RESUME OF MAIN CONCLUSIONS/RECOMMENDATIONS IN DEVOLVING POLICING TO THE WELSH ASSEMBLY PAPER.

• Police Authorities are a law unto themselves and are accountable to no-one. THEY MUST BE ACCOUNTABLE TO SOME BODY OR AGENCY. THE WELSH ASSEMBLY IS THE OBVIOUS CHOICE.

• Home Office will not intervene in the decisions /administration of Pas and this failure to take responsibly is worrying.

• The conflict of interest created by the Clerk to the Authority also holding the Monitoring Officer role is unacceptable. THE MONITORING OFFICER SHOULD BE INDEPENDENT AND HAVE THE STATUS TO FUNCTION EFFECTIVELY.

• Civil action settlements should not be confidential - Welsh Assembly has accepted Auditor General's stance that settlements should be published.

• Verbal reports should be outlawed.

• Police Authority members should not be allowed to remain as JP's or hold public positions of influence if their behaviour as members of a PA is believed to be biased or unacceptable.

• Forces could be encouraged to use different law firms and not favour one for many years. A regular tendering process for law firms interested in working for the police should be introduced.

• Statistics should be more meaningful and published regularly to allow performance comparisons between forces. Gender balance data, personnel data, medical retirements and the costs to the force budget should be available. Clear up rates and crimes recorded statistics must be simplified.

• A system of "fast tracking" civil actions against the force (and internal discipline enquiries) should be considered to curb huge legal costs as delaying tactics are a proven means police use to defend themselves.

• PA members should publish contact details, (home phone etc) plus other public positions held, e.g. Chair of Local Health Group. Remuneration received should also be made public.

• Reports by District Auditor on accountability of a PA should not be confidential and should be published and NOT returned only to the PA who has no obligation to release the findings.

• Home Office PA appointees should not be given preferential treatment to other applicants when re-applying for appointment.

• A clear audit trail is required to ensure the public is not paying for scheme that attract funding from more than one source. Eg. Police in North Wales funds a drugs rehabilitation course that should be the responsibility of the NHS.

• Consideration should be given to value for money initiatives on the police audit function. Is there a need for HMI yearly reports in Wales if WA if policing is devolved?