Robin Bennett's Police Authority Blog

Live consultation webcast tonight (7pm)!

2012-01-11T18:55:00.003Z

http://www.westmercia.police.uk/news/news-articles/have-your-say-about-policing.html

Hope you can join us online to have your say about policing!

Cleobury Mortimer residents benefit from Police Authority funds

2012-01-03T13:32:00.001Z

One of the most recent awards of funds from the Shropshire Community Initiative Fund has received some publicity in the local newspapers and online: http://www.westmercia.police.uk/news/news-articles/cleobury-mortimer-benefits-from-home-security-measure.html

87 Christmas Cards signed!

2011-12-21T21:26:00.001Z

I'm proud to have introduced a tradition to the Police Authority - a Christmas Card to each Special Constable in the force signed by the local Police Commander and Chair of the Policing Board.

In Shropshire, we have 87 "Specials" - fully warranted volunteer Police Officers who give their time freely to protect the most vulnerable members of the community and keep their neighbourhoods safe. I've blogged before about the fantastic work that they do and how proud the community should be of them.

Having just signed the 87 cards I'm starting to regret having started this tradition....!!

First meeting with Shropshire's new Police Chief

2011-12-20T14:30:00.000Z

Shropshire has a new Police Superintendent - James Tozer.

Supt Tozer was previously the head of Telford's Police when I was a member of Telford Policing Board so we have a good working relationship and I'm really looking forward to seeing the impact that he will make over the next few months.

The Shropshire Policing Board wanted to meet James within the first few days of his tenure to impress on him how important it is for Shropshire's Police to be focusing on the issues that are affecting the public - in particular the recent spike in burglaries and the huge increase in metal thefts. We had a good session over a cup of coffee (and mince pie!) and I will be meeting him on a monthly basis at least.

You can read more about Supt Tozer's appointment here - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-shropshire-16130875.

Police Authority Public Meeting

2011-12-13T16:30:00.000Z

Today we held the last full Police Authority meeting of 2011 and there was plenty to discuss including metal thefts, burglaries, the alliance with Warwickshire Police, opening times in Police Stations and the transition from Police Authorities to Police & Crime Commissioners.

Disappointingly, there were no public questions this time - don't forget that you can ask almost any question relating to Policing in West Mercia (Shropshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire) either in person or sent in advance, see http://www.westmerciapoliceauthority.gov.uk/meetings/.

This was the first meeting with Simon Chesterman officially in his new role as Deputy Chief Constable. We are all very fortunate to have such a talented, dedicated and experienced officer in our Chief Officer team.

More local projects supported by Shropshire Police Authority funds

2011-12-13T09:58:00.002Z

I'm really pleased that we've been able to support so many local projects this year during my time as Shropshire Policing Board Chair, and this month we have been able to support a few more worthy causes, all aiming to reduce crime & anti-social behaviour in Shropshire:

- house timer switches in Cleobury Mortimer helping to reduce burglaries
- part-funding an independent chair for the Children's trust - safeguarding children in Shropshire
- a radio replacement for Shrewsbury CCTV staff helping the police and volunteers to arrest town centre troublemakers (see http://www.westmercia.police.uk/news/news-articles/police-authority-helps-fund-shrewsbury-s-cctv-radio-system.html for more info)
- youth activities in Bridgnorth to divert children away from anti-social behaviour
- a child safety project held at RAF Shawbury helping to educate kids to keep themselves safe
- a youth engagement project in Shrewsbury, again to divert kids away from harm
- CCTV at LLanymynech Village Hall reducing the risk of crime.

LLanymynech Village Hall

Specials' Attestation Ceremony - Telford

2011-12-07T21:00:00.000Z

Another group of new Special Constables received their warrant cards tonight. The presentations were made by the Telford magistrates, Assistant Chief Constable Simon Edens and Chief Special Officer Guy Fewtrell.

I also gave a short speech to the family and friends of the proud officers being attested but was slightly less well-prepared than usual having driven to the wrong police station to attend the ceremony! Fortunately I arrived with a minute or two to spare but a 15-minute dash across Telford is certainly not the best preparation for delivering a speech...

These ceremonies are always family occasions and this particular one was extra special - my youngest daughter's Godmother was in the audience (supporting her son who is a new Special Constable, see photo below) and another new Special's father was also in attendance - as a Special Inspector!

Meeting to discuss front counter opening times

2011-12-06T21:22:00.000Z

The Police Service in West Mercia is facing 20% cuts in the budget and so we are having to look at all aspects of the service we deliver to make sure that we are getting the most value for every £ that is spent.

With the public increasingly contacting the police by telephone (101 for non-emergency, and 999 for emergency) in preference to visiting stations, and the increase in the use of email, Facebook and Twitter, we felt it was time to look at opening hours of staffed front counters across the whole force area.

Today's meeting was set up to discuss options and to set parameters for the decisions to be made and it was very worthwhile. Each Policing Board was represented and was able to bring local knowledge to the discussion.

The broad principles agreed today will save money but - more importantly - preserve staffed front counters (otherwise known as "public service offices") across West Mercia ensuring that all members of the public have ready and easy access to face-to-face contact with their local officers and police staff.

Shropshire says farewell to Police Commander

2011-12-06T11:29:00.001Z

Regular readers of the blog will know that I meet Supt Pete Lightwood monthly (at least) to discuss topical issues in Shropshire policing.

Supt Lightwood is moving on (and upwards) to a more senior position and this is very well deserved. He has been a pleasure to work with and has worked diligently to improve policing in Shropshire during his time in charge.

http://www.westmercia.police.uk/news/news-articles/shropshire-police-chief-moves-on-to-new-role.html

Shropshire's new Commander, Supt Tozer

Pete's replacement is Supt James Tozer and I'm looking forward to our first meeting. Supt Tozer impressed me at Telford Division when we worked together then (see http://www.shropshirestar.com/latest/2010/01/28/police-chief-sets-out-his-vision-for-town/) - I'm expecting him to deliver the same energy here in Shropshire.

Press release: Impressive work being done to catch Shropshire burglars

2011-12-06T11:19:00.001Z

The burglary situation in Shropshire has been worrying. Shropshire normally has such a low number of burglaries that even a small increase can cause a "spike" in numbers.

From emails that I have received from worried residents, this is an issue that concerns people greatly and I have been able to reassure them that everything is being done to bring the problem under control:

http://www.westmerciapoliceauthority.gov.uk/news_shropshireburglaryoperation/

Much Wenlock Town Plan Launch

2011-11-26T11:00:00.000Z

Much Wenlock (which happens to be the beautiful Shropshire town where I live) has been chosen to be one of 17 areas of the UK piloting new local planning powers.

It is launching a new town planning process (see http://www.shropshirestar.com/news/2011/04/02/much-wenlock-to-help-pilot-new-planning-powers/ and http://www.wenlockplan.org/) and West Mercia Police Authority have been asked if they would like to be engaged with the programme.

I was happy to drop in to the launch event with my family to meet the local councillors and agencies involved in the process. We even made a few family suggestions of our own!

Regular meeting with Shropshire Commander

2011-11-25T11:00:00.000Z

In my role as Chair of Shropshire Policing Board, I meeting monthly with Superintendent Pete Lightwood, Shropshire's Police Commander, to discuss topical issues.

