(1)Each police area, other than the metropolitan police district, is to have a police and crime panel established and maintained in accordance with Schedule 6 (police and crime panels).
(2)The functions of the police and crime panel for a police area must be exercised with a view to supporting the effective exercise of the functions of the police and crime commissioner for that police area.
(3)A police and crime panel must—
(a)review the draft police and crime plan, or draft variation, given to the panel by the relevant police and crime commissioner in accordance with section 5(6)(c), and
(b)make a report or recommendations on the draft plan or variation to the commissioner.
(4)A police and crime panel must—
(a)arrange for a public meeting of the panel to be held as soon as practicable after the panel is sent an annual report under section 12,
(b)ask the police and crime commissioner, at that meeting, such questions about the annual report as the members of the panel think appropriate,
(c)review the annual report, and
(d)make a report or recommendations on the annual report to the commissioner.
(5)A police and crime panel has the functions conferred by Schedules 1 (procedure for appointments of senior staff), 5 (issuing precepts) and 8 (procedure for appointments by police and crime commissioners).
(6)A police and crime panel must—
(a)review or scrutinise decisions made, or other action taken, by the relevant police and crime commissioner in connection with the discharge of the commissioner’s functions; and
(b)make reports or recommendations to the relevant police and crime commissioner with respect to the discharge of the commissioner’s functions,
insofar as the panel is not otherwise required to do so by subsection (3) or (4) or by Schedule 1, 5 or 8.
(7)A police and crime panel must publish any reports or recommendations made to the relevant police and crime commissioner.
(8)The police and crime panel for a police area in England must send copies of any such reports or recommendations to each local authority whose area falls wholly or partly within the police area.
(9)It is for the police and crime panel to determine the manner in which reports or recommendations are to be published in accordance with subsection (7).
(10)Schedule 6 (police and crime panels) has effect.
(11)In this section “local authority” means a county council or a district council.