Police Act 1996

[F1 41A Power to give directions as to action plans U.K.

(1) This section applies where a report made to the Secretary of State on an inspection under section 54 states, in relation to a police force for a police area—

(a) that, in the opinion of the person making the report, the whole or any part of the force is, whether generally or in particular respects, not efficient or not effective; or

(b) that, in that person’s opinion, the whole or a part of the force will cease to be efficient or effective, whether generally or in particular respects, unless remedial measures are taken.

(2) If the Secretary of State considers that remedial measures are required in relation to any matter identified by the report, he may direct the police authority responsible for maintaining the force to submit an action plan to him.

(3) An action plan is a plan setting out the remedial measures which the police authority proposes to take in relation to the matters in respect of which the direction is given.

(4) If a police authority is directed to submit an action plan, that authority shall direct the chief officer of police of the force in question to prepare a draft of it and to submit it to the police authority for that authority to consider.

(5) The police authority, on considering a draft action plan submitted to it under subsection (4) may submit the plan to the Secretary of State, with or without modifications.

(6) If the police authority proposes to make modifications to the draft of the action plan submitted under subsection (4), it must consult with the chief officer of police.

(7) On considering an action plan submitted to him in accordance with a direction under this section, the Secretary of State may, if he is of the opinion that the remedial measures contained in the action plan submitted to him are inadequate, notify the police authority and the chief officer of the force in question of that opinion and of his reasons for it.

(8) If a police authority is notified under subsection (7) —

(a) it shall consider, after consultation with the chief officer of the police force in question about the matters notified, whether to revise the action plan in the light of those matters; and

(b) if it does revise that plan, it shall send a copy of the revised plan to the Secretary of State.

(9) On giving a direction under this section to the police authority responsible for maintaining a police force, the Secretary of State shall notify the chief officer of police of that force that he has given that direction.

(10) The period within which a direction to submit an action plan must be complied with is such period of not less than four weeks and not more than twelve weeks after it is given as may be specified in the direction.

(11) The provision that a direction under this section may require to be included in an action plan to be submitted to the Secretary of State includes—

(a) provision setting out the steps that the police authority proposes should be taken in respect of the matters to which the direction relates and the performance targets the authority proposes should be met;

(b) provision setting out the authority’s proposals as to the times within which those steps are to be taken and those targets to be met and the means by which the success of the plan’s implementation is to be measured;

(c) provision for the making of progress reports to the Secretary of State about the implementation of the action plan;

(d) provision as to the times at which, and the manner in which, any progress report is to be made; and

(e) provision for the duration of the plan and for it to cease to apply in the circumstances determined by the Secretary of State.

(12) Nothing in this section shall authorise the Secretary of State or a police authority to direct the inclusion in an action plan or draft action plan of any requirement to do or not to do anything in a particular case identified for the purposes of the requirement, or in relation to a particular person so identified.

(13) In this section references, in relation to a case in which there is already an action plan in force, to the submission of a plan to the Secretary of State include references to the submission of revisions of the existing plan; and the preceding provisions of this section shall have effect accordingly.

(14) A police authority shall comply with any direction given to it under this section.

(15) A chief officer of police of any police force shall comply with any direction given to him under this section.

(16) Nothing in this section or in section 40 prevents the Secretary of State in the case of the same report under section 54 from exercising (whether in relation to the same matter or different matters or at the same time or at different times) both his powers under this section and his powers under section 40.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Ss. 41A, 41B inserted (1.10.2002) by Police Reform Act 2002 (c. 30), ss. 5, 108(2)-(5); S.I. 2002/2306, art. 2(a)