Waiting…

Posted on 04/05/2012 by samchapman

PCC Candidates –

See that Mayoral election count?

That adding up of votes from this-that-and-the-other area?

That wondering whether a first preference victory will flip the other way on second preferences?

Come November, that’s you, that is.

 

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Changing Gear

Posted on 04/05/2012 by samchapman

Apologies for my absence yesterday. A full day of ‘knocking up’ (not as much fun as it sounds) followed by an election count last night left precious little opportunity in terms of time or energy to update the site, but I’ll try to make up for it today by squeezing two insights into a small space.

 

  1. Today was the day when we were supposed to find out the results of the Police and Crime Commissioner elections, before the Lords, the Lib Dems and the Electoral Commission had their wicked way with the plans. We won’t now know if in political terms this was a good thing for any particular political party, but as I mourne the loss of Chorley Council to Labour it seems like a propitious delay. Chorley’s Conservatives had managed to make it one of the best district councils in the country, and simultaneously increase its investment in PCSOs, while decreasing Council Tax, but all to no avail politically, as the right-of-centre vote was unnecessarily split on a national basis with UKIP, and the public reacted to a string of bad headlines at a national level. Probably not the best time for a PCC election from my point of view.
  2. It has been quiet in PCC world. Committed candidates have been busy fighting elections. A lot of people have been taking forward ‘one election at a time’ philosophies. That all changes now. As the parties turn to finalising their choice of candidates, the identities of more hopefuls will emerge. We are about to embark on an unprecedented journey in British politics – an election that is just about crime, and we have 6 months to make the best of this opportunity to have a national debate about it. No doubt national politics will intervene, and people will be asked to use yet another election as a protest for this or that reason, but for those of us who have spent our lives in criminal justice, this is a truly exciting time. Never before have we had the chance to let the public express their feelings about crime, and to get the various philosophies, policies and responses on the table. Never before has it been the people’s decision, as the criminal justice system has used its understandable ‘independence’ to become a law unto itself. This first PCC election is unpredictable, but chock full of potential. Whether it reaches that potential is down to all of us.
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Going Postal

Posted on 02/05/2012 by samchapman

You might think it’s election day today, but in many ways it’s not. OK, so WordPress prefers Greenwich Mean Time to the British Summer variety, and thinks it’s still Wednesday, but that’s not what I mean.

Don’t get me wrong. My feet have had enough after a marathon pre-election session on the doorstep, on top of the others up to now, and the day ahead is only more daunting. Many people will vote today, and at the end those votes will be counted.

But, for many, election day was just under two weeks ago, as the postal ballots landed on doorsteps. I remember the tiny satisfaction a fortnight since of seeing one of the tail end of my election addresses landing on top of a freshly delivered set of ballot papers. Some candidates don’t appreciate this, and time everything for today, but the cruel reality is that where I live a very approximate half of the people who will vote will have voted by post, and therefore have probably not only voted already, but already forgotten who they voted for.

Even news channels seem to have forgotten this, with some Mayoral debates scheduled after the postal votes are already heading back whence they came. I suppose it’s not very dramatic, what with the gap between the vote and learning the import of its content.

This has an impact on the PCC election. Part of the reason there won’t be a PCC candidate section in the Electoral Commission booklet your household will receive is that they would need to be ready and distributed before the postal ballots, and that’s not very long after nominations close. Of course, they could have designed it differently when they passed the law in the first place, but given the election booklet decision is still formally being made, evidently no-one was thinking in that much detail quite that far ahead.

So, remember, remember the fifth of November. It’s 10 days before the big election day, so expect people to have had postal ballots for about three days by then, and half the election to be over.

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Candidate Statement of Kashaf Walayat

Posted on 01/05/2012 by samchapman

Kashaf Walayat is seeking the Labour nomination to be the Police and Crime Commissioner in South Yorkshire. If you are intending to stand to be Police and Crime Commissioner where you live, you can submit your own Candidate Statement, so get in touch. Others are on the way, and we are looking for 400 words, a photo of you that you have rights to, and preferably an imprint, which will be needed for the formal election period later this year.