Shrewsbury Police Station, Shropshire's Police HQ

This month we discussed community resolution, burglaries, and late night alcohol licences.

Community Resolution (sometimes known as restorative justice) is a new method of resolving crimes where the victim has the leading role in what should happen to the criminal. It is important to say that the system is completely victim-led; if the victim does not want to use community resolution and would prefer the traditional "court" route, that is what will happen. However, if the victim would prefer to receive an apology from the perpetrator and/or would want the person responsible to make amends in a direct way, this can be pursued There is good evidence that crimes "resolved" in this way lead to a better outcome for the victim and the criminal and so it would seem to be a good news story.

To explain better, here is an example: a young person is seen to damage a homeowner's fence. They are caught and the police officer asks the victim what they would like to happen. The result is that the perpetrator meets the victim, apologises in person, and repairs the fence - the result being that the case is kept away from the courts, the fence is repaired, and the victim has a chance to say what they feel. You can read more examples here.

In Shropshire, roughly 7% of incidents are dealt with this way. Each case is properly logged and an appropriately senior officer makes the decision as to whether a community resolution is an appropriate method in each case. Repeat offenders are not eligible for community resolutions and so persistent offenders cannot escape the criminal justice system. In recent national press articles, community resolution has been portrayed as being a "soft option" and a means of the police cooking the books - but surely it is a good thing when done properly as it is in Shropshire?

There has been great concern in Shropshire lately over the increase in burglaries being reported. You can read some of this concern here http://www.shropshirestar.com/news/2011/11/15/shropshire-hit-by-massive-crimewave/. I took this opportunity to grill Supt Lightwood to reassure myself that everything that be done to target this criminals is being done - and it is.

Detective Chief Inspector Alan Edwards is leading the operation to catch the offenders and he and his team are making good progress. There is such a low volume of burglaries across Shropshire (typically fewer than one per day) that any increase tends to make a noticeable impact on the statistics. Equally, just one or two repeat offenders coming out of prison can increase numbers significantly.

I asked some difficult questions of CI Edwards and his team and I was very satisfied with their response and the amount of hard work and intelligence-led policing that is happening. I have every confidence that burglary numbers will soon be back to the very low levels we have grown to expect in Shropshire.

Finally, we discussed the late night licencing issues which continue to face Bridgnorth and Oswestry in particular. Supt Lightwood was able to tell me that some additional funding has been made available which may be of use in policing this particular issue. We'll see what difference it makes.

Seminar on Social Media

2011-11-15T15:32:00.001Z

I thought I knew quite a lot about Social Media (Twitter, Facebook etc) but there is always something to learn and today's Police Authority seminar taught me a lot!

Use of Social Media by the police is becoming really important. A good example was the recent bout of disorder which swept the UK. West Mercia Police's Twitter account (@wmerciapolice) was used to really good effect to quell rumours about disorder right across West Mercia as worried residents posted their concerned Tweets.

My own humble blog has now been read 14,000 times and this shows how many people are searching the Internet for police-related material.

Today's seminar was a high-level briefing by an expert from the NPIA and our own local Web Manager Neil Tipton about the effort that West Mercia Police is expending to ensure that we are making the best use possible of social media. Members will certainly be better placed now to challenge and scrutinise the force in this fast-moving area.

Citizen Focus Panel

2011-11-09T16:47:00.000Z

As usual, lots for us to discuss on the panel which aims to ensure that West Mercia Police is focusing properly on the issues which matter most to the public of Shropshire, Herefordshire & Worcestershire.

The most significant issue discussed was the new telephone number for non-emergency calls to the police - 101. Read more about 101 here - http://www.westmercia.police.uk/news/news-articles/new-non-emergency-telephone-number-launches-101.html.

Remember that 101 is the number to call if it isn't an emergency.
In an emergency, always call 999.

We also had a good look at some of the other leaflet campaigns currently ongoing across the force area, and here are a few that caught my eye and generated lots of discussion:

Shropshire Leaders' Board meeting in Harlescott, Shrewsbury

2011-11-08T21:39:00.000Z

This was my first time at the somewhat grandly-named "Shropshire Leaders' Board" - a collection of the key decision makers from across Shropshire.

At today's meeting was the Chief Exec and Leader of Shropshire Council, the Fire Chief, the Chair of Shropshire PCT, Severnside Housing and other people far more important than me and Chief Inspector Martin Whitelegg (no offence meant, Martin!) representing West Mercia Police.

As we were holding the meeting at a primary school in Harlescott - specially to discuss some of the issues facing this area of Shrewsbury - probably the most important people at the meeting were the school's inspirational headmaster and the local councillors.

Harlescott in Shrewsbury has a long-held reputation for having problems related to poverty and unemployment. The councillors were keen to stress that there is a really strong community in Harlescott, and the area really pulls together to support residents in need, but with such high unemployment it is a real challenge to get local people to engage with the public services to address some of the more basic problems the area faces.

The lion's share of the session was a walkabout to see the area for ourselves:

leading to a meeting with Rev Phil Briggs at Riversway Elm Church, right on the edge of the housing estate:

Phil was incredibly committed to supporting and developing the area and has turned the church building into a real focus for the community. We saw and heard about meetings going on at the church which are all about supporting and helping local families.

The purpose of all of this focus from the Shropshire agencies is to find new ways of working together ("better, cheaper, faster") and ways of securing grants which will make a real difference to the lives of the people living in and around Harlescott - watch this space!

More community projects funded

2011-11-01T17:52:00.003Z

I hold a small pot of funding jointly with Shropshire's chief policeman Supt Pete Lightwood which we use to help local projects aimed at improving community safety and security. Often they are "diversionary" projects, helping to keep kids busy and away from getting into trouble. Other projects are more long-lasting and help volunteers to make an impact in their local area.

Some of the projects we've just supported are:

- the purchase of purse bells to help elderly Christmas shoppers to keep safe
- the new Shrewsbury Street Pastors (providing radios and mobile phones so they can keep in contact with each other and the police)
- Crime Stoppers - and in particular a project to reduce domestic burglaries.

Priority Setting Day

2011-11-01T17:43:00.000Z

November is the time of year when the Police Authority look ahead and set the priorities for West Mercia Police based on what the public have told us and our research and surveys over the year. Our aim as Police Authority members is to learn what causes most impact and harm to our communities and to ensure that the Chief Constable is clear about his priorities and what we expect him and his 4000 staff to deliver.

We also look back on the year and assess the performance against plan for the current year. I'm very pleased to say that this year follows the trend of recent performance and it almost all good news - crime is down across the board and detection rates are holding firm.

The day is a mixture of presentations from the Chief Constable and his Deputy, together with financial briefings from the Police Authority Treasurer, followed by in-depth discussion and questioning from the Police Authority members themselves.

Chief Constable David Shaw

Deputy Chief Constable Simon Chesterman

I'm really pleased that alcohol related disorder will be a priority this year and we can expect a much more focussed effort against the tiny minority of individuals and premises causing tremendous damage to some of our communities.

Review of Shropshire policing with Supt Pete Lightwood

2011-10-28T11:00:00.000+01:00

I meet Shropshire's police chief -Supt Pete Lightwood - every month for a review of current policing issues affecting Shropshire residents.

