The Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 introduced directly elected police and crime commissioners (PCCs) and police and crime panels in each force area.

The role of West Midlands Police and Crime Panel is to examine the actions, decisions, and performance of the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner and provide both support and constructive challange to the PCC on how he is meeting the objectives of the West Midlands Police's police and crime plan.

We do not scrutinise West Midlands Police.

The Panel consists of 12 elected (councillor) members from the 7 West Midlands councils and three independent (non-political) members.

We meet 6 times a year in public. You can download our meeting agendas and reports and watch our meetings in person or online.

The Panel has specific responsibility 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 plans to collect to support policing - we have the power to reject the proposal and ask the level to be made higher or lower
  • reviewing the PCC's annual report on performance against the police and crime plan's objectives
  • reviewing the PCC's proposal to appoint a new chief constable - we have the power to reject the PCC's decision
  • confirming the PCC's appointment of senior officers (chief executive and chief financial officer) and deputy PCC
  • appointing an acting PCC, if required
  • handling complaints against the PCC and deputy PCC, working to resolve non-criminal complaints
  • conducting in-depth scrutiny inquiries into policing and community safety topics to make recommendations and suggestions for the PCC to consider

You can download panel reports relating to these responsibilities and responses from the PCC.

More information about how we operate can be found in our panel arrangements and rules of procedure documents.


Page last updated: 6 August 2024