I want the citizens of South Yorkshire to feel safe and secure whilst going about their day to day business without fear of crime with the knowledge that justice will be served for criminals.

I strongly believe I am the best Police and Crime Commissioner candidate for South Yorkshire because of the following:

  • I have the full range of competencies and senior management hands on experience at a strategic level for improving service delivery, this includes direct responsibility for management of multi-million pound budgets, corporate governance and staff resources.
  • Through my extensive experience working within the private and public sectors and community projects. I am able to demonstrate that I have the required strategic, operational, and community experience for this role. I believe I have the necessary breadth and depth of political acumen, sector knowledge and leadership skills to improve organisational performance, connect with the public and ensure a reduction in crime and best quality outcomes for people.
  • I care greatly for South Yorkshire and want to ensure all the residents of this area get the greatest benefit possible from the police and criminal justice services. I will fight tirelessly to ensure South Yorkshire gets the best deal.

PERSONAL STATEMENT:

  • Personal – I am married with 4 children, born and educated in Sheffield. Having worked extensively across Sheffield, Rotherham, Barnsley and Doncaster I am in touch with communities;
  • Community Values – I have been an actively involved in community work since the age of 14, trade unionist, former Councillor, area panel chair, school governor, ward officer and charity chair. A trained carer, I understand the needs of vulnerable people and the elderly; I was awarded the OBE for my work with Children and Young people.
  • South Yorkshire Police Authority – I was appointed for my professional skills and expertise as an independent member in 2007; having previously served as a Labour member in 1997 I continue to provide that important accountability element in policing;
  • Experience – I have over 25 years at senior management level within both public and private sector areas relating to Policing, Education, Housing, Health and Central & Local Government. This experience means I am well qualified to address the tremendous challenges facing the police resulting from the current economic downturn whilst delivering an efficient and effective strategy to reduce crime;
  • My Commitment and Determination – as a candidate, I have recently resigned after 25 years service as a senior civil servant with the Department for Education and chair of a housing company so that I can concentrate solely on this campaign.

As Police and Crime Commissioner I will ensure the necessary structures are put in place that enables all local communities to have their input into developing strategies that will create Safer Neighbourhoods, Prevent and Reduce crime. I will actively lead a regional campaign to ensure the message to our young people is “SAY NO TO DRUGS” and look at ways we can reduce anti-social behavior and strengthen neigbourhood policing.

This position is an opportunity for a New Vision with Big Ideas to deal with the Big Challenges facing us.

I hope to be able to explain in far greater detail my plans, policies and strategies in the near future.

Kind Regards

Kashaf Walayat OBE
Shortlisted Labour Candidate for Police Commissioner for South Yorkshire
Mobile: 07766221006
Email: kashaf@kashaf4police-commissioner.co.uk
web: kashaf4Police-Commissioner.co.uk
twitter: twitter.com/#!/kashaf4sypcc

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Midnight Oil?

Posted on 30/04/2012 by samchapman

Some of you have noticed the lateness of the hour when these blogs tumble out from my mind. One commenter suggested whisky was involved but, as a career designated-driver, I must disappoint on this score. It was just the end of the day. There are many reasons for this, but one, right now, is that there is important stuff to be doing in the daytime and early evening. Those involved in politics will have realised that there are elections in a few days time, and they are rather important, so leaflets need to find their way to letterboxes, and doors need to be knocked – but you can’t do much of that at midnight, so blog away.

Wannabee PCCs are similarly distracted. A few might snatch the odd 20 minutes, no doubt at midnight, to craft a candidate statement, but many of any party can’t take on any big projects right now, including their own selections, what with the need to get them or their mates actually elected to the real deal as a Councillor or Mayor, and not just as a candidate. Except… Continue reading →

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Weekend Update – Sunday 29 April 2012

Posted on 29/04/2012 by samchapman

Candidates

Mike O’Brien confirmed he was running for the Conservative PCC nomination in Kent, as Medway Councillor Craig Mackinlay was reported to be doing the same. Ex-cop and Councillor Ian Gillies declared he was seeking the Conservative nomination in North Yorkshire.