This month we discussed the ongoing late-night disorder in Bridgnorth (Shropshire Council are now forming a "task group" to work on the issue so progress is being made); we discussed several issues raised by residents from Oswestry; and we also talked about policing in Ludlow following my meeting with the new Inspector, Rob Thomas.

I also had to raise the topic of how complaints are being handled within Shropshire to ensure that they are professionally and sensitively followed up.

Strategic Policing Panel

2011-10-12T08:57:00.003+01:00

This year is the first time I've been a member of this panel which looks at some of the most serious and organised aspects of criminality. It also looks at some of the other key topical issues facing the police including the Olympics and the recent public disorder.

It was also my first opportunity to meet Assistant Chief Constable Neil Brunton from Warwickshire Police. In our new "strategic alliance" with Warwickshire, ACC Brunton will be West Mercia's ACC in charge of protecting the public from harm as well as Warwickshire's. No-one underestimates the challenge that the two ACCs will face (our ACC Simon Edens has the same shared role for of local policing) and yesterday's meeting threw up a number of conundrums which Neil will need to address.

Young Good Citizen Awards 2011

2011-10-06T08:26:00.001+01:00

Yesterday was a long day. I was up at 5am to get a head start on a work day that promised to be challenging and which did not disappoint! As the afternoon drew to a close, the prospect of driving 50 miles down to an event at Police HQ which I knew little about started to feel like a chore... but how wrong I was. The 2011 Young Good Citizen Awards ceremony was wonderful, uplifting and a real tonic at the end of a long and tiring day.

West Mercia Police have organised this award for a few years now and was the brainchild of our former Chief Constable, Paul West. This year saw nearly 200 young people nominated by local police teams, teachers and parents for exceptional contributions to society and last night's ceremony was a fitting celebration of all that they have achieved in their lives so far.

Introduced by our new Chief Constable David Shaw and hosted by Chief Inspector Jim Baker, the awards were presented by the High Sheriffs of Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Shropshire, and every effort had been made to make the young people feel very special indeed with their friends and families there to support them.

Well done all concerned and a special congratulations to the award winners themselves.

More community projects funded in Shrewsbury

2011-10-05T08:35:00.003+01:00

Read about the excellent work that Sgt Greenaway is doing in Shrewsbury, part-funded by our Police Authority Community Safety Initiative Fund:

http://www.westmercia.police.uk/news/news-articles/police-authority-funding-for-shrewsbury-community-project.html

Shropshire's Community Safety Fund helps the Oswestry Youth Cafe

2011-09-28T13:58:00.001+01:00

We recently had a request for funds to assist the Oswestry Youth Cafe.

You can read about the project and the funding difficulty it faced here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-shropshire-15088167

I was glad to be able help as I know the excellent work the cafe does and Inspector Jim Stafford had specifically mentioned the project during my recent visit.

Visit to Ludlow Police Station

2011-09-27T18:53:00.001+01:00

In my role as Chair of the Shropshire Policing Board, I have arranged to visit each of the main Shropshire Police Stations to meet the local inspector and their team.

It was my pleasure to visit Ludlow this morning to meet Inspector Rob Thomas who himself is only a few days into his new job running Ludlow's Police. In fact, Rob is so new that his West Mercia web page doesn't yet have his photo on it!

The purpose of the meeting was to learn about the issues currently affecting local residents, especially where those issues are common throughout Shropshire. For example, anti-social behaviour relating to late-night licences is a problem elsewhere and I wanted to understand the situation in Ludlow town centre.

Rob has come from a "response policing" background in Telford and so Ludlow's more rural policing needs will be a challenge to him, not least because the area his officers cover is huge.

On previous visits to meet Ludlow officers I have always been impressed with their "can do" approach and their commitment to the role. Some of Ludlow's Special Constables (volunteer police officers) are also some of the longest serving in the West Mercia area, and Inspector Thomas will be making time to meet all of his Specials over the next few weeks.

After an hour's discussion with Rob about his approach to his new job and some of the challenges that he and his staff need to meet, I left him to plan the rest of his day and to look forward to the the local newspaper interviews he had arranged so that he can introduce himself to the residents of Ludlow!

Are you a Ludlow resident with concerns about policing? Do you have suggestions to improve policing in your area? Please do get in touch - the Police Authority is your voice in policing and we want to hear from you. My contact details can be found on the West Mercia Police Authority website here.

(you can read the Shropshire Star article here: http://www.shropshirestar.com/news/2011/09/28/ludlows-new-police-inspector-sets-out-his-plans/)

Former Chief Constable Paul West's Guardian Article

2011-09-27T18:18:00.000+01:00

Our former Chief Paul West has written an excellent article for The Guardian newspaper and it is well worth a read:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/sep/15/police-government-theresa-may-soundbite

The Policing Minister Nick Herbert's response was far less impressive in my opinion...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/sep/20/clear-policy-on-police-accountability

In no other part of British Society does one person hold so much power. Worse still, as my wife put it, it will turn the job of Chief Constable into one of a football manager - each change of PCC will mean a change of Chief and the stability which has been such a strength of the British Police "system" will surely disappear.

Shropshire Policing Board - Press Release

2011-09-27T18:10:00.002+01:00

Second Bridgnorth public meeting announced for 29 September

2011-09-21T19:45:00.001+01:00

The second public meeting for Bridgnorth residents to discuss late-night nuisance and anti-social behaviour has been arranged.

It will be held at 7pm on Thursday 29 September at the Town Hall in Bridgnorth. Rosanna Taylor-Smith, the lead for Shropshire Council on Licensing will be there, as will Philip Dunne MP who will be able to update the meeting with respect to the national picture.

Unfortunately, I'm working away from home next week and so won't be able to attend - but hopefully some of my Police Authority colleagues will be in attendance to see what the local policing team for Bridgnorth and the councillors in attendance have to say.

I know I'm not photogenic but...

2011-09-21T08:51:00.002+01:00

This is the photo that the Oswestry Advertizer chose to illustrate my recent meeting with Inspector Jim Stafford at Oswestry Police Station:

Jim and I aren't at all offended that the photo taken of us has been replaced with a picture of a tree!! Mind you, Jim & I aren't exactly photogenic...

Shropshire Policing Board

2011-09-19T17:50:00.003+01:00

The Shropshire Policing Board is the group of 5 members local to Shropshire who meet the Superintendent, Pete Lightwood, to oversee policing in Shropshire on behalf of the public.

I'm chair of the Board this year and this was my first meeting in this role. It was also the first meeting for our newest member, Councillor Malcolm Pate (see here for Malcolm's Police Authority profile and here for his Shropshire Council details).

In today's meeting, we covered a number of topical issues including:

- policing in and around Oswestry
- late drinking licences and the issues these cause the police and public
- issues of anti-social behaviour surrounding small care homes which are situated throughout Shropshire
- local police performance in key areas and how we compare in Shropshire against the 14 other most-similar areas nationally
- the results of satisfaction surveys from users of police services
- ongoing major operations and any community impacts
- "partnership working" (which means activities we undertake with other agencies such as Shropshire Council and local health providers)
- funding for local projects targeting crime, disorder, safety and anti-social behaviour (look here for some examples).

