DN 03/2023 – Mayoral Devolution – High Level Costed Implementation Plan
In addition, the Commissioner is a co-opted member of the Devolution Joint Committee.
DN 03/2023 – Date 3 March 2023
Background
Devolution for York and North Yorkshire will entail the first ever transfer of an existing single elected Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner model, to a directly-elected Mayor.
The Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner and her Office (working closely with North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service and North Yorkshire Police) are extending full support to the devolution programme and have put in place a Costed Implementation Plan [see Appendix One] to effect the transfer of the powers and duties of the PCC (the elected local policing body) and the PFCCFRA (the fire and rescue authority) to the Mayor. The Plan also sets out the approach to the transfer of staff and assets of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner (i.e. the OPFCC) and the PFCCFRA (i.e. the Fire and Rescue Service) to the Mayoral Combined Authority.
The Plan is based on the core principle approved by Members of the York and North Yorkshire Devolution Committee on 30 November 2022 in respect of the approach to be taken to transition of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner to the future Mayoralty. In particular, the York and North Yorkshire Devolution Programme Management and Joint Committee Terms of Reference paper provided for a core principle as follows:
The Police, Fire & Crime Commissioner is an existing legal entity (two corporations sole – the Local Policing Body and the Fire & Rescue Authority). The PFCC also has independent income streams including the police and fire levy. The core principle within implementation is therefore that the PFCC will remain a ringfenced entity sitting within the MCA, retaining [its] existing governance, structures and collaborations. This will minimise risk and support continuity of delivery.
The Chief Executive & Monitoring Officer, the Chief Finance Officer and the Chief Fire Officer in particular have extended their full cooperation to colleagues from City of York Council, North Yorkshire County Council and the Local Enterprise Partnership so that the fullest possible suite of information is available to them to progress outline organisational design principles for the Mayoral Combined Authority.
This Decision Notice records the Commissioner’s approval for the High Level Costed Implementation Plan, Version 1. The plan (or a summary of it) will be submitted to the Devolution Joint Committee and regular updates provided through that forum, in addition to the internal project governance reflected in the Plan itself.
Decision Record
The Commissioner has approved the plan and the governance arrangements put in place to deliver the PCC and PFCC FRA transition programme, including the strategic direction and decision making board, the Strategic Steering Group, of which the Commissioner is a member.
In addition, the Commissioner is a co-opted member of the Devolution Joint Committee.
Zoë Metcalfe
Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for North Yorkshire
Statutory Officer Advice
Legal, Management and Equality Implications
The Commissioner’s Chief Executive and Monitoring Officer, having read this report and having considered such information as has been provided at the time of being asked to express this view, is satisfied that this report does not ask the Commissioner to make a decision which would (or would be likely to) give rise to a contravention of the law.
Financial and Commercial
The Commissioner’s Chief Finance Officer and S151 Officer has advised that the funding to support these proposals are a combination of existing staff resources, and therefore already funded resources, and new resources which will be funded from a PFCC specific Earmarked Reserve. Should separate funding be made available to fund this work then the Earmarked Reserve will be reimbursed.
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