BELFAST No. 2 (Hansard, 26 March 2003)

HC Deb 26 March 2003 vol 402 cc403-15 403

1 The Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000 (c. 32) is amended as set out in paragraphs 2 to 13.
2 After section 15 insert— "15A Default of council: Belfast subgroups

(1) If the Secretary of State is satisfied that the district council for Belfast has failed to comply with—
1. (a) section 21(1), or
2. (b) any provision of Schedule 3A, he may, after consulting the Board, direct the council to take, within such period as is specified in the direction, such action for the purpose of remedying the default as is so specified.
(2) If the council fails to comply with a direction under subsection (1), the Secretary of State may—

(a) declare the council to be in default; and
(b) make an order empowering the Board to exercise the functions of the council to such extent as appears to him necessary or expedient to secure that a subgroup of the council's district policing partnership is established for each police district established under section 20(2).

(3) An order under subsection (2) may provide for Schedule 3A to have effect in relation to the exercise by the Board of any functions of the council with such modifications as may be specified in the order.
(4) An order under subsection (2) may confer on the Board power to remove any members of a subgroup of the council's district policing partnership holding office at the date of the order.
(5) Any costs incurred by the Board under an order under subsection (2) shall in the first instance be defrayed as expenses of the Board, but—

(a) an amount equal to one quarter of those costs as certified by the Board shall on demand be paid to the Board by the council; and
(b) any sums demanded under paragraph (a) may be recovered summarily by the Board as a debt.

(6) A subgroup established in pursuance of an order under subsection (2) shall be treated as having been established under section 21."

3 In section 17 (annual report by district policing partnership to council) after subsection (1) insert— "(1A) Subsection (1) does not apply to the district policing partnership for Belfast."
4 In section 18 (reports by district policing partnership to Board) after subsection (1) insert— "(1A) Subsection (1) does not apply to the district policing partnership for Belfast."
5 For section 21 substitute— "21 District policing partnership subgroups for Belfast

(1) The district council for Belfast shall establish a subgroup of its district policing partnership for each police district established under section 20(2).
(2) The functions of each subgroup shall be—

(a) to provide views to the district commander of the subgroup's police district and to the district policing partnership on any matter concerning the policing of that police district;
(b) to monitor the performance of the police in carrying out—

(i) the policing plan in relation to the police district; and
(ii) the local policing plan applying to the police district;

(i) the views of the public about matters concerning the policing of the police district; and
(ii) the cooperation of the public with the police in preventing crime;

(d) to act as a general forum for discussion and consultation on matters affecting the policing of the police district.

(3) The code issued under section 19 may contain guidance as to the exercise by subgroups of their functions.
(4) In exercising its functions a subgroup shall have regard to any such guidance contained in the code.
(5) If the district policing partnership is satisfied that a subgroup is carrying out any of the subgroup's functions in relation to a police district, the partnership is not required to carry out any corresponding function it has in relation to the part of the district comprising the police district.
(6) Schedule 3A shall have effect in relation to the subgroups."

6 After section 21 insert— "21A Annual report by subgroups to Belfast district policing partnership

(1) A subgroup established under section 21 shall, not later than 2 months after the end of each financial year, submit to the district policing partnership for Belfast a general report on the exercise of its functions during that year.
(2) A report under subsection (1) shall include details of the arrangements made under section 21(2)(c).
(3) Before submitting any report under subsection (1), a subgroup shall consult the district commander of its police district."

7 After section 21A (inserted by paragraph 6 above) insert— "21 B Annual report by Belfast district policing partnership to council

(1) The district policing partnership for Belfast shall, not later than 4 months after the end of each financial year, submit to the district council for Belfast a general report on the exercise during that year of—

(a) its functions;
(b) the functions of the subgroups established under section 21.

(2) When the district policing partnership submits its report under subsection (1) it shall at the same time—

(a) send to the council copies of the subgroup reports for the year;
(b) send copies of its report and the subgroup reports for the year to the Board.

(3) If the district policing partnership has made arrangements under section 16(1)(c) the report under subsection (1) shall include details of the arrangements.
(4) Before submitting any report under subsection (1), the district policing partnership shall consult the district commander of each police district in the district of Belfast.
(5) The district council shall arrange for a report submitted under subsection (1) to be published in such manner as appears to the council to be appropriate.
(6) The district council may arrange for a subgroup report to be published with the report submitted under subsection (1) if—

(a) the council considers publication of the subgroup report to be appropriate, or
(b) the district policing partnership has requested the publication of the subgroup report.

(7) A "subgroup report" is a report submitted to the district policing partnership under section 21 A."

8 After section 21 B (inserted by paragraph 7 above) insert— "21C Other reports by subgroups to Belfast district policing partnership

(1) A subgroup established under section 21 shall, whenever so required by the district policing partnership for Belfast, submit to the partnership a report on any matter which is specified in the requirement and is connected with the exercise of its functions.
(2) A report under this section shall be made—

(a) in such form as may be specified in the requirement under subsection (1); and
(b) within the period of 2 months from the date on which that requirement is made, or within such longer period as may be agreed between the subgroup and the partnership.

(3) The partnership may arrange for a report submitted under this section to be published in such manner as appears to the partnership to be appropriate.
(4) Subsection (3) does not apply if the partnership has imposed the requirement under subsection (1) to enable it to comply with a requirement imposed on it under section 21D(1)."

9 After section 21C (inserted by paragraph 8 above) insert— "21D Reports by Belfast district policing partnership to Board

(1) The district policing partnership for Belfast shall, whenever so required by the Board, submit to the Board a report on any matter which is specified in the requirement and is connected with the exercise of—

(a) its functions, or
(b) the functions of a subgroup established under section 21.

(2) A report under this section shall be made—

(a) in such form as may be specified in the requirement under subsection (1); and
(b) within the required period or such longer period as may be agreed between the district policing partnership and the Board.

(3) The required period is—

(a) 4 months from the date on which the requirement under subsection (1) is made, if the requirement relates wholly or in part to the functions of a subgroup;
(b) 3 months from the date on which the requirement under subsection (1) is made, in any other case.

(4) When the district policing partnership submits its report under subsection (1) it shall at the same time send to the Board copies of any related subgroup report.
(5) The Board may arrange for the publication, in such manner as appears to the Board to be appropriate, of—

(a) a report submitted under subsection (1);
(b) a related subgroup report.

(6) A "subgroup report" is a report submitted to the district policing partnership under section 21C.
(7) A subgroup report is related to a report submitted in pursuance of a requirement under subsection (1) if the district policing partnership imposed the requirement to submit the subgroup report to enable it to comply with the requirement under subsection (1)."

10 In section 22 (the local policing plan) after subsection (3) insert— "(3A) Before issuing or revising a local policing plan for a police district established under section 20(2), the district commander shall also consult the subgroup established for the district under section 21 and take account of any views expressed."
11 (1) Schedule 1 (the Northern Ireland Policing Board) is amended as follows.

(2) In paragraph 3(7) (disqualification from membership of Board during suspension of devolved government), after paragraph (b)(iii) insert— ;or (iv) a member of a subgroup established under section 21.". (3) In paragraph 10(1)(b) (disqualification from membership of Board during devolved government), after "district policing partnership;" insert1y1— or (iv) a member of a subgroup established under section 21;". 12 In Schedule 3 (district policing partnerships) after paragraph 16 insert—

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