Some of the performance statistics troubled us and we challenged Supt Lightwood to explain his plans in a number of areas, in particular with a recent downturn in success tackling domestic burglary. This is an area where Shropshire police are victims of their own success in many ways as numbers have fallen over the years and so very small changes in the figures can have large impacts on the % statistics reported. We were satisfied with the response from Supt Lightwood and, in fact, in a number of crime areas (for example, for crimes of a sexual nature) we in Shropshire are actually number 1 (ie the best performing) county within our family of most-similar areas nationally.

The next meeting isn't until May but any ongoing matters will be picked up each month when I see Supt Lightwood for our regular discussion.

Specials' Conference 2011

2011-09-18T21:47:00.000+01:00

The last Specials' Conference I attended on behalf of the Police Authority was back in December 2010.

At last year's conference, 80 or so officers attended which was a very impressive turn-out. This year, the figure was roughly 50% higher - amazing - and a real reflection of the commitment of officers and the energy that the new Chief Officer team has put into West Mercia's Special Constabulary ("SC").

The 120 attendees at the 2011 West Mercia Special Constabulary Conference

Given the news about the Police Reform & Social Responsibility Bill, this is likely to be my last conference. In my speech, I gave my normal explanation of work of the Police Authority for the benefit, then summed up some of the SC activities I have been involved with this year.

I then reflected on some of the most significant challenges which face the SC this coming year, including the Olympics and the introduction of Police & Crime Commissioners (PCC). As the PCC may not have any prior police experience, it will be vital to the Specials that they engage with the candidates as soon as they announce their willingness to stand so that they can be sure of continued engagement and support from West Mercia's Police "governor".

I have thoroughly enjoyed my contacts with West Mercia's Special Constabulary and wish them all the best. They are an excellent force for good and some of the finest volunteers I have had the privilege to meet.

Chief Officer Guy Fewtrell in full flow

BBC Radio Shropshire feature

2011-09-18T21:26:00.001+01:00

Following on from the time that BBC Radio Shropshire reporter Richard Tisdale spent with me and the officers from Bridgnorth and Much Wenlock back in July, all last week the material gathered was replayed each day as part of their "Late Night Shropshire" feature.

There was some good material recorded over the course of the night and it gave a true flavour of the realities of policing Shropshire towns late at night.

On Saturday morning, a couple of pieces that I had recorded with Richard were used on the main news bulletins together with a longer pieces during Eric Smith's breakfast show. One of the longer items is on the BBC iPlayer (listen here) at 1hr 6m into the show. To put it into context, that night I was accompanying Special Constables and so my references to concerns about Police & Crime Commissioners were specifically relating to Specials and the Police Authority's involvement with local issues.

Also on Saturday was a piece recorded by Special Sergeant Charlie Pearson about his 38 years as a Special - excellent stuff.

End of the road for Police Authorities: 15.11.2012

2011-09-16T11:47:00.003+01:00

I think this is a very sad day for policing - yesterday Parliament enacted the bill which will see the end of the road for Police Authorities and the system of police governance which has served the country so well and for so little cost.

Here is the press release I have just received, in full:

‘Alegacy of which we can all be proud’ –
APAcommits to ensuring an effective transition to elected Police Commissioners inNovember 2012

Following Parliament’sapproval of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill last night(14.09.11), and confirmation that Police Authorities will be replaced bydirectly elected Police and Crime Commissioners on 15.11.12, APA Chairman RobGarnham today said:

“Our concerns about the newmodel for police accountability persist, but following the votes in Parliamentlast night, police authorities will work tirelessly to ensure that thetransition to Police Commissioners is as smooth and as successful as possible.

Hard-won concessions meanthat the final bill provides a slightly better balance between the respectivepowers of the Chief Constable, Police Commissioner and Panel than wasoriginally proposed by the Government. For these and other changes, the publicowe a debt of thanks to Parliamentarians from all sides who have worked hard tominimize the potential risks of the new regime.

We share the absolutecommitment of the police and the government to continuing improvement inpolicing and the furthering of rising public confidence in the service. Theseare the prizes for which we shall strive together over the coming 14 months.

Policing currently faces manychallenges, not least finances, a new national landscape and a thorough reviewof pay and conditions for police officers and staff. The APA willcontinue to play a full and constructive role in all of these discussions;advising, challenging and ensuring that the voices of local communities areheard at the ‘top tables’ which set policing policy. The APA will also redoubleits local work; providing practical support through transition to every PoliceAuthority.

We are determined to build onour successful record of a more efficient, more effective and more trustedpolice service to leave a legacy of which we can all continue to be proud.”

ENDS.

The Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill abolishes the current system of police accountability in favour of one directly elected Police and Crime Commissioner in each of 41 police force areas. It completed its passage through Parliament last night and received Royal Assent (today, 15.09.11): http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2010-11/policereformandsocialresponsibility.html

In their current format Police Authorities (1996-2012), comprising both elected local councillors and selected skilled ‘Independent’ members, have worked to a high standard and helped deliver lower crime and higher public confidence in policing (now over 60%). Authorities have also met every government efficiency target to date. Following recent inspections of 22 of the 43 police authorities by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, HMIC declared that over 97% of its 110 assessments were scored ‘Excellent, Good or adequate’. No authority failed an inspection. The Audit Commission’s assessments of police authorities also yielded consistently positive findings and HMIC reported that between 2004 and 2008, police authorities delivered £1.5bn in efficiencies, far exceeding a government target of £1bn.

For enquiries and interview requests please contact the APA Head of Press and Public Affairs, Nathan Oley (07714 399 760 / Nathan.oley@apa.police.uk ).

The Association of Police Authorities (APA) represents all local police authorities in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, as well as the British Transport Police Authority, the Civil Nuclear Police Authority, and the Ministry of Defence Police Committee.

Local police authorities (through the APA), along with the Home Secretary (the Home Office) and chief officers of police (ACPO), make up the tripartite relationship which is responsible for the governance of policing in England and Wales.

Police authorities are currently made up of local people: a mix of local councillors and skilled independent members (selected from the community) of which one must be a magistrate.

The job of police authorities is to:

Ø ensurethat the public are served by an efficient and effective local police service

Ø consultwith local communities to find out what they want the local police to do

Ø setthe budget for their police force, and decide how much local people should payfor policing through the ‘policing precept’ part of council tax

Ø setthe strategic direction for local policing and decide what police should focusattention on based on consultations with local communities

Ø appoint(and, if necessary, dismiss) chief constables and senior police officers

Ø makesure the police force is continuing to do a better job

Shropshire Safer Stronger Communities Board

2011-09-15T15:02:00.001+01:00

This was the first time that I have attended a meeting of this group. SSSCB oversees and directs work across all agencies involved with making Shropshire a stronger, safer and better place to live.

There is a big focus on health at the group as well as policing, and I learned a great deal about the work that goes on to combat drug misuse and to help individuals affected. Most of my involvement so far in this area has been in the enforcement of anti-drug law and it was good to see the efforts that health professionals make to help people (rather than just arrest people!) involved with drugs in the county.

An interesting statistic is that work recently undertaken suggests that every £1 spent on reducing illegal drug use saves Shropshire £4 - in times of shrinking budgets in policing and the NHS this is surely money well spent.

