Complaint about Hampshire's police and crime commissioner heard in secret

The police and crime panel's complaints sub-committee met in Winchester to discuss a complaint made against the police and crime commissioner.

The Local Democracy Service challenged the bid to exclude the press and public from the discussion about the complaint.

It is unknown whether the complaint refers to current commissioner Donna Jones, or her predecessor, Michael Lane.

But members voted unanimously to discuss it behind closed doors.

The Local Government Act 1972 allows agenda items at council - and crime panel - meetings to be heard behind closed doors under certain circumstances.

Chairman David Stewart said: 'My recommendation is that the press and public be removed from the meeting, because it's likely in the nature of proceedings that if members of the public were present there would be a disclosure of exempt information.'

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The exclusion, he added, was to protect the identity of the complainant - described by Cllr Ken Muschamp as a 'victim' moments before the meeting began.

The sub-committee considers complaints made against the police and crime commissioner and puts an informal resolution to the full police and crime panel.

It does not have any investigative powers.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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