Prime Minister comments on police authorities branded "disgraceful"
POLITICIANS in Notts are divided over Government moves to create new elected police commissioners.
Home Secretary Theresa May yesterday announced the "Policing in the 21st Century: Reconnecting Police and the People" strategy which included a proposal to elect the commissioners to replace the authorities which oversee the work of the police.
Prime Minister David Cameron said: "By replacing invisible police authorities with directly elected police and crime commissioners, we can forge a direct link between the police and the public."
Councillor John Clarke, former chairman of Notts Police Authority, said the comment about police authorities being invisible was "disgraceful" but added he did not oppose the plans outright.
The proposals would see the commissioners put in charge of multi-million-pound force budgets and power handed back to the public.
Notts Police Authority is made up of seven Nottinghamshire county councillors and two Nottingham city councillors, who are chosen by the councils they represent.
There are also eight independent members, who are selected by existing authority members when the vacancies arise.
"If it will increase accountability then I would welcome it," Mr Clarke said.
"But I do believe there already are good links between the police and the public.
"The job of the commissioners will be a huge one, therefore I would like to see a board of governance.
"It will need some clout."
Notts Police Authority member, Councillor Ian Malcolm, said: "If the commissioners are given the chance and freedom to control the budget then it will be a good step to make."
Councillor Kay Cutts, leader of Notts County Council, is also backing the proposals.
She said: "I welcome these plans. I think there needs to be more accountability."
However, Nottingham City Council deputy leader Councillor Graham Chapman doesn't believe the plans will spark any public interest.
"I don't see how this is going to grab the enthusiasm of the electorate," he said.
No one from Notts Police was available for comment.
22 Comments
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by Claire, Here and there
Wednesday, July 28 2010, 2:25AM
“Steve from Lenton, he has no thoughts at all which he has to resort to type, you know the sort the brainwashed ideologists incapable of individual thought. Indeed you are right about attacking opinion and with the transparent methods which have exposed him for many things over a long period of time, his tactics are listed below.
1/ Adopt a tactic of diversion to deflect away from the issue.
2/ Try to lure posters into unrelated arguments and manipulate it away from the subject matter.
3/ Move to personal insults and wild speculation verging on lunacy.
4/ Lie lie lie.”
by m, gedling
Tuesday, July 27 2010, 10:11PM
“it will be nice to see a genuinely elected person overseeing the police force, rather than a jack of all trades who is supposed to be doing a job elsewhere,
i mean you elect a councilor to do a job then next minute their sitting on boards all over the place, no wonder the country is in a mess,
lets just hope the genuinely elected commissioner doesnt bring in his bezzie mates to sit with him,
if commissioner gordon and batman can make it work then anyone can,”
by Steve, Lenton
Tuesday, July 27 2010, 10:10PM
“MadBadger, The Sett
Strange how you never comment on any article, If your sole purpose is to insult others - whatever their views - why do you bother? - You must be a very sad person”
by JW, Nottingham
Tuesday, July 27 2010, 10:06PM
“David, Nottingham
You said it! Lol! - Sensible will take three weeks to think of a reply!”
by wurrows, Nottingham
Tuesday, July 27 2010, 9:58PM
“watch your back Kommisar Kollins - they sussed you out.”
by MadBadger, The Sett
Tuesday, July 27 2010, 8:24PM
“"In many cases it has been shown that there is a lack of transparency which undermines trust in the Police as a whole...".
Well, Andyman, as there have been 'many cases' you'll be able to provide us with some examples, won't you.
Just post them here...”
by Mel, City
Tuesday, July 27 2010, 6:27PM
“Sensible,
Z,zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz”
by Andyman, Derbys
Tuesday, July 27 2010, 6:09PM
“This could be quite a positive move, and open up the secret world of senior force management and make them directly accountable to those they server. In many cases it has been shown that there is a lack of transparency which undermines trust in the Police as a whole, it is this along with their failure on crime which makes people suspicious.
There is one drawback which is lack of continuity, are these elections going to be every year or is the term going to be a fixed term of several years.”
by M, Nottingham
Tuesday, July 27 2010, 4:49PM
“Does this mean they won't be able to murder people and get away with it any more, like they did with Ian Tomlinson, Blair Peach, Cherry Groce, Joy Gardner, Shiji Lapite, Brian Douglas, Wayne Douglas, Ibrahima Sey...”
by Mr. Sensible, The Real World
Tuesday, July 27 2010, 4:47PM
“The simple fact is that this just isn't needed.
When you have over half of your police authority being councillors who are already elected in their wards I think that speeks volumes.
This does not strike me as being a good use of £50 million that could be better used to limit the damage done by cuts to police officer numbers.”