£300 donation to the "Specials' Recognition Stone"

2011-09-14T16:20:00.001+01:00

The four Special Constabularies in our region (West Midlands, Staffordshire, Warwickshire and West Mercia) are creating a small tribute to the work that the "Specials" - the volunteer police officers - have done and continue to do for the public in our area.

The tribute will take the form of a "Recognition Stone" which will be sited at the National Arboretum in Staffordshire.

The total cost of the project is £6,000 and roughly half of the money has been raised so far through donations by individual Special Constables, sponsor companies, and police forces. This week I've agreed, via the Police Authority, to make a donation of £300 towards this worthwhile cause on behalf of West Mercia.

Once the stone is in place, I'm hoping to visit the Recognition Stone and will photograph it for the blog.

You can find out more about the stone here: http://specialsstone.co.uk/

Visit to Oswestry Police Station

2011-09-13T18:27:00.000+01:00

In my role as Chair of the Shropshire Policing Board, I have arranged to visit each of the main Shropshire Police Stations to meet the local inspector and their team.

It was my pleasure to visit Oswestry this morning to meet Inspector Jim Stafford and the Sergeant responsible for local policing, Andy Pugh.

I was last in Oswestry back in February when the drug GHB was causing such an issue. Jim and his team have really made huge strides tackling GHB with lots of targeted activity working to stop the production and supply of the drug. This work culminated in a high profile raid which has made a real impact on the problem in the town.

Andy explained that late-night disorder is still an issue within Oswestry with venues open until 4am+, but that the development of nearby Wrexham as a centre for the night-time economy has meant that the problems are somewhat reduced compared to years gone by.

Oswestry is a long way from Police HQ near Worcester and we discussed the potential problems facing the incoming Police & Crime Commissioner when they are elected in November 2012 and have to cover such a huge geographic area. I do hope that the officers and public in the locations away from the centre don't suffer simply because of where they happen to be.

Andy then gave me a tour of Oswestry to discuss the hotspots and areas where there are ongoing issues and I was very grateful for the time that the two officers were able to give me.

Are you an Oswestry resident with concerns about policing? Do you have suggestions to improve policing in your area? Please do get in touch - the Police Authority is your voice in policing and we want to hear from you. My contact details can be found on the West Mercia Police Authority website here.

Meeting new Specials

2011-09-08T10:33:00.000+01:00

15 new Specials started their 14 week training course yesterday, hoping to complete it successfully and become volunteer police officers working across Shropshire.
I went to meet them at Wellington Police Station, to welcome them and to explain what the Police Authority does and how police governance works in England & Wales. I was also able to explain the changes to police governance which are going through parliament now.
If all goes well, I'll meet them all next at their attestation in December. Good luck to them all.

Introduction of Police & Crime Commissioners - delay?

2011-09-07T16:52:00.000+01:00

It seems from information in the press today that the first elections for PCCs are going to be delayed from May 2012 to November 2012 in order for a better transition from the existing system of police governance to the new system to be planned and implemented.

Latest community safety funding bids approved

2011-09-06T07:38:00.000+01:00

One of my roles as Chair of Shropshire Policing Board is to jointly agree and allocate funds from the Community Safety Initiative Fund with the Shropshire policing chief, Supt Pete Lightwood.

We receive requests from police officers, Community Support Officers and others for relatively small amounts of money for projects which contribute directly to the safety of local communities. Often these projects are designed to keep children and young people out of trouble or to divert their attention away from harmful activities towards something more community-focused. Many of the projects have been running for years and have proved themselves time and time again.

Recently approved grants include:

- equipment and transport for "Get Hooked on Fishing", a diversionary scheme for older children and young adults
- an activity weekend for children in the north of the county who have stayed on the "straight and narrow" after having considerable contact with the police previously
- an indoor cricket-based scheme to help enable the police to work with able-bodied and disabled children in a area of Shrewsbury with on-going anti-social behaviour issues.

Regional Special Chief Officers' meeting

2011-09-06T07:21:00.000+01:00

Friday's Regional Special Chief Officers' meeting was held at Lloyd House, West Midlands Police's HQ in the centre of Birmingham.

This a meeting of the Chief Officers of the Special Constabulary from the 4 forces in our region - West Midlands, Staffordshire, Warwickshire and our own force, West Mercia. I attend in my role as lead member for the Special Constabulary for West Mercia and also because the current chair of the group is Simon Edens, the Assistant Chief Constable of West Mercia.

Much of the discussion at this meeting centred around the Specials' response to the recent looting across the West Midlands, the role that officers played and what lesson could be learned if - heaven forbid - a similar situation happens again.

One piece of good news is that all of our forces have grown in strength considerably and continue to grow - something we have planned to achieve in time to support the policing required for the Olympics.

With less than a year left before the introduction of directly elected Police & Crime Commissioners (and the scrapping of Police Authorities), we also discussed PCCs and how the Special Chief Officers would need to be sure that they understand the importance of the duties that these 1000s of volunteer police officers provide.

BBC Radio Shropshire to feature late-night Bridgnorth

2011-08-31T17:39:00.001+01:00

I've had notification today that the material collected by BBC Radio Shropshire's Richard Tisdale when he joined Bridgnorth and Much Wenlock officers on patrol a few weeks ago will be broadcast sometime during the week of 12 September. It was very late at night... I hope I made some sense when he interviewed me!

Review with Supt Pete Lightwood

2011-08-11T13:09:00.000+01:00

Yesterday I had my regular meeting with Supt Pete Lightwood, the chief police officer for Shropshire.

The first - and arguably most important - item on the agenda was to discuss Shropshire's readiness and preparation for any civil disorder as seen elsewhere in the country. I was reassured with his preparation and urged him to use robust tactics in the event of any copycat looting in our towns. The whole Police Authority has supported the Chief Constable's assurance that any attempt to bring disorder to our towns will be dealt with quickly and decisively.

We then covered a whole range of live topics including the late-night licences in our market towns, our Community Safety Initiative Fund, some issues of anti-social behaviour in Shrewsbury and our joint plans for the next few weeks.

More new Shropshire/Telford Specials

2011-08-09T22:35:00.001+01:00

17 new Special Constables were sworn in tonight at Telford Police Station in front of a bench of magistrates, Chief Constable David Shaw, Chief Special Officer Guy Fewtrell and me.

I really enjoy these ceremonies. To see the proud faces of the family and friends is wonderful and the new Specials did themselves proud.

Families, friends and the new Specials after the ceremony

Tonight was poignant for many reasons, not least because of the events unfolding around the UK tonight. In the canteen next to the room where we held the attestation, officers were being briefed, preparing to travel across to the West Midlands to support their colleagues trying to keep order in Birmingham, Wolverhampton and West Bromwich. This underlined to all in attendance what being a police officer means and emphasises what these special individuals have volunteered for. We wish all police officers success in their endeavours tonight, holding the thin blue line on behalf of the public they serve.

Response from Policing Minister re Police & Crime Commissioners

2011-08-04T10:59:00.001+01:00

I've just received a letter from Nick Herbert, Minister of State for Policing and Criminal Justice, in response to one I wrote to him 6 months ago regarding my concerns about the introduction of directly-elected Police & Crime Commissioners and how they might allow corruption to creep into the highest levels of policing in this country.

