Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005

Local policing information

157 Publication of local policing information

After section 8 of the Police Act 1996 (c. 16) insert—

“8A Local policing summaries

(1) As soon as possible after the end of each financial year, every police authority established under section 3 shall issue a report for members of the public in the authority’s area on matters relating to the policing of that area for the year.

(2) Such a report is referred to in this section as a “local policing summary”.

(3) The Secretary of State may by order specify matters which are to be included in a local policing summary.

(4) A police authority shall arrange—

(a) for every local policing summary issued by it under this section to be published in such manner as appears to it to be appropriate, and

(b) for a copy of every such summary to be sent, by whatever means appear to the authority to be appropriate, to each person liable to pay any tax, precept or levy to or in respect of the authority.

(5) It shall be the duty of a police authority, in preparing and publishing a local policing summary, to have regard to any guidance given by the Secretary of State about the form and content of local policing summaries and the manner of their publication.

(6) Before making an order under subsection (3), and before giving any such guidance as is referred to in subsection (5), the Secretary of State must consult—

(a) persons whom he considers to represent the interests of police authorities,

(b) persons whom he considers to represent the interests of chief officers of police, and

(c) such other persons as he thinks fit.

(7) This section shall apply in relation to the Metropolitan Police Authority as it applies to a police authority established under section 3.

(8) A statutory instrument containing an order under subsection (3) shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.”