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| Police commissioners: star quality is needed for this big idea to shine | Police commissioners: star quality is needed for this big idea to shine |
| (8 days later) | |
| The first elections of police and crime commissioners (PCCs) across England and Wales this November are a Conservative rather than coalition reform initiative. They are to be fought on their traditional territory of "law and order'' and should yield a much-needed mid-term boost to the party's political fortunes. | The first elections of police and crime commissioners (PCCs) across England and Wales this November are a Conservative rather than coalition reform initiative. They are to be fought on their traditional territory of "law and order'' and should yield a much-needed mid-term boost to the party's political fortunes. |
| The roots of directly-elected PCCs lie in the home secretary, Theresa May's early decision to accede to police demands to scrap all Home Office targets for forces, which left no outside mechanism to drive up police performance. | The roots of directly-elected PCCs lie in the home secretary, Theresa May's early decision to accede to police demands to scrap all Home Office targets for forces, which left no outside mechanism to drive up police performance. |
| The £75m election of the first PCCs for the 41 police forces outside London on salaries of £65,000 to £100,000 a year is designed to fill this void and sweep away the 50-year-old system of 17-member police authorities deemed weak and ineffective by ministers. | The £75m election of the first PCCs for the 41 police forces outside London on salaries of £65,000 to £100,000 a year is designed to fill this void and sweep away the 50-year-old system of 17-member police authorities deemed weak and ineffective by ministers. |
| When David Cameron launched the hunt for candidates he declared: "This is a big job for a big local figure. It's a voice for the people, someone to lead the fight against crime, and someone to hold the police to account if they don't deliver ... This isn't just for politicians, but for community leaders and pioneers of all sorts. People with real experience who've done things and run organisations, whether they are charities or companies." | When David Cameron launched the hunt for candidates he declared: "This is a big job for a big local figure. It's a voice for the people, someone to lead the fight against crime, and someone to hold the police to account if they don't deliver ... This isn't just for politicians, but for community leaders and pioneers of all sorts. People with real experience who've done things and run organisations, whether they are charities or companies." |
| But those high hopes have not yet been fulfilled. Critics complain that the ranks of ex-Westminster retreads and former police authority chairmen that dominate the lists so far, despite the best efforts of Lord Prescott, are hardly sprinkled with stardust. When this is combined with fears of a low turnout on a wet Thursday in November, serious doubts have been raised about whether the new commissioners will have much more of a mandate than the police authority councillors they'll replace. The Home Office has responded by planning a multi-million pound advertising campaign for October. | But those high hopes have not yet been fulfilled. Critics complain that the ranks of ex-Westminster retreads and former police authority chairmen that dominate the lists so far, despite the best efforts of Lord Prescott, are hardly sprinkled with stardust. When this is combined with fears of a low turnout on a wet Thursday in November, serious doubts have been raised about whether the new commissioners will have much more of a mandate than the police authority councillors they'll replace. The Home Office has responded by planning a multi-million pound advertising campaign for October. |
| But this was not how it was supposed to be. The original Conservative plan was to hold the elections in May this year alongside the nationwide council and the London mayoral elections. But an alliance of Liberal Democrats peers and former senior police officers, concerned about the impact of direct party politics on policing, secured the six-month delay. | But this was not how it was supposed to be. The original Conservative plan was to hold the elections in May this year alongside the nationwide council and the London mayoral elections. But an alliance of Liberal Democrats peers and former senior police officers, concerned about the impact of direct party politics on policing, secured the six-month delay. |
| Is it still possible that the election campaign could capture the public imagination? Yes, but it will require some candidates to start making radical waves. Perhaps a Conservative or Labour libertarian will take a stand over the spread of CCTV cameras or another aspect of the database state. Others may make firm commitments not to go down the G4S road. But the room for manoeuvre for such fireworks is severely limited. Any PCC elected on a promise of "no police cuts" or to boost police numbers is likely to clash with their local scrutiny panel, which can veto budgets and council tax precept proposals. They may well face the ultimate sanction from the home secretary who can order a local referendum on whether a massive increase in police funding should fall on local council taxpayers. | Is it still possible that the election campaign could capture the public imagination? Yes, but it will require some candidates to start making radical waves. Perhaps a Conservative or Labour libertarian will take a stand over the spread of CCTV cameras or another aspect of the database state. Others may make firm commitments not to go down the G4S road. But the room for manoeuvre for such fireworks is severely limited. Any PCC elected on a promise of "no police cuts" or to boost police numbers is likely to clash with their local scrutiny panel, which can veto budgets and council tax precept proposals. They may well face the ultimate sanction from the home secretary who can order a local referendum on whether a massive increase in police funding should fall on local council taxpayers. |
| The job itself will be demanding. As the Police Foundation has pointed out, the commissioners will not only have the power to hire and fire chief constables, but will also be legally required within weeks to set next year's police force budget as well as publishing a draft policing and crime plan for their force. It will be a sharp learning curve for some successful candidates. | The job itself will be demanding. As the Police Foundation has pointed out, the commissioners will not only have the power to hire and fire chief constables, but will also be legally required within weeks to set next year's police force budget as well as publishing a draft policing and crime plan for their force. It will be a sharp learning curve for some successful candidates. |
| They will also take on direct responsibility for distributing the £100m a year for victim support services as well handing out crime and disorder reduction grants. Ministers even hope PCCs may eventually also have a role in commissioning local probation services. | They will also take on direct responsibility for distributing the £100m a year for victim support services as well handing out crime and disorder reduction grants. Ministers even hope PCCs may eventually also have a role in commissioning local probation services. |
| The elections have raised anxieties in the police about their operational independence. These have been reflected in an oath of impartiality each PCC has to swear and new guidance from the Association of Chief Police Officers to protect policing from being dragged into party politics. It bans candidates from making "fact-finding visits'' to police stations for publicity purposes or even using policing images in their campaign material. Even Lord Prescott's favourite picture of himself astride a Cleveland police Harley Davidson could be caught by the ban. | The elections have raised anxieties in the police about their operational independence. These have been reflected in an oath of impartiality each PCC has to swear and new guidance from the Association of Chief Police Officers to protect policing from being dragged into party politics. It bans candidates from making "fact-finding visits'' to police stations for publicity purposes or even using policing images in their campaign material. Even Lord Prescott's favourite picture of himself astride a Cleveland police Harley Davidson could be caught by the ban. |
| Alan Travis | Alan Travis |
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