davieG Posted 20 February 2012 Posted 20 February 2012 Good or bad idea? Merc. What the role involves Elections for the police and crime commissioners will take place on November 15. Police authorities will be replaced by a commissioner for each police force in England and Wales, excluding London. The Government believes the elected head will make police forces more accountable to the public. Critics believe the move could politicise policing. According to the Home Office, the role of commissioners – who will be paid about £70,000 a year – will include: Cutting crime and delivering an effective and efficient police service. Consulting with the public to set policing priorities. Ensuring local and national priorities are suitably funded by setting a budget and council tax payers' contribution. Holding the chief constable to account. Elections will take place every four years. The race to become elected police chief has gathered pace, with a batch of politicians putting themselves forward. Until now two people – senior Conservative county councillor Nick Rushton and businessman and magistrate Rick Moore – had publicly expressed a desire to stand in November's election to become police and crime commissioners. The Leicester Mercury has learned that six more people – three Labour and two Conservatives from the city and county councils, plus one parish councillor – are interested. They have either formally told their party chiefs they would like to be considered or are an the point of doing so. Others are expected to come forward in the next few weeks. The two city councillors – both Labour – are Sundip Meghani and Wayne Naylor. Councillor Meghani, a lawyer and a member of Leicestershire Police Authority, said: "It's such a big and important job, I'm giving it the consideration it deserves." Coun Naylor, a cabinet member for community safety in a previous city administration, was unavailable to comment. Jewel Miah, a county councillor and leader of Charnwood Borough Council's Labour group, has also confirmed his intention to declare himself a candidate. He said: "I think it will come to a boil and there will be a lot of debate about this exciting role and policing issues." Two Conservative members of the county council – Joe Orson and Rosita Page – have told the Mercury they are to enter the contest to become the official Conservative candidate. Coun Orson, a former magistrate and a current member of the police authority, said: "It's a massive job. "The way I see it is that it's likely to be a 60-plus hours a week role. "When the time comes I hope there will be lots of debate and discussion about the new role." Coun Page did not want to comment further at this stage. Recently retired Air Chief Marshall Sir Clive Loader is also seeking the Conservative party nomination. Sir Clive, a parish councillor in Wing, Rutland, said: "The whole aim of this exercise is to reconnect the police with the people to make them more accountable. "If it doesn't do that it will have failed." Labour candidates will be interviewed by the party's East Midlands hierarchy and the winner will be decided by a ballot of party members, possibly by the end of May. Conservative HQ in London will quiz those members who wish to run and the winner is expected to be chosen at a meeting open to all local party members. The Liberal Democrats in Leicestershire are not expected to take part because the national party has spoken out against the reform, fearing it will politicise policing. What the role involves Elections for the police and crime commissioners will take place on November 15. Police authorities will be replaced by a commissioner for each police force in England and Wales, excluding London. The Government believes the elected head will make police forces more accountable to the public. Critics believe the move could politicise policing. According to the Home Office, the role of commissioners – who will be paid about £70,000 a year – will include: Cutting crime and delivering an effective and efficient police service. Consulting with the public to set policing priorities. Ensuring local and national priorities are suitably funded by setting a budget and council tax payers' contribution. Holding the chief constable to account. Elections will take place every four years.
Zingari Posted 20 February 2012 Posted 20 February 2012 Lord Prescott is in the running to be police commissioner in Humberside . It'll be good that the role has some clout . Interesting that London will not be having them , is this the Met Police , or the City of London Police ( which some people argue is a kind of private army )
accessory Posted 20 February 2012 Posted 20 February 2012 Indeed it is. Because of the county demographics, the Tory candidate is nailed on to win the election in Leicestershire.
Webbo Posted 20 February 2012 Posted 20 February 2012 Indeed it is. Because of the county demographics, the Tory candidate is nailed on to win the election in Leicestershire. Like the Labour mayor of the city?
Captain... Posted 20 February 2012 Posted 20 February 2012 It all seems like a load of bollox to me, I don't like the idea of politicising the police, it seems to be changing things at the top, and not looking at what seems to be the main problem, which is a lack of actual policemen on the beat. We already have community support officers and liaison officers that are supposed to be consulting with the public, and all that will come from it is more upheaval, the commissioners will be forced to implement quick fixes to get quick results otherwise face not being re-elected. We are going to see the root causes of crime being ignored in favour of having undesirables driven out of constituencies, which doesn't solve the problem just passes it on to someone else, or more custodial sentences to prove that they are doing something, when they are still not tackling the causes of crime just wanting to look good.
