About Us
- Background
- Roles and responsibilities
- Sub-committees and working groups
- Board members (links to new page)
- Office bearers (links to new page)
- Meetings (links to new page)
- Custody Visiting Scheme (links to a new page)
Background
Lothian and Borders Police Board is the police authority for the South East of Scotland. It covers the areas of East Lothian, Midlothian, West Lothian, the Scottish Borders and the City of Edinburgh. Perhaps the simplest way to regard the Board is to see it as in effect a Council in its own right but having as its purpose the delivery of the police service.
Lothian and Borders Police Board was established by Section 34 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1994 and the Lothian and Borders Combined Police Area Amalgamation Scheme Order 1995. This Order provided for City of Edinburgh Council, East Lothian Council, Midlothian Council, Scottish Borders Council and West Lothian Council becoming amalgamated for police purposes into the Lothian and Borders Joint Police Board.
Roles and responsibilities
Responsibility for the police service in Scotland is shared between the Scottish Ministers, chief constables and the police authorities. Scottish Ministers retain overall responsibility for national policing policy and set the legal and financial framework for the police service across Scotland. Police Authorities (e.g. Lothian and Borders Police Board) are responsible for setting police budgets. Chief Constables are responsible for the operational aspects of policing within their force areas.
The responsibilities of Lothian and Borders Police Board include controlling
the budget for the force and so provide the Chief Constable with the resources
necessary to police the area efficiently and effectively. Also, the Board
makes arrangements to secure Best Value and report publicly on performance.
Statutory
framework and responsibilities under the tripartite system for police
forces in Scotland (PDF, 274kb).
In order to ensure that the police are democratically accountable the Board is made up of 18 locally elected councillors representing the five Councils within the Force area. The five Councils within Lothian and Borders, and the number of representatives each Council supplies, are:
- East Lothian Council (two Councillors)
- The City of Edinburgh Council (nine Councillors)
- Midlothian Council (two Councillors)
- The Scottish Borders Council (two Councillors)
- West Lothian Council (three Councillors)
The Board's main responsibility is to provide sufficient resources to the Chief Constable to ensure the delivery of an effective and efficient police force. It also appoints the Chief Constable, Deputy and Assistant Chief Constables, reviews the manner in which complaints against officers are dealt with, manages its Independent Custody Visiting Scheme, Diversity Lay Advisers Scheme and manages the requirements of the Police Pensions Regulations. It also recognises acts of bravery performed by police officers and members of the public.
The Board also appoints a number of office bearers to provide professional support and advice. The Board meets five times per year with meetings held in Edinburgh, the Lothians and the Scottish Borders. Full meetings of the Board are open to the public. Journalists are free to attend and details of debates are often reported in newspapers, radio and TV.
Sub-committees and working groups
In addition to the Board there are the following sub-committees and working groups:
