Sussex Police Authority -
Consultation

Have your say about policing
Please spare us a few minutes to complete this survey and tell us about your concerns, experiences and views on policing in Sussex. This will help us to understand how we can best meet your needs and expectations.
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Police Authorities have a statutory duty to ensure that local communities have a say in how they are policed and to oversee - on behalf of local people - the work of their police force.

Sussex Police Authority, after consulting the Chief Constable, make arrangements to:

• Obtain the views of local people about policing matters in the area.

Consultation aims to:

• Find out the views of the public - if local people are to have confidence in the police, it is important to ensure that police decisions are in tune with their needs.
• Inform people - consultation can give members of the public a clearer idea of what they can realistically expect from the police and the ways in which they can help.
• Solve problems - the public can help to pinpoint local crime problems and suggest ways of dealing with these.
• Find out what people think about the way they are policed.

This information is needed to determine local policing priorities so that the Authority and the Chief Constable can set the strategic direction of the Force through the annual Local Policing Plan.

Community consultation

The Authority actively seeks to consult all sections of the community in Sussex. Every year we consult to find out what you think are the most important things the police should tackle in order to inform the Policing Plan. Following a Best Value review of consultation, a new approach is in place.

New arrangements

To reduce the risk of duplicating consultation the Authority will seek to co-ordinate with the county councils, heath authorities, education authorities etc. The Authority's consultation arrangements have been brought in line with Local Authority areas to allow for joint consultation with partner agencies. This enables the sharing of experience, expertise and good practice and to ensure consultation mechanisms are constantly developing. Through police authority statutory links members of the Authority will have regular contact with partner agencies and representatives from the community and the voluntary sector.

How do we consult in Sussex?

The various strands of consultation include public meetings, an annual postal survey issued in conjunction with Sussex Police and face-to face surveys undertaken at public events and with local organisations. Sometimes, the Authority will want views on a specific subject, such as what kind of budget rise would be supported by Council Tax payers.

Below you will find information on how members of the local community are able to get involved in the business of the Police Authority and can contribute to the policing priorities for the local area.

Public Meetings

The Police Authority supports the running of 12 Public Meetings. These groups are designed to give the local people a chance to meet their local police officers and Police Authority members and to have their say on policing in their area. These meetings also give the Authority the chance to consult with the public about their priorities for policing.

The Authority's public meetings take place in each policing district and occur twice a year. These meetings are chaired by the local Police Authority member.

If you are interested in attending any of the groups and need further information, directions or agenda etc, or if you are interested in getting involved and contributing to the planning process for these groups then please contact Policy officer Debbie Hill on 482634.

Consultation has also taken place or is being planned with organisations such as:

County youth groups; AIRS (action in Rural Sussex); Help the Aged; East Sussex Association for the Blind; Federation of Small Businesses, schools and at the 999 day in Eastbourne.

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