PCC press briefing 2013/26

Funding

PCCs continued to discuss the ramifications of the previous week’s spending review.

• The retirement of 15 senior officers has saved £900,000 in salaries, Surrey Police say. [BBC News]
• Avon and Somerset‘s PCC Sue Mountstevens fears the Government’s latest budget cuts could put more than 200 jobs at risk. [Bristol Post]
• Policing in Derbyshire will get £2.3 million less funding than expected from central Government in 2014-15, the PCC has revealed. [Derby Telegraph]
• Lancashire‘s budget could be reduced by a further £11m, the PCC has said. [The Visitor]

Other PCCs said they intended to explore further collaboration with neighbouring forces in an effort to reduce costs.

• Staffordshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Ellis says the force is exploring opportunities to collaborate with other organisations where it benefits Staffordshire people. [Press release]
• Cambridgeshire, which already collaborates with Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire, believes further teaming up is needed. [Cambridge News]

Other main stories

Gwent‘s PCC Ian Johnston gave evidence to the Home Affairs Select Committee over the forced resignation of his chief constable, Carmel Napier.

• Ian Johnston said Carmel Napier “did not accept” his role. [BBC News]
• Carmel Napier later told the same committee that Ian Johnston threatened to “humiliate” and dismiss her unless she resigned. [BBC News]
• The dismissal was raised to David Cameron in Prime Minister’s Questions, who said the PCC role was designed to ensure accountability. [BBC News]

Police investigating alleged leaking of expenses claims by Cumbria‘s police and crime commissioner have handed a file to the Crown Prosecution Service. [BBC News]

David Cameron’s local crime tsar – Thames Valley PCC Anthony Stansfeld – has been ordered to pay back some of his expenses following an exposé by [The Mail on Sunday].

National news

Five forces – Avon and Somerset, Great Manchester, West Midlands and West Yorkshire, as well as the Metropolitan Police – are the focus of an investigation into alleged attempts to smear the Stephen Lawrence campaign. [The Independent]

Police morale has been significantly undermined not just by cuts but by scandals such as the alleged smear campaign of Stephen Lawrence’s family and the Hillsborough cover-up, police minister Damian Green has suggested. [Sky News]

Labour is to call for much tougher oversight and scrutiny of the intelligence and security services to restore public confidence in their work and operations after the revelations about the US internet snooping programme, Prism. [The Guardian]

By BTP area

London North

Bonuses of £60,000 paid to a top police officer not to leave Essex Police fell “outside” national policing agreements, it is claimed. [BBC News]

London South

Concerns have been raised over the 101 non-emergency number by Hampshire‘s police and crime commissioner. [The News]

North East

Community groups in Leicestershire have the chance to apply for a share of £250,000 in a bid to help the police reduce crime. [Rutland Times]

Cleveland‘s PCC has approved a decision by the force to axe its mounted section. [BBC News]

Humberside has announced a trial in using iPads to cut paperwork. [Hull Daily Mail]

North West

Too many people saw community budgets as an opportunity to get extra money, Greater Manchester‘s PCC Tony Lloyd has said. [The Guardian]

• Lloyd has announced a campaign to recruit his deputy. [Rochdale Online]

Wales and Western

The closure of controversial ‘hubs’ used by North Wales Police to group officers in central locations has increased “visible policing”, says the force’s commissioner. [BBC News]