities (along with Chief Constables and the Home Office) as part of a ‘tripartite’ system of monitoring the police
Following the Scarman report into inner-city disturbances in the 1980s, the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (1984) required police authorities to consult the public on policing priorities
Surrey Police Authority was established in 1995 to make sure that Surrey police are accountable to the people who live or work in Surrey and that those people have a say in how the county is policed

HOW WE WORK

The Police Authority has 17 members who meet regularly on ‘panels’ to call Surrey Police to account on key areas of police work such as: performance, HR, complaints and finance
Following these meetings the Members meet with the Chief Officer team in public approximately 7 times a year to make key decisions on police business and take questions from the public
There are 9 councillor members chosen by local authorities, 3 magistrates members chosen by the Magistrates’ Courts Selection Panels and 5 independent members from the local population who are chosen by the authority and the Home Office

TELL US WHAT YOU THINK

Do you feel the police are tackling the priority concerns in your neighbourhood? Your views are important to us in setting next year’s local policing plan. Contact us at the Surrey Police Authority:

Tel: 01483 630200 (new number)
Surrey Police Authority, PO Box 412, Guildford, Surrey GU3 1BR
Email: SPA@surrey.police.uk
Website: www.surreypa.gov.uk

As Surrey Police Authority Members have to make decisions on a variety of issues affecting the policing of Surrey, panels have been established covering core areas including performance, community engagement, finance, HR, complaints and customer service. Whilst the panels themselves have no decision-making powers they make recommendations to the full public Authority meetings that are held 7 times a year across the county. All meetings are chaired by Peter Williams JP, who is Chairman of the Surrey Police Authority.

PANEL REPORTS

Standards Committee Annual Report 2006/07

COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP

Standards Committee

Click here to view the terms of reference

Adrian Padfield (Chairman)
Graham Wallage
Brian Smith
Gary Crouch
Heather Kerswell
Alan Peirce

Senior Personnel Committee

Jim Smith (Chairman)
Peter Williams
Alan Peirce
Lynn Hawkins
Gill Scott-Moore
Kay Hammond

Audit Committee

Terms of Reference

Chris Slyfield (Chairman)

Jim Smith
Peter Williams
Peter Langham
Heather Kerswell

PANEL MEMBERSHIP

N.B. The Chairman and Vice-Chairman are Ex-officio members of each Panel

FINANCE AND PERFORMANCE