There’s been a warning today that Government plans to put the control of local policing in the hands of a single individual risk ‘creating chaos and conflict at a time when everyone should be concentrating on how we can maintain the service to the public during a period of extreme financial difficulties.’
That was how Councillor Dave McLuckie, Chair of Cleveland Police Authority summed up the risks in proposals set out by Home Secretary Theresa May to introduce directly-elected ‘Police and Crime Commissioners’ able to set force’s priorities and budgets, as well as having the power to appoint—and remove—Chief Constables.
Already there has been widespread concern expressed within the police service and elsewhere at the prospect of putting so much power in the hands of single individuals and Councillor McLuckie says the Government’s suggestion that they should be overseen by newly-created ‘Police and Crime Panels’ highlights the flaws in the proposals.
He explained “With one breath the Government is suggesting the need to create single person control to improve accountability—which in itself seems bizarre—and in the next goes on to say they will be subject to ‘robust overview’ by Panels made up of local councillors, independent and lay members...essentially the same make-up as existing police authorities.
“These Panels, say the Government, will have the ability to make public their objections to the Commissioner’s plans, even report him or her to the Independent Police Complaints Commission, summon the Commissioner to public hearings and hold what are described as ‘confirmation hearings’ for the Chief Constable and other senior appointments.
“It is also proposed that, if a Panel does not like a Commissioners’ decision on the Council Tax precept level, they can trigger a referendum—clearly a lengthy...not mention costly...process which could throw a Force into financial chaos.
“It is not made clear how these Panels will be appointed, although there appears to be a suggestion that they should include councillors from all ‘constituent wards’ which could create bodies with huge numbers of members.
“The proposals suggest that Commissioners will have the power to ‘appoint and lead a team to support them in their important responsibilities’ yet how big those support structures should be...and how much they will cost..is not made clear, nor is the level of salary that Commissioners would receive.
“Already it has been suggested that the cost of creating this system could be as much as £50million but I suspect the real figure could be much higher, especially taking into account the need to provide support not just to the Commissioners but the proposed Panels.
“All this at a time when we know that the financial pressures on policing, as with all public services, will be immense. If it genuinely held out the prospect of improving accountability and delivering a better service there might be a case for it, but in reality it would create chaos, confusion, conflict—and extra costs—with no improvements in service to local people.
“The Government really does need to think again before forcing through proposals which could undermine the very principles which have rightly made British policing the envy of the world.”