Schedule 8: Reconstitution of District Policing Partnerships
141.This Schedule sets out revised arrangements for the reconstitution of District Policing Partnerships (DPPs), which it is intended to use in the event that Sinn Fein should decide to support the policing institutions in Northern Ireland before the next local government election. These provisions will be brought into force by a commencement order on a date to be determined by the Secretary of State.
142.Paragraph 2 places a requirement on the Northern Ireland Policing Board to review the membership of each DPP. The Board must consider the political membership, and in particular the balance of political parties prevailing on the date of coming into force of this Schedule. This review must be completed within fifteen days. On completion of the review the Board is required to submit a report of its findings to the Secretary of State and any report on a DPP should also be sent to the district council which established that DPP. The Board must also publish a list of the DPPs which it considers should be reconstituted, because the political members of the DPP do not reflect, so far as practicable, the balance of the parties prevailing among the members of the relevant council.
143.Paragraphs 3 and 4 set out the subsequent arrangements for the reconstitution of those DPPs affected by the Board’s review. These paragraphs provide for the appointment of new political members and new independent members for those particular DPPs.
144.Paragraph 5 makes supplementary provision. In particular, it enables the Secretary of State to take action if a district council fails to comply with the requirement to reconstitute its DPP.