Webbo Posted 20 February 2012 Posted 20 February 2012 It all seems like a load of bollox to me, I don't like the idea of politicising the police, it seems to be changing things at the top, and not looking at what seems to be the main problem, which is a lack of actual policemen on the beat. We already have community support officers and liaison officers that are supposed to be consulting with the public, and all that will come from it is more upheaval, the commissioners will be forced to implement quick fixes to get quick results otherwise face not being re-elected. We are going to see the root causes of crime being ignored in favour of having undesirables driven out of constituencies, which doesn't solve the problem just passes it on to someone else, or more custodial sentences to prove that they are doing something, when they are still not tackling the causes of crime just wanting to look good. If you don't like what the police are doing you can always vote against the commissioner.
Daggers Posted 20 February 2012 Posted 20 February 2012 Vote Webbo as elected police and crime commissioner Oh FFS! Give it a rest.
Captain... Posted 20 February 2012 Posted 20 February 2012 If you don't like what the police are doing you can always vote against the commissioner. But that's the point I'm making, why the fvck should I get to vote, what right is it of mine to vote on the police, I don't vote on the hospitals, or the Fire service, I don't vote for other public services such as transport and education, why do I know get a say in the police? What the fvck do I know about the police, I have recently been a victim of crime, sucks but do I think it would have been any different if it had been a Labour or Tory police commissioner, no, I actually think the police handled it quite well. Now come election day, I really have no interest in voting so I won't, but if I did I would look at the candidates, it would mean nothing to me, I could read the manifestos and the issues and what they will bring to the role, but it will still have little impact, so I would probably vote for the Lib Dem one if there is no discernible difference between the candidates as that is my political leanings. Take John Prescott for example what the fvck does he know about the police? Now lets look a little further into the future, the current police commissioner is unpopular in the polls, he looks like he is on the way out, what is he going to do? Try and swing public favour with a bunch of populist quick fix ideas. Then there is the other side of it, a Commissioner needs to be voted in, makes promises he can't keep over spends on budget and just makes matters worse. You may say I am only being negative, but I honestly think the police do a good job at the moment and what they need is a not a new level of bureaucracy but more funding, more policemen, and to be honest they need the Government to sort out the fvcking economy, stopping pushing more and more people into poverty and at the very least set an example of what it means to be a decent citizen,
Webbo Posted 20 February 2012 Posted 20 February 2012 Then there is the other side of it, a Commissioner needs to be voted in, makes promises he can't keep over spends on budget and just makes matters worse. You could say that about any elected official. If they fvck up vote them out if not vote them back in. That's democracy. It'll mean that the commissioners will have to worry about what the public cares about and not the elite. That's a good thing in my book and on your other point I wouldn't have any objection to directly elected NHS commissioners either.
Captain... Posted 20 February 2012 Posted 20 February 2012 You could say that about any elected official. If they fvck up vote them out if not vote them back in. That's democracy. It'll mean that the commissioners will have to worry about what the public cares about and not the elite. That's a good thing in my book and on your other point I wouldn't have any objection to directly elected NHS commissioners either. Maybe an elected official from a pool of qualified candidates, but we have this chap for example running for the job: http://www.lep.co.uk..._role_1_4180120 Surely there may be a conflict of interests for a local business man to become Police Commissioner, not even mentioning the fact he has no experience and will he prioritise his police work over his local businesses concerns? Interesting you should mention the "elite" I assume you mean the Government, and this is how it should work, the Government should be concerned about what the public think, the police report to the Government, ergo the police are acting in accordance with the wishes of the public. Do you see the problem with that? What the Government are now doing is creating a scapegoat for all issues to do with crime, they can wash their hands of it and in areas where an opposition candidate is Commissioner use it as a stick to beat the opposition with.
Webbo Posted 20 February 2012 Posted 20 February 2012 Maybe an elected official from a pool of qualified candidates, but we have this chap for example running for the job: http://www.lep.co.uk..._role_1_4180120 Surely there may be a conflict of interests for a local business man to become Police Commissioner, not even mentioning the fact he has no experience and will he prioritise his police work over his local businesses concerns? If you don't think he can do the job, don't vote for him, or are you worried that the rest of us aren't intelligent enough to judge? Interesting you should mention the "elite" I assume you mean the Government, and this is how it should work, the Government should be concerned about what the public think, the police report to the Government, ergo the police are acting in accordance with the wishes of the public. Well obviously not because, as you said; not looking at what seems to be the main problem, which is a lack of actual policemen on the beat. If you want more bobbies on the beat vote for someone who promises just that.
l444ry Posted 20 February 2012 Posted 20 February 2012 Yet more government by gimmick from a coalition that tells us we are skint yet are prepared to spend £100 million on politicising the police.
Captain... Posted 20 February 2012 Posted 20 February 2012 If you don't think he can do the job, don't vote for him, or are you worried that the rest of us aren't intelligent enough to judge? No I am worried that there will be no candidates that are actually qualified for the job and they will be picked on their political leaning more than anything else.