In a nutshell, my argument runs like this - the current situation has a Chief Constable appointed by a Police Authority of 17 members (in practice, a sub-committee of 3+); there is Police Authority involvement in the appointment of the Chief's top team; and the relationships between Police Authority Chairs and Chief Constables is "tempered" by the nature of the system whereby there are many members involved in decisions, party politics has virtually no part or influence in the system, and decisions are made and debated in public.

In the proposed system of Police & Crime Commissioners ("PCC"s), there will be one PCC - most likely a party politician - and one Chief. The Chief will appoint their top team. The discussions between the PCC and Chief will probably be held largely in private. The Chief's job is at risk if they upset the PCC. There will be huge pressures on the Chief to appease the PCC and there may be temptation to bend rules or do something "expedient" and not necessary the right thing. Hence the new system introduces strains and risks into a system largely without them currently.

This is all very topical, not only because of the phone hacking issue which has caused such impact to the Met Police, but also the news yesterday that Cleveland Police's Chief and Deputy have both been suspended (and arrested) on suspicion of corruption. This follows the resignation of the Cleveland Police Authority Chair in May after he was subject to a investigation himself.

Nick Herbert's response to my concerns is along the lines of "as the PCC will be accountable directly to the electorate, this will ensure that it will be in their best interests to make sure that no incidents of corruption occur". Similarly he argues that Chief Constables will be unlikely to pursue corrupt activities as they will be directly accountable to the PCC. Unfortunately, I think this misses the point that the 1-1 largely private relationship is precisely what introduces the risk of corruption.

The issues within the Met and Cleveland are newsworthy precisely because they are so rare in British policing. If and when PCCs become part of the policing and political landscape, I sincerely hope that other stories of alleged inappropriate relationships and corruption do not become commonplace. I genuinely fear that they will.

New Chief Constable's First Day

2011-08-01T11:03:00.000+01:00

David Shaw starts his new job today, as Chief Constable of West Mercia Police.

We wish David all the best in his new role.

Meeting with Stewart Bellerby, Manager at The Crown, Bridgnorth

2011-08-01T10:58:00.000+01:00

The Crown in Bridgnorth is one of the pubs with a late (3am) licence and has been subject to some criticism lately in the local press related to the late-night noise and disorder.

Stewart Bellerby, the Manager at The Crown, invited me to spend Saturday evening with him and the door staff to see how he manages the pub.

A family commitment meant that I couldn't take Stewart up on his offer, but I did have chance to call in early evening to meet Stewart and to discuss the situation.

Stewart came over as being very professional indeed as he explained the lengths that he goes to in order to prevent problems both inside and outside the pub. He also repeated his offer to close earlier (say, 2am) if it would help the situation, if the other town centre venue(s) with similar licences do the same.

I'm meeting the Police Licensing Officer Tony Mantle later to discuss the situation further.

Radio Shropshire visit Bridgnorth Police

2011-07-25T09:06:00.001+01:00

Reporter Richard Tisdale from Radio Shropshire came out on patrol with Bridgnorth officers on Saturday night to speak to regular and volunteer (Special) officers and to gather material for a forthcoming series call "Late Night Shropshire".

Richard has already spent time with the ambulance service and has plans to visit and record material from other late-night venues and operations.

(pictured is Richard Tisdale interviewing Special Sergeant Charlie Pearson from Much Wenlock Station)

Busy night with Much Wenlock & Bridgnorth Patrols

2011-07-25T09:00:00.001+01:00

As the lead member of the police authority for Volunteers and the Special Constabulary, I try to accompany Specials on patrol whenever I can to see for myself the work that they do, to encourage and support them in their vital role within the West Mercia police family, and to listen to any ideas or concerns they have about the work that they do.

On Saturday night I had the pleasure of joining Special Sgt Charlie Pearson from Much Wenlock and Special Constable Sam Lucas from Bridgnorth on a very busy night for them and their colleagues from the Bridgnorth area.

The patrol started at 7pm in Much Wenlock and over the course of the evening the officers' patrol involved:

- advising cyclists in Bridgnorth of the merit of obeying one-way street signage(!)
- speed enforcement in Broseley
- visiting the Kidderminster road in Bridgnorth to look at a problem area for speeding cars
- meeting Richard Tisdale from Radio Shropshire (see next Blog) to give him an interview and discuss the plans for their "late night Shropshire" programme
- visiting Bridgnorth's impressive CCTV facility to meet the staff and volunteers operating and monitoring the cameras
- checking a business park outside Bridgnorth and helping a business owner with an alarm problem
- attending a nasty assault in Broseley and then locating and arresting the alleged offender
- returning to Bridgnorth High Street to deal with the issues (noise, scuffles and assaults) resulting from the 100s of revellers leaving The Crown at approx 3am.

My evening finished at 04:15 but the officers on duty (including the Specials) were still processing paperwork and computer systems to wrap up the night's work when I finally got to bed.

I won't repeat myself here to say again that a 3am licence in Bridgnorth surely isn't appropriate or necessary and that it hasn't just moved the nuisance back an hour but it has actually changed the nature of the trouble itself... instead I'll put on record my admiration and thanks to all of the officers and CCTV operators I met for their hard work, dedication and determination to make the Bridgnorth area a safer place.

Bridgnorth anti-social behaviour featured again in Bridgnorth Journal

2011-07-25T08:17:00.000+01:00

Bridgnorth late-night nuisance featured on Radio Shropshire

2011-07-21T11:53:00.000+01:00

The meeting at the Black Boy on Cartway on Tuesday was featured this morning on both the breakfast show and the phone-in programme on BBC Radio Shropshire.

The topic was raised really well by the presenters and reporter Richard Tisdale and the Shropshire Councillor responsible for licencing - Rosanna Taylor-Smith - was interviewed to ask the question "why are the decisions made by councillors who don't live in Bridgnorth?". The answer is - somewhat bizarrely in my opinion - that local councillors aren't allowed to sit on committees making decisions for their local town. No wonder some decisions are made which don't appear to be common sense to the local residents!

Councillor Christian Lea was at the meeting and so I'm hoping will feed back to Councillor Taylor-Smith the feeling from the local residents. Councillor Taylor-Smith explained that residents rarely express their views directly to the committees responsible for the decisions; hopefully in this case the strength of local feeling will be reported back and, together with feedback from the local police, the decisions to extend licencing until 3am will be reviewed.

Public meeting in Bridgnorth re drink-related anti-social behaviour

2011-07-20T08:25:00.000+01:00

I attended a public meeting in the Cartway last evening to hear concerns from residents about nuisance being caused by people leaving Bridgnorth's two late-night pub/club venues.

Two of Bridgnorth's pubs have recently had their licences extended to 3am which means that revellers are often walking home at times up to 4am causing town-centre residents to be disturbed with shouting, swearing and other anti-social behaviour.

Local PC Richard Wood organised the meeting which was very lively and very well attended. Councillor Christian Lea was in attendance to explain the licensing process and how a review of the licence could be requested.

BBC Radio Shropshire's Richard Tisdale from BBC Radio Shropshire was there to hear from the meeting and to interview local residents and may be joining Bridgnorth Police on patrol this Saturday evening to gather material for a forthcoming series of programmes for Radio Shropshire on Shropshire night-life.

