The Police (Performance) Regulations 2020

Assessment of performance or attendance following third stage meeting where a final written improvement notice has been issued or extended

48.—(1) Where a final written improvement notice has been issued under regulation 46(6), as soon as reasonably practicable after the end of the period specified by the panel under regulation 46(7)(c) or, where the panel orders an extension of the period, regulation 46(8)(a)—

(a) the panel must assess the performance or attendance of the officer concerned (as the case may be) during that period, and

(b) the panel chair must give the officer a written notice as to whether the panel considers that there has been a sufficient improvement in performance or attendance during that period.

(2) If the panel considers that there has not been a sufficient improvement, the panel chair must, at the same time as the panel chair gives a written notice under paragraph (1)(b), also give the officer concerned a written notice that the officer is required to attend another third stage meeting to consider the officer’s performance or attendance.

(3) The officer concerned may be required to attend a third stage meeting under paragraph (4) where—

(a) the officer has not been required to attend a third stage meeting under paragraph (2), or

(b) the officer has been required to attend a third stage meeting under paragraph (2) but the panel did not make a finding of unsatisfactory performance or attendance at that meeting.

(4) If the panel considers that the officer concerned has failed to maintain a sufficient improvement in performance or attendance during any part of the validity period of the final written improvement notice remaining after the expiry of the period specified in accordance with regulation 46(7)(c) or, where the panel orders and extension of the period, regulation 46(8)(a), the panel chair must give the officer a written notice of the matters set out in paragraph (5).

(5) Those matters are—

(a) that the panel is of the view mentioned in paragraph (4), and

(b) that the officer concerned is required to attend another third stage meeting to consider the officer’s performance or attendance.

(6) In a case falling within paragraph (2) or (4), the appropriate authority must give the officer concerned the notice referred to in regulation 31.

(7) Where the officer concerned is required to attend a third stage meeting under this regulation, these Regulations have effect as if the case fell within regulation 30(2) or (4), as the case may be.

(8) Where these Regulations have effect in the manner described in paragraph (7)—

(a) references to the period specified in accordance with regulation 25(6)(c) are to be construed as references to the period specified under regulation 46(7)(c) or (8)(a), as the case may be, and

(b) references to the validity period of the final written improvement notice are to be construed as references to the validity period mentioned in regulation 46(7)(d) or (8)(c), as the case may be.

(9) Any third stage meeting which a police officer is required to attend under this regulation must concern unsatisfactory performance or attendance which is similar to or connected with the unsatisfactory performance or attendance referred to in the final written improvement notice issued under regulation 46(6) or, if amended under regulation 46(8)(a), as so amended.

(10) References in this regulation to the panel are references to the panel that conducted the initial third stage meeting, subject to paragraph (11).

(11) Where any of the panel members are not able to continue to act as such, the appropriate authority must remove that member from the panel and must appoint a new member to the panel.

(12) If the appropriate authority appoints a new panel member under paragraph (11), it must ensure that the requirements for the composition of the panel in regulation 34 continue to be met.

(13) As soon as reasonably practicable after any such appointment, the appropriate authority must give the officer concerned a written notice of the name of the new panel member.

(14) The officer concerned may object to the appointment of a panel member appointed under paragraph (11).

(15) Any such objection must be made in accordance with regulation 35(2), provided that it must be made before the end of 3 working days beginning with the first working day after receipt of the notice referred to in paragraph (13); and the appropriate authority must comply with regulation 35(3) to (6) in relation to the objection but paragraph (7) of that regulation does not apply.