The Act Schedule 17:  Offences relating to nuclear material and nuclear facilities Part 9: Policing Section 129: Inspection of police authorities
766.This section extends Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary’s (HMIC’s) powers of inspection in police authorities. It provides for HMIC to carry out general inspections of the performance of all the functions of police authorities, rather than limit these powers to the inspection of a police authority’s compliance with best value in Part 1 of the Local Government Act 1999.
767.The intention is that this section mirrors the provision made by section 152 of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007. That section broadens the Audit Commission’s powers to enable the general inspection of the performance of best value authorities rather than again limit their powers to compliance with best value. With both organisations having powers of inspection in police authorities that are on an equal footing, the intention is to develop a joint police authority inspection programme combining the expertise and resources of the Audit Commission and HMIC.