I was there to listen to concerns and to explain the actions I have taken over the last few weeks to help to raise the issue with councillors, senior officers and the local MP, Philip Dunne. I urged residents to report all incidents of anti-social behaviour so that they are logged and can be used in any future review of the licence. Naturally, many residents doubted that calling problems in would be worthwhile (as they feel that it hasn't been useful before) but hopefully I was able to convince most that logging the problems would help to build evidence that the change in licensing hours has been detrimental to their quality of life (as all residents in attendance believe) and would help the police to raise the issue with the licensing authorities.

Specials Attestation at Hindlip Hall, West Mercia Police HQ

2011-07-06T17:02:00.000+01:00

We had another excellent attestation ceremony last night for the latest recruits to the Special Constabulary at West Mercia Police.

The new Special Constables, having completed an intensive and rigorous training course, proudly (and nervously!) swore their allegiance to the Crown and Queen in front of a bench of magistrates, myself, the Specials' Chief Officer Guy Fewtrell and Assistant Chief Constable Simon Edens.

I thoroughly enjoy these family occasions, where the new recruits are able to receive their warrant cards in front of supporting friends & family. This is what the wider police family is all about and I'll continue to support these events for as long as I'm in post within the authority.

A family occasion of my own meant that I couldn't stop after the ceremony for the buffet and chance to chat with the new officers, unfortunately, but I hope to catch up with them at some point over the next 12 months.

Leaving Reception for Paul West

2011-06-29T08:11:00.000+01:00

Catherine and I attended Paul West's leaving reception last night at Police HQ, Hindlip Hall.

It was a very special and moving occasion with Paul having an opportunity to reflect on his 8 years in West Mercia as Chief Constable and to thank the individuals who have been pivotal in his career.

Paul leaves his post officially at the end of July and is gradually handing over to David Shaw, our current Deputy Chief Constable, during this period.

Special Police Authority Meeting - Warwickshire Strategic Alliance

2011-06-28T17:30:00.000+01:00

We've just concluded a special Police Authority public meeting held specifically to discuss the proposed "Strategic Alliance" with Warwickshire Police.

I'm pleased to say that we voted unanimously to support the principles and recommendations in front of us, which will hopefully (should our Warwickshire counterparts vote the same way) lead to the alliance being formed with resulting improvements to the policing of our areas and with significantly reduced cost to the public purse.

More details will be reaching the press shortly no doubt, so do keep an eye on your local newspapers and/or the local TV for more information (as well as the West Mercia & Warwickshire Police and Police Authority web sites of course!).

Police Authority Annual Lecture

2011-06-27T22:29:00.000+01:00

For the first time in my 5 years on the Police Authority, I managed to make it tonight to our Annual Police Authority Lecture hosted by the University of Worcester. It was tough to find a babysitter for a couple of hours, but it was worth every minute (and the £ I paid the babysitter!).

This year we were proud and delighted to welcome Sir Hugh Orde, former Chief Constable of Northern Island and current President of ACPO.

Sir Hugh gave us a whistle-stop breakdown of the changes currently being imposed on the police service - from new pay & conditions to the proposed introduction of Police & Crime Commissioners. The list is a very long one and they are all significant and challenging in their own right. Taken together, they are daunting.

With many Police Authority colleagues in attendance (from West Mercia, Warwickshire and beyond) together with Chief Officers, many other interested attendees from other police partner agencies, academics from the university and other guests, the buffet afterwards proved a great opportunity to discuss the issues raised by Sir Hugh.

I am truly worried about the policing landscape. In my opinion, shared by most of the other attendees, there is simply too much change being imposed on the police at a time when budgets are also being cut. The good work of the last decade (when crime has roughly halved wherever you live in the country) is being put at risk.

Whether you agree or disagree, I would be very interested to hear your views. Please use the Comment facility to add them to the blog for others to read.

Discussion with Philip Dunne MP re policing late-opening pubs and clubs

2011-06-24T15:19:00.000+01:00

I was grateful to Philip to meet up at short notice today, to discuss the recent issues that Bridgnorth residents have been facing following the extension to the licences within two town pubs/clubs.

Yet again it is front-page news in the Bridgnorth Journal. This week it is residents on Listley Street who are complaining, saying that for 5 years they have been suffering from anti-social behaviour related to the Boogie Nights/Bar 27 club.

Specifically I discussed two issues with Philip:

First, as the authority member with responsibility for volunteers and Special Constables (volunteer police officers), I am concerned that 3:30am licences are simply not appropriate if the public expect CCTV cameras to be watched and officers to be on the street - as many or most of the individuals working in towns like Bridgnorth at that time of the morning will actually be volunteers. And what volunteers want to spoil their weekend by working until 3:30 or later in the morning?

Second, is the system of licencing sensible when the committee that granted these licences was made up of councillors from Shrewsbury, Oswestry and Market Drayton - not locals who understand the issues that licences like this can cause? This is the wider issue which surely needs addressing - local councillors are surely elected to make decisions about local issues - there seems to be a rule or policy of avoiding decisions which are in the councillor's own town in case their have a vested interest in the outcome. But surely that is why they are there in the first place?!

BBC Radio Shropshire also called me yesterday as they are hoping to run a special broadcast about the issue. I'll blog more information about the broadcast as I have it.

Joint meeting to discuss alliance with Warwickshire

2011-06-21T16:58:00.000+01:00

It has been well-publicised that West Mercia Police Authority and Police have been exploring options for an "alliance" with our neighbours Warwickshire in order to improve the policing service delivered to the residents in both force areas, as well as reduce costs in line with the government cuts.

http://www.westmerciapoliceauthority.gov.uk/news_westmercia_warwickshire_strategicalliance/ gives you a good summary of the background to these considerations.

Today both police authorities and chief officers held further discussions to explore the benefits and difficulties of such proposals. I was impressed that during all conversations and debates, no-one lost sight that this is all about the public and not about structures, mergers, processes, or politics. The strength of having such a range of individuals across to the two authorities also was plain to see - another reflection that the system of governance will be weakened by the proposed introduction of Police & Crime Commissioners.

More discussions about Bridgnorth late-night pub licences

2011-06-17T16:51:00.001+01:00

There has been more publicity (front-page) in the Bridgnorth Journal this week about the anti-social behaviour related to late-night drinking in Bridgnorth, especially following the extension of two pub/night-club licences to 3am.

This morning I held another meeting with Inspector Andy James and PC Richard Wood of Bridgnorth Police to assess their response to the situation and to discuss their plans and the results of the engagement they have had with the public on the nearby residential streets.

We're getting somewhere I think and the weight of public opinion is starting to have an impact on the situation. Next week I'm meeting Philip Dunne MP to discuss the whole issue of licencing and will report back on the blog once we've discussed the process.

In the meantime, if you're affected with anti-social problems in Bridgnorth relating to late-night drinking, please do get in touch.

Police Authority Annual Meeting - Last Ever?

2011-06-15T22:31:00.001+01:00

Have we just held the last ever Annual Meeting of the West Mercia Police Authority?

If the government overrules the House of Lords' amendments to the Police Reform Bill, this time next year we will have been replaced by a single Police & Crime Commissioner. For the sake of policing in our three counties of Shropshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire I hope that they come to their senses, listen to the reasoned objections of police professionals nationwide, and re-think.

