Telford PCC Hustings
As the 15th of November and the West Mercia Police & Crime Commissioner elections draw closer, the candidates came to Meeting Point House in Telford.
We have already written an overview of the process and PCC candidates here, but this was a chance for the public to see the whites of their eyes.
Around 30 people listened to questions put to them by Andy Smith, the Ecumenical Dean of Telford who chaired the meeting. Also in attendance was Keith Osmund-Smith who is the Police Chaplain and tweeted the questions and answers you see below.
Just 27 at the #Telford hustings for West Mercia PCC – disappointing… Adrian Blackshaw presenting first…
@tccandys Andy Smith chairing hustings @MeetingPointHse @TelfordCC …@Blackshaw4PCC is on his feet setting out his manifesto…
Comment from @KathH3 @TelfordChaplain Disappointing, or a vote for ‘Why??? Don’t care! Don’t see the point!!!!”
@Blackshaw4PCC – “local policing is one of my absolute top priorities”
@TelfordCC – Question – “Don’t you think the money would be better spent on the police not commissioners?”
@Blackshaw4PCC – ” I cant put the clock back…”
Question – “What are you going to do to improve the efficiency of the criminal justice system?”
Question – “What do you mean when you say ‘proper use of PCSO’s’?”
Q. What powers do PCSO’s have” A. “They have diminished powers – its community service”
Q to @Blackshaw4PCC – who are you going to appoint to be your deputy? A. It would be presumptuous to say before the election…”
@Blackshaw4PCC – anti social behaviour is a real social cancer…
Q – What are your thoughts on the closure of police stations – A. – <suggests shared use of buildings with other emergency services.>
Q. Will you be a ‘full-time’ commissioner A. Total commitment – cannot be anything else…
Q. How do you keep the checks and balances that the Police Authority provided? A. Relationship with Police Command is critical
@Blackshaw4PCC – ends with round of applause – @murphyslaw4pcc now on his feet…
@murphyslaw4pcc – “the worry I have most is about politics getting into the police. I know what its like.” For me I will appoint a dep comm
A Dep Comm will say if I step over the party political line…
Q. “What areas of cuts will you introduce?” – A – we can expect to lose 870 police officers and staff by 2015…
@murphyslaw4pcc “If this role is to mean anything I have to do what people say to me… more police officers – re prioritisation and more ££
@murphyslaw4pcc – possible to increase the numbers of officers and PCSOs but it is a challenge…
@murphyslaw4pcc – expect another round of cuts once this election is over
@murphyslaw4pcc – We are moving to a situation where the focus is on response – that is not the way we should police…
@murphyslaw4pcc – Privatisation is not part of my thinking for front line policing – there is a right place for the private sector…
“I will institute an immediate review of all the private contracts West Mercia Police have – if I am elected on 15th Nov”
@murphyslaw4pcc “In a policing sense – illegal immigrants will be dealt with according to the law.”
“I will work with the budget at my disposal to deal with the root cause of antisocial behaviour”
Q. Do you have the authority to override the CCs decision. A. The PCC has the power to sack the CC – I don’t think that is very good…
Q “To whom are you accountable?” A. To you says Dr Simon Murphy… There is a panel able to veto the PCCs budget… (meaningless)
Q. “Why do want the job – you sound so lukewarm?” A. To try and stop a conservative candidate winning…
“Police officers are worried about their ability to deliver the service that they ought to. If we get elected we will take the politics out.
@bill4pcc – now on his feet at #Telford hustings for PCC…
@bill4pcc – states that he is personally (with his wife) funding his own campaign…
Bill Longmore says society needs inspirational leadership…
We have got to build up the special constabulary – I don’t think I voted at the last election…
Q. What would you see as the difficult area? A. I look at the job as a total challenge – Got to get a good relationship with the CC.
“We have got to get the trust back in the police service.” says Bill Longmore #PCC candidate.
Q. How would you re-prioritise the money? A. We’ve got to look at everything – looked at again in detail. e.g the ‘merger’ with Warks Police
giving an account of his police service plus anecdotes…
Q. How are you going to prevent more officers being lost? A. We don’t want to lose any more men – we’ve got to strengthen things up…
Q. Who will be your dep comm if elected? A. Doesn’t want to say at this point… It is my passion – still the best police force in world…
Q. Where do your priorities around domestic abuse lie? A. I have been shocked at the scale of hate crime. Got to improve partnership working
Comment from @telfordlive:
@TelfordChaplain you are doing a brilliant job! Did Dr Simon Murphy really say he’s going for the post just to stop a Tory getting it?@TelfordChaplain: Yes he did – no surprise to other candidates
Hustings ended.
I’d like to thank Keith Osmund-Smith for doing a great job, live-tweeting the event. Please leave any comments below, or join in the twitter debate.
Thanks Keith – not sure they said much to reward your efforts though. My polling card’s in the bin.
…as is mine. I thought that it would be good to have a police held directly responsible for their work, but the idea of PCC’s has been so poorly executed it’s clear they will be a pointless appointment that no one really wants.
A more pressing issue would be as to why the Government want directly elected commissioners on one hand but are happy for the Association of Chief Police offers (a private limited company, that is not subject to the Freedom of Information Act) to have strategic operational input on the other.