The Staffordshire Police, Fire and Crime Panel convened for a confirmation hearing regarding the proposed appointment of Sarah Wilkes as the Section 151 Officer¹ and chief finance officer for the commissioner's office. Following a presentation by Sarah Wilkes and a question and answer session with the panel, the panel resolved to confirm her appointment.

Appointment of Section 151 Officer

The primary purpose of the meeting was to assess Sarah Wilkes' suitability for the role of Section 151 Officer. The panel voted to confirm her appointment.

The Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner introduced Sarah Wilkes, highlighting the importance of the role for the commissioner's office, particularly with upcoming devolution and local government reorganisation. He noted that the role had been expanded to include the assurance manager role, and that Sarah Wilkes' wider capability and experience made her stand out during the selection process. He also thanked David Greensmith for his work in the interim.

Sarah Wilkes introduced herself, outlining her experience as the Finance Director and Section 151 Officer at Newcastle-under-Lyme, as well as her previous roles at Stoke City Council and in the private sector. She spoke of her responsibilities for key financial strategies and the challenges of managing funding pressures and increased service demands. She also expressed her affinity for Staffordshire.

Panel members then posed questions to Sarah Wilkes:

• Councillor David Williams asked about her experience of managing change and how it would be useful in the new role. Sarah Wilkes cited examples such as the shared building project at Castle House in Newcastle-under-Lyme ² and the financial challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, where she helped save £1.73 million through a transformation programme.

• Adrian Bowen, a co-opted member of the panel, asked how she would ensure a culture of delivering results to enable the commissioner to achieve his priorities. Sarah Wilkes emphasised the importance of buy-in from everyone in the organisation, transparency in decision-making, and reporting on the performance of those decisions.

• Councillor Charlotte Atkins inquired about her experience working with partners and agencies, particularly those that the police contribute to or work with. Sarah Wilkes mentioned the community safety team in Newcastle, which receives funding from the Commissioner's Office, as well as partnerships with Aspire Housing ³ and involvement in regeneration projects. She also highlighted the importance of the voluntary sector and providing them with support, including access to assets and volunteer time.

• Chris Elliot, another co-opted member, asked about her experience of consulting with the public. Sarah Wilkes explained the annual budget consultation process and her involvement in various consultations throughout the year, including those related to planning and local government reorganisation.

Following the question and answer session, the panel adjourned to deliberate before returning to confirm Sarah Wilkes' appointment.