Daggers Posted 20 February 2012 Posted 20 February 2012 Yet more government by gimmick from a coalition that tells us we are skint yet are prepared to spend £100 million on politicising the police. It's amazing how much I now agree with you now you aren't always sticking up for Brown
Zingari Posted 20 February 2012 Posted 20 February 2012 It's amazing how much I now agree with you now you aren't always sticking up for Brown is this a euphemism for something ?
davieG Posted 11 October 2014 Author Posted 11 October 2014 Four of six East PCCs 'cost more' than police authorities Police and crime commissioners were introduced in 2013 Four out of six police forces in the East of England are spending more on police commissioners than the old authority system, one by more than 60%, figures have shown. Freedom of Information requests have found increases in Bedfordshire (9.7%), Cambridgeshire (3.8%), Norfolk (8.62%) and Northamptonshire (61.5%). Essex and Suffolk saw spending decreases of 20% and 2.7%. Police commissioners replaced the old police authorities in 2013. The BBC compared the figures for the last full years of the police authority - from April 2011 to April 2012 - with the first full years of the police and crime commissioners (PCC) - from April 2013 to April 2014. Northamptonshire Police and Crime Commissioner Adam Simmonds' office costs have increased by more than 60% compared with the old police authority Suffolk Police and Crime Commissioner Tim Passmore says he has kept his office costs down Andy Sawford, Labour MP for Corby and East Northamptonshire, said he had particular concerns about the PCC expenditure in Northamptonshire and its 17-strong management team, which includes the press office. "At a time of cutbacks in policing, it is totally wrong for the police commissioner to waste so much money on the press office. Nobody really wanted these commissioners because it's wrong to politicise policing. The sooner the role is abolished the better." Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has labelled PCCs a "failed experiment". But the Home Office said they had replaced "invisible and ineffective police authorities". The cost of PCCs v police authorities Police force Cost of police authority system Cost of police and crime commissioner system Before / After Bedfordshire £786,109 / £863,114 Cambridgeshire £839,000 / £871,000 Essex £1.19m / £950,000 * (Estimate) Norfolk £1.26m / £1.37m Northamptonshire £694,599 / £1.12m Suffolk £978,383 / £951,309 Adam Simmonds, Northamptonshire PCC, defended the role and said: "The huge remit that I have and the huge agenda I have set out requires me to have a staff. I am not embarrassed by that. I have a lot of work to do." 'Costs kept down'Cambridgeshire PCC Sir Graham Bright said he was keeping office costs to a minimum. "In the longer term, you cannot compare police authorities with police and crime commissioners," he said. "The role of commissioner is much bigger. For example I am taking on responsibility for support to victims from October this year and that has meant a lot of planning and preparation since my election." Bedfordshire PCC Olly Martins said he faced "one-off" redundancy costs in 2013-14 that inflated the cost of his office. He said the longer term cost would be at a "similar level" to police authorities. Stephen Bett says the new PCC structure is leaner and more closely matches his priorities as commissioner A spokesman for the Norfolk PCC Stephen Bett said there was a slight initial increase in the spend between the last full year of the Police Authority and first full year of the new system due to redundancies and additional costs associated with the restructure. Mr Bett said: "The new staff structure is leaner and more closely matches my priorities and those of the people of Norfolk." Nick Alston, PCC for Essex, said the estimated £950,000 first-year costs of his office needed to take into account his "remit", which is "more far-reaching" than that of police authorities. Suffolk PCC Tim Passmore, who has cut costs, said: "From day one it was really important to me that we did not add extra burden on the taxpayer so I chose not to employ a deputy or any political advisors, as many PCCs have done. "I do have the support of a very effective team and this has allowed us to manage the extensive workload of this office at a lower cost than the police authority."
Fez of Mahrez Posted 11 October 2014 Posted 11 October 2014 Simmonds' spending is scandalous. He's not the only ludicrous, egotistical Tory egghead spending millions of pounds of public money in Northampton, sadly.
Webbo Posted 11 October 2014 Posted 11 October 2014 If people aren't happy they can vote them out. That's democracy.
davieG Posted 11 October 2014 Author Posted 11 October 2014 If people aren't happy they can vote them out. That's democracy. Can one vote to abolish them? Swapping one for another will just add to the cost.
ADK Posted 11 October 2014 Posted 11 October 2014 It's pretty disgusting when frontline police services are being cut.
johnny the fox Posted 11 October 2014 Posted 11 October 2014 Contacted the office of Sir Clive Loader.. he is just a buck passer..far too close to the powers that be at enderby, certainly not an independent advocate for the public..more like a cheer leader for Leicestershire police.
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