Police Act 1996

Functions of selection panel

8 (1) Where appointments to a police authority are to be made under paragraph 5 of Schedule 2, the selection panel for the authority’s area shall nominate persons willing to be candidates for appointment.

(2) Unless the selection panel are able to identify only a smaller number, the number of persons to be nominated by a selection panel under this paragraph on any occasion shall be a number four times greater than the number of appointments to be made under paragraph 5 of Schedule 2.

(3) A selection panel shall notify the Secretary of State of—

(a) the name of each person nominated by it under this paragraph, and

(b) such other information regarding those persons as it considers appropriate.

9 A person shall not be nominated under paragraph 8 in relation to an authority if, by virtue of paragraph 10, 11, 13 or 14 of Schedule 2, he is disqualified for being appointed as a member of the authority under paragraph 5 of that Schedule.

10 In exercising their functions a selection panel shall have regard to the desirability of ensuring that, so far as reasonably practicable, the persons nominated by them under paragraph 8—

(a) represent the interests of a wide range of people within the community in the police area, and

(b) include persons with skills, knowledge or experience in such fields as may be specified for the purposes of this paragraph in regulations made under paragraph 11.

11 (1) The Secretary of State may make regulations as to—

(a) the procedures to be followed in relation to the selection of persons for nomination under paragraph 8, and

(b) the conduct of the proceedings of selection panels.

(2) Without prejudice to the generality of sub-paragraph (1), regulations under this paragraph may—

(a) make provision (including provision imposing time limits) as to the procedures to be adopted when inviting applications or suggestions for nomination under paragraph 8, and for dealing with applications and suggestions received;

(b) make provision specifying the fields referred to in paragraph 10;

(c) prescribe matters, in addition to those mentioned in paragraph 10, to which a selection panel is to have regard in carrying out any of its functions;

(d) provide for decisions of a selection panel to be taken by a majority of the members.

(3) Regulations under this paragraph may make different provision for different cases and circumstances.

(4) A statutory instrument containing regulations under this paragraph shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.