Police and Crime Commissioner Steve Turner has called for meetings of Cleveland Police and Crime Panel to be broadcast live.
Steve has written to the panel ahead of its next meeting to ask if future meetings can be live streamed.
Live streaming will allow more Cleveland residents to see meetings. Councillors and lay members scrutinise the work of the PCC at meetings.
The public and media can already attend meetings, which are held at public venues throughout Cleveland.
Live streaming will allow the sessions to reach a much wider audience in real time.
The call has been made in the interests of openness, transparency and public accountability.
Steve said: “We all lead such busy lives now that it is no longer practical for many members of the public to stop what they are doing to attend a panel meeting in the early evening in person.
“Streaming meetings live will allow more residents to feel as if they are involved in scrutinising and holding me to account.
“As a result, residents will feel more involved in how the Office of the PCC – and by association Cleveland Police – are managed.
“I was elected on a large mandate by the people of Cleveland. Ultimately I am accountable to them for my actions.
“It is time that we allowed more of them to see what a PCC does and how they are held to account by panel members from across the force area.”
The oath of office
Part of Steve’s oath of office was to “serve all the people of Cleveland in the Office of Police and Crime Commissioner.”
The oath also binds Steve to the following:
- Act with integrity and diligence, and to the best of my ability, to execute the duties of my office to ensure that the police are able to cut crime and protect the public
- Give voice to the public, especially victims of crime, and work with other services to ensure the safety of the community and effective criminal justice
- Take all steps to ensure transparency of decision so that I am properly held to account by the public
The next panel meeting takes place at the Baptist Tabernacle, The Square, Stockton-on-Tees, TS18 1TE,. It takes place on 6 July 2021 between 5pm and 7pm.