About the Panel

The Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 introduced directly elected Police and Crime Commissioners and Police and Crime Panels in each force area

The West Midlands Police and Crime Panel role is maintain a regular check and balance of the actions, decisions and performance of the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), providing constructive challenge whilst supporting the PCC to  effectively address policing, community safety and crime issues across the region and fulfilling the objectives set out in the West Midlands Police and Crime Plan. 

The Panel does not scrutinise West Midlands Police; it scrutinises how the PCC carries out their statutory responsibilities and how they set the strategic direction for the Police Force.

The Panel is made up of 12 elected (councillor) members from the seven West Midlands councils and two independent (non-political) members.

The Panel meets approximately six times a year. Agendas and reports are available.

The Panel is responsible for :

  • reviewing and making recommendations on the PCC’s  Police and Crime Plan
  • reviewing and making recommendations on the level of Council Tax the PCC intends to collect to support policing. The Panel has the power to veto the proposal and demand the level is made higher or lower.
  • reviewing PCC's annual report that outlines performance against the Police and Crime Plan
  • reviewing the PCC’s proposal to appoint a new Chief Constable. The Panel has the power to veto the PCC’s decision.
  • confirming the PCC’s appointment of senior officers (Chief Executive, Chief Financial Officer) and Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner
  • appointing an acting PCC, if required
  • handling complaints against the PCC (and Deputy PCC if appointed), working to resolve non-criminal complaints. conducting  in-depth scrutiny inquiries into policing and community safety topics to  make recommendations and suggestions for the Commissioner to consider.

Panel  reports relating to these tasks and scrutiny inquiries, together with responses from the PCC, can be found on this website under the Publications section .

More information about how the panel operates is set out in our Panel Arrangements and Rules of Procedure documents.