an elected Police and Crime Commissioner.
a Police and Crime Panel which is made up of elected members from the ten authorities in the Avon and Somerset Police area, plus representatives of the public.
· The Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Panel has 15 elected members and three independent co-opted members of the public.
· The unitary authorities have two seats. Somerset County Council and Somerset District/Borough Councils each have one seat. An additional member for Bristol City Council was agreed in 2012 based on the city's population size.
The Panel scrutinises and keeps a regular check and balance on the performance and activities of the Commissioner.
The Police and Crime Panel (the Panel) is responsible for handling non-criminal complaints against the Commissioner and criminal complaints and conduct matters that are referred back to the Panel by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).
The Panel's role in complaints handling is set out in the Elected Local Policing Bodies (Complaints and Misconduct) Regulations 2012 and accompanying Home Office Guidance.
The complaints procedure covers issues relating to the conduct of the Commissioner. If you consider the Commissioner has not acted appropriately in relation to a matter for which the Commissioner is responsible, you may raise this issue under the Panel's complaints procedure.
Complaints against the Commissioner are dealt with fairly and appropriately and the Panel will refer any complaint relating to a criminal offence to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).
There is no right of appeal against the outcome of informal resolution. A complaint about the way a matter was handled can be made to the Local Government Ombudsman.