Continue reading →

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Candidate Statement of Peter Kilfoyle

Posted on 27/04/2012 by samchapman

Peter Kilfoyle is on the shortlist for the Labour nomination to be the Police and Crime Commissioner in Merseyside. If you are intending to stand to be Police and Crime Commissioner where you live, you can submit your own Candidate Statement, so get in touch at Editor@TopOfTheCops.com – Others are on the way, and we are looking for 400 words, a photo (of you!) that you have rights to, and preferably an imprint, which will be needed for the formal election period later this year.

The role of Police and Crime Commissioner is still a work in progress. Between now and November when the elections for the post are held, much of the missing detail will be slotted in by the government. Notwithstanding the apparent imprecision of the government’s take on the role, the legislation, and the Home Office guidance to date, sets out some clear guidelines for what will make a successful commissioner.

Commissioners will need the patience of a saint, if not the fatalism of a martyr, to deal with the competing interests under his or her gaze. Obviously, there is the police force itself, and, within it, the often fractious relations between senior management and rank-and-file officers. Let us remember, too, the often ignored support staff – on Merseyside, nearly 40% of the total workforce. This is before the commissioner consults with outside bodies.

That means both voluntary and statutory agencies, alongside the local authorities , who will undoubtedly seek to exercise maximum influence, given the Commissioner’s power to set the policing precept. Additionally, there will be all sorts of initiatives open to the Commissioner’s largesse with the funding at his or her disposal. Existing projects may find their funding under threat, whilst there will be new calls for resourcing as cuts dig ever deeper into existing lines of public funding.

Such a complex situation will not be comfortable for the faint-hearted. Despite the beliefs of some, the Commissioner will not be a glorified Chair of the police authority as we currently know it. He or she replaces the whole authority, representing the interests of their entire communities, and, critically, holding the police force to account on their behalf.

Thus, the successful candidate will not only need the negotiating skills which comes from experience at the highest level, he or she will require the personal courage and conviction to take on powerful vested interests in ensuring that their community gets the active policing and crime reduction which is the commissioner’s raison d’être.

I honestly believe that I have the qualities required for this exacting job. More importantly, many Labour Party colleagues feel the same way, and are giving me their support. I would be nobody’s puppet in the role: but I would be a tireless and committed advocate for all of the communities on Merseyside, ensuring that their interests are paramount when it comes to policing and crime reduction.

 

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A pretty good endorsement for Ibby Master for Lancashire Labour PCC candidate

Posted on 27/04/2012 by samchapman

 

Today someone (not Ibby) pointed me in the direction of this. I know we’ve covered the fact that Jack Straw has endorsed Ibby already for Lancashire Labour PCC candidate, but a video endorsement on YouTube is a development I hadn’t previously come across, and feels more sincere than a few warm words on a page of text.

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More on No-see TV

Posted on 26/04/2012 by samchapman

You may remember the curious decision of Preston City Council to leave its City Centre CCTV system without live monitoring twice a week in order to save £10,000. As that Council’s former lead officer for reducing crime, I was stunned by this decision, and asked those shortlisted for nominations for Police and Crime Commissioner to join me in condemning the decision. This included approaches to the 3 shortlisted candidates for Labour, who all want to reduce crime in Lancashire, but who all have a pressing need to secure Labour member’s votes, including those in Preston, which is under Labour control.

Silence ensued.

And then Ibby Master responded, for which he gets credit, and we will discuss his response below. On refreshing the memories of the other 2 Labour candidates as to my approach, Mark Atkinson responded to say he didn’t plan to comment, and Clive Grunshaw just didn’t respond. Perhaps he is waiting for his response to come back from the typing pool? (See this article and comments if you don’t get that reference)

Ibby Master’s response was straightforward enough – the cuts to CCTV monitoring were the inevitable response to Coalition cuts, so the responsibility lies with the Tory-led coalition, not with Preston Labour group whose hand was forced. There’s more, and I will put the full response in the comments to this article, to distinguish it from the main text.

