Decision details

The Policing and Crime Act 2017 makes provisions for Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) to take on additional duties in respect of the oversight of police complaints. As a minimum, PCCs have responsibility for being the relevant review body for certain police complaints. This process includes undertaking a review of how GMP managed the original complaint to ensure the complainant received an appropriate and proportionate outcome.

This is a function that GMCA has carried out since the statutory commencement in February 2020 with a dedicated resource within the GMCA Police, Crime, Criminal Justice and Fire team.

The Strategic Police Complaints and Review Manager is newly appointed and is currently learning the role. Therefore, there will be a requirement to seek additional, external support to ensure the team may continue to service the requests being received from the public. Given the specialist knowledge and skill set required, it is proposed to carry on seeking support from Sancus, an agency external to GMCA that specialises in conducting such reviews for other Police and Crime Commissioners across the country.

There has historically been a backlog in 2023 due to staffing capacity and Sancus have assisted the GMCA in reducing that backlog and we are now in a favourable position and are providing an excellent service to the public. We are now able to process review requests in a timely manner, which will provide public confidence that the GMCA is carrying out its statutory responsibility effectively.

Sancus will help maintain this position and will provide additional support and specialist advice as this is an area with limited alternative sources. They will also cover any period of staff absence and ensure requests from the public can continue to be processed accordingly.

To provide funding up to £12,000 to seek resilience cover and ongoing support for the continuation of the Police Complaint Reviews function. The Strategic Police Complaints and Review Manager is newly appointed and is currently learning the role and will require ongoing support and advice and this will also build in some resilience for unforeseen absences within the team.

The contract will operate on a call on call off basis.