Derbyshire councillor wants Police and Crime Commissioner role to be scrapped

Councillor Ross Shipman, leader of the Liberal Democrats on North East Derbyshire District Council, made the comment after Angelique Foster, PCC for Derbyshire, unveiled her budget for 2022-23.

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The budget, set at £212.26million, will support a number of priorities – including recruiting 100 police officers for communities in the coming year, improved road safety across the county, a tougher response to rural crime, and better 101 and 999 call handling.

The budget also sees a 4.1 per cent increase in the policing precept of Derbyshire’s council tax. This equates to an extra 19p a week – or £10 per annum – for the average Band D property.

On Twitter, Coun Shipman said: “We will all be dead by the time she (Ms Foster) produces any tangible policies which reduce crime and harm in our communities.

“The office of PCC is the single biggest waste of taxpayers’ money in Derbyshire.

“Get it scrapped and invest the money in frontline policing.”

Conservative Ms Foster, who was elected Derbyshire’s PCC last year, told the Derbyshire Times: “Coun Shipman is entitled to his personal opinion.

“However, the role of PCC was established by the Coalition Government, formed by his own political party and the Conservatives, as part of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011.

“The same law requires PCCs who were elected last year to publish a Police and Crime Plan before March 2022.

“My Police and Crime Plan, published last November, clearly sets out policing priorities for the next four years which are based entirely on local residents’ feedback.

“It is now for the force to implement a delivery plan to meet these priorities and on which I can hold the Chief Constable to account on the public’s behalf.”

She added: “My budget will help boost police officer numbers, put additional resources into improving road safety, drive reductions in burglary and anti-social behaviour, provide a more robust policing response for rural communities, and enable investment to improve the 101 and 999 call handling response.

“Among other service improvements, I expect to see a strong response to tackling knife crime and safeguarding women and girls.

“There will be anti-social behaviour coordinators, PCSO recruitment will continue and they will now be trained in crime prevention.

“We will benefit from covert vehicles strengthening the road policing unit and communities will see new or improved neighbourhood bases.

“The small increase in the police precept is essential to these improvements, which is why I welcome the opportunity provided by the Government to put local priorities front and centre of service delivery.

“I have made it clear that locally raised funding will be invested in meeting local priorities.

“My Police and Crime Plan is designed to secure the strong local policing we all want to see in Derbyshire and highlights the improvements that are required to achieve this.”

PCCs have responsibility for policing in their area and have the power to hire and fire the Chief Constable.

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