What is the Cambridgeshire Police Authority?

Police authorities are independent bodies made up of local people who oversee the work of their local Constabulary. We have a range of financial and legal powers but our principal responsibility is to maintain an efficient and effective police service in Cambridgeshire.

What are the Police Authority's key responsibilities?

• Agreeing the police budget for the year. We receive a Government grant and then decide how much money to raise through the local council tax towards the cost of policing.
• Appointing the Chief Constable, the Deputy Chief Constable and the Assistant Chief Constable. The Chief Constable has independent operational control of the Cambridgeshire Constabulary.
• Best Value - the Authority works to review and improve policing services making sure they are effective, efficient and of a high quality.
• Consulting with the community - the Authority provides an important and transparent link between the police and the public.
• Setting an annual plan for policing the county - this includes priorities and targets for the Constabulary. During the year the Authority monitors police performance against the targets.
• Reporting back to the community - our annual report tells the public whether the Constabulary has achieved the targets set in the annual plan.
• Serving our diverse communities - the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2002 puts a positive duty on police authorities to help eliminate racial discrimination, and to promote equality of opportunity and good race relations.

Who are the Members of the Cambridgeshire Police Authority?

• Nine local councillors – seven are nominated by Cambridgeshire County Council, two are nominated by Peterborough Unitary Authority
• Five independent Members – representatives chosen from the community
• Three Lay Justice Members – nominated by the County's Magistrates' Courts Committee

Most members have a special responsibility for local issues in one of the local policing sectors in the county.