Police Act 1996

Forces outside London E+W+S

2 Maintenance of police forces. E+W

A police force shall be maintained for every police area for the time being listed in Schedule 1.

3 Establishment of police authorities. E+W

(1) There shall be a police authority for every police area for the time being listed in Schedule 1.

(2) A police authority established under this section for any area shall be a body corporate to be known by the name of the area with the addition of the words “ Police Authority ”.

4 Membership of police authorities etc. E+W

(1) Subject to subsection (2), each police authority established under section 3 shall consist of seventeen members.

(2) The Secretary of State may by order provide in relation to a police authority specified in the order that the number of its members shall be a specified odd number greater than seventeen.

(3) A statutory instrument containing an order under subsection (2) shall be laid before Parliament after being made.

(4) Schedules 2 and 3 shall have effect in relation to police authorities established under section 3 and the appointment of their members.

5 Reductions in size of police authorities. E+W

(1) This section applies to any order under section 4(2) which varies or revokes an earlier order so as to reduce the number of a police authority’s members.

(2) Before making an order to which this section applies, the Secretary of State shall consult—

(a) the authority,

(b) the councils which are relevant councils in relation to the authority for the purposes of Schedule 2, and

(c) any selection panel, constituted under regulations made in accordance with [F1 section 29(2) of the Justices of the Peace Act 1997], which is responsible, or is represented on a joint committee which is responsible, for the appointment of members of the authority.

(3) An order to which this section applies may include provision as to the termination of the appointment of the existing members of the authority and the making of new appointments or re-appointments.

Annotations:

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Amendments (Textual)

F1 Words in s. 5(2)(c) substituted (19.6.1997) by 1997 c. 25, ss. 73(2), 74(1), Sch. 5 para. 37(2)