Sadly, I can’t get the cross-party response to this issue that I was hoping for. To me, knowing that Preston City Council’s budget is measured in the tens of millions, it was clear that the damage caused by moving from 24-hour monitoring was disproportionate to the £10,000 saved. I’ve managed crime reduction in 3 partnerships since 1998, and for years (though not at Preston) I was the Head of Service and budget holder for CCTV. I have received letters and emails from one Divisional Police Commander after another in thanks for the work of this or that CCTV operator whose actions and skill have kept someone safe, seen an offender arrested, secured property, or done all three. These successes were only possible because the service was monitored live.

Last year I was at Preston Crown Court and listened to a prosecutor recounting the facts in open court behind this case, where an asylum seeker jumped on and attempted to rape a student in the small hours in Preston City Centre. On that occasion he got away, and was apprehended soon after, but this decision by Preston City Council only makes it more likely that this sort of crime will take place, will possibly progress beyond an attempt, and that the offender will escape without being brought to justice. To accept that impact for £10,000 off a multi-million budget is madness.

Live monitoring is expensive, and CCTV systems that are not monitored live have their place, but certain areas such as a city centre require live monitoring, and the reassurance and deterrence that CCTV provides is substantially damaged without it.

It is not good enough for Ibby Master to exonerate Preston Council and blame the coalition, or for the other candidates to stay silent, especially Clive Grunshaw. At Lancashire Police Authority, both Ibby and Clive voted to reject a government grant of £2 million this year, choosing instead to raise Council Tax by £1.7 million, and leave the Police Authority and Lancashire Police £300,000 out of pocket. With that they could have helped Preston City Council out of this difficulty 30 times over, while still having lower Council Tax bills for Preston’s residents.

Blaming ‘the cuts’ is further evidence they just don’t get it.

 

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Candidate Statement of Paul Dendle

Posted on 26/04/2012 by samchapman

Paul Dendle is seeking the Conservative nomination to be the Police and Crime Commissioner in Sussex. If you are intending to stand to be Police and Crime Commissioner where you live, you can submit your own Candidate Statement, so get in touch at Editor@TopOfTheCops.com – Others are on the way, and we are looking for 400 words, a photo (of you!) that you have rights to, and preferably an imprint, which will be needed for the formal election period later this year.

Law and Order is one of the fundamental precursors to a Civil Society, The Role of Police Commissioner is a critical Community role and any candidate will have to be of the highest Character and integrity with proven gravitas and ability.

The PCC role is a unique mix of Politician, Businessman and Manager; and you need someone who has the Political antennae and experience to deal with complex mix of diverse communities and priorities, as well as having business skills to make the force more efficient and effective.

In business I have proven skills; I have built up and sold several companies in Air Travel, Information Technology and Data provision. I was very much a team leader, communicating a vision and motivating everyone to achieve a successful outcome.

In the political world I was Elected District Councillor in 2003 for Arun DC and was made Cabinet Member in 2006 in that role I have successfully driven change and reformed the Council.


I have successfully implemented an accommodation review of reducing administrative buildings from 8 to 5 buildings and doing a complete re-design of the Councils customer reception. As part of that process, I boosted internet contact for council residents from 15% to over 60%, and I increased the number of documents that are held electronically. This has made the Council more effective and efficient.

I believe I can do the same for Sussex Police; I would introduce an Immediate root and branch review of HR policies, Force Procurement and Asset Management. Currently Sussex Police have only 15% of Police on duty at any one time; I would aim to achieve 20% by the end of my term

I believe by using lean systems thinking, I can empower officers on the beat and use their expertise to make policing more effective. This would boost Morale, efficiency and reduce Bureaucracy. I want an emphasis on Community Policing with a concentration on Anti Social Behaviour particularly linked to the Night Time economy . I would boost Special Constable recruitment and would lift restrictions enabling PCSO’s to be able to work all hours.

I do not come with baggage of being a member of the Police Authority which I see as an asset rather than a weakness. I understand IT in large organisations and how this can boost efficiency. I can campaign using Social Media as a way of delivering political messages reaching a wide and diverse electorate. I have been running a Campaign blog www.pauldendle.blogspot.com

 

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