23 July 2008
Council leaders and their police authority partners across Wales have unanimously rejected Home Office proposals to have directly elected police chiefs.
John Davies, WLGA Leader (Pembrokeshire) Spokesperson said:
“This is a half-baked proposal that fails to recognise the strength of the current system in Wales. Not only would it add another level of bureaucracy to an already cumbersome policing system but would devalue the legitimate role of the local council which already has the democratic mandate to deliver services that meet local community needs. If the Home Office wants to consider this new role then surely these extra powers should be given to council leaders who are already doing the job.”
“The Home Office’s track record of recent years has not been good. We have seen a failed attempt at police re-organisation, a failure to properly fund the SNEN call system in Wales and calls for the devolution of the entirety of the criminal justice system. Combined, these do not point to a Home Office that is very in touch with the Welsh agenda. Sidelining the role of democratically elected councillors could prove to be a recipe for disaster, particularly if police authorities and councils were to work to different local political agendas.”
Cllr Ian Roberts, Chair of the Police Authorities for Wales said:
“When it comes the Welsh way of doing business we are seeing great results. Crime rates have fallen by 9% and re-offending rates are at the lowest level in over 10 years. The Home Office appears more interested in tinkering with the system, rather than recognising the good work being done. Successful crime fighting is about partnership working between the police, councils and other agencies, a model that is already working in Wales.”
“Whilst neither local authorities nor police authorities in Wales are complacent about existent structures and fully recognise there is always room for improvement, our position is one of successful partnership and joint working. Therefore services delivered to people in their local area should continue to be accountable to residents through their locally elected council and councillors.”
Ends
The reform of the police authorities in England and Wales is set out under the Home Office publication “From the neighbourhood to the national: policing our communities together.”
PAW is the representative body for the four Police authorities for Wales
For further information please contact: Natasha Weeks, PR Officer, WLGA on 029 2046 8673 or natasha.weeks@wlga.gov.uk