In the meantime, life goes on and our scrutiny and governance of West Mercia Police continues with a number of new councillor members on the authority replacing former members who either chose to stand down or were not re-elected in the recent local elections.

Two colleagues I will especially miss are Bernard Hunt and Richard Smith. Both are thoughtful, erudite, charming men who never forgot the reason the reason they sat on the authority - to challenge, support and shape the police force for the good of the public they represented.

Bernard Hunt

Bernard is pictured here receiving a token of the authority's appreciation. I wish all my former colleagues well, they have been a pleasure to work alongside.

This meeting was also an opportunity to say some appropriately warm words to our outgoing Chief Constable, Paul West. The longest ever serving chief (8 years), Paul has lead with distinction and incredible success and should feel very proud of the impact he has made in the role and the legacy he leaves.

A recent article in The Times portrayed him as being the first casualty of the new political landscape. With his contract up for renewal, the authority felt that the incoming commissioner needed to have a Chief already in post in order for there to be continuity and this ruled out a contract extension for Paul.

However, although this was a difficult decision for all of us to make and accept, we have been able to appoint a superb successor in David Shaw, his deputy.

The meeting itself had its usual mix of challenge, oversight and scrutiny and is also the time of year that the roles for each member are decided for the next 12 months. I'm very pleased and proud to serve for 2011/12 as Shropshire Policing Board Chair and this role will mean that I will be able to be even more involved in the policing of Shropshire working alongside Superintendant Peter Lightwood and his staff.

Members prepare for the meeting

The last 12 months have seen major improvements in the policing of the GHB problem in Oswestry and other initiatives across the country have addressed anti-social behaviour and alcohol use amongst the very young.

At the moment, my own focus is on the ongoing issues around the granting of extended licences (to 3am+) in Bridgnorth and other local market towns and the public dissatisfaction about the council's decision to approve the licences - watch this space.

Citizen Focus panel

2011-05-24T23:04:00.000+01:00

Today's panel meeting was a chance to say thank you and goodbye to some of my colleagues as the recent council elections mean that some members of the Police Authority are no longer councillors (and hence no longer on the authority) whilst others have new roles on their councils and so cannot afford the time to continue their PA roles.

Bernard Hunt, long-serving Herefordshire councillor and stalwart Police Authority member, was not re-elected to his council and we will miss his wise words and measured approach. Kuldip Sahota is now the leader of Telford & Wrekin Council and so will not be able to continue his Police Authority role.

The key agenda item today was about Integrated Offender Management. This is an initiative being piloted in Shropshire whereby all of the agencies involved in handling people released from prison work together to try to stop the individual offending again. All good work, very welcome, and we'll be monitoring the programme carefully.

Citizen Focus agenda-setting meeting

2011-05-15T21:41:00.000+01:00

I don't normally blog when I attend agenda-setting meetings - they are discussions that the chair and vice-chair of panels have (with normally a senior police officer and an officer from the police authority) to set the agenda for the next panel meeting. They are typically short, informal discussions where we ensure that the agenda for the forthcoming meeting is addressing the key issues of the moment and that the agenda will fit in the time available.

This one though stood out because many of the topics we were discussing at a very high level directly reflected the ongoing issues on the Cartway in Bridgnorth.

The meeting - very unusually and completely co-incidentally - was held at Bridgnorth Station and so I took the opportunity of taking Assistant Chief Constable Simon Edens on a drive down Cartway after the meeting to show him the road and to discuss the issues affecting the residents here in Bridgnorth and which are also being felt across other market towns in Shropshire.

More action has been taken this week by the police, very well explained in a letter from PC Richard Wood to the Bridgnorth Journal on Friday. We'll keep monitoring the situation carefully.

Meeting new Specials

2011-05-15T21:30:00.000+01:00

It's the first week of training for the latest intake of 20 new Special Constables here in West Mercia.

They have 14 weeks of training ahead of them (taken over weekends and evenings) in order to become warranted officers and I had the pleasure of meeting them on Wednesday to explain the role of the Police Authority and the government's planned changes to the system of police governance.

They are a bright and engaging group of (mainly) young men and women and I'm sure that they will enjoy the weeks of learning and hard work to come.

I'll see them next at their attestation - looking forward to it already.

Problems on the Cartway in Bridgnorth?

2011-05-06T08:13:00.000+01:00

Last week's Bridgnorth Journal had a front-page story which made grim reading - a Cartway resident telling a reporter that the late-night anti-social behaviour problems had made her street feel like the "back streets of New York".

I used to live in a street off Cartway and so know the area very well. It is used as a cut-through between High Town and Low Town and has always had the occasional late-night problem, but it seems from the article that the problems are particularly bad at the moment.

Since reading the article I've made contact with the local inspector to see what action is being taken and I've been reassured by conversations with him and his team that there is much being done. I have also spoken to local residents to see if the feeling expressed in the newspaper is commonly held. I will continue to work this week to ensure that the views of the local people are collated and expressed directly to the local police.

This particular problem on Cartway has highlighted a more general issue for Bridgnorth and other Shropshire towns. Bridgnorth High Street and surrounding roads are mixed-use, with shops, offices and - vitally - family homes all existing cheek-by-cheek. When pubs had licences which ran to 11pm or midnight the problems of noise and nuisance behaviour were limited in time and residents often felt that having the occasional problem outside their door was worthwhile for the benefit of living in the town centre. However, two pubs/clubs in Bridgnorth now have licences allowing them to stay open until 3am... and so the problems go on much later and so cause much more nuisance and disruption to residents, as well as making it much more difficult to police. This is something I'll be following up with my councillor colleagues on the Police Authority.

If you live on or near Cartway in Bridgnorth and want to get in touch to express your views to me, please do email me via this blog or phone via the Police Authority office on 01743 264690.

Land's End to John O'Groats for Cancer Research UK

2011-04-07T14:45:00.000+01:00

I'm about to start a Land's End to John O'Groats cycle for Cancer Research UK. You will know the good work that they do and you may know why this is such an important charity to me.

My JustGiving page at http://www.justgiving.com/le2jog4cancerresearch explains all and I do hope you can help me to raise £1,000 for this cause.

Thanks for reading and please donate if you can.

Thanks,

Robin

Citizen Focus Panel

2011-03-22T21:44:00.000Z

Time for the regular Citizen Focus Panel today where we put Simon Edens, Assistant Chief Constable, on the spot on behalf of the public of West Mercia. Actually today's agenda reflected a lot of hard work that Simon and his teams have put in since the last meeting and we were pleased to see good progress a number of areas.

One of the improvements in hand relates to the mini websites that the local policing teams across West Mercia maintain. Here is the one for the area where I live (Much Wenlock) http://www.westmercia.police.uk/localpolicing/shropshire/bridgnorth/much-wenlock?tab=2#tabnav and you can see that an update has been posted to the site this month (about an increase in dog mess). Unfortunately, not all local policing teams are updating their sites regularly enough and so members of the public haven't been able to check the priorities for their local officers as easily as they might. We have some excellent volunteers here in West Mercia and some have offered to help with the updating of the web sites - this should help enormously.

We were also very pleased to welcome Rod Reynolds, Manager of the Safer Roads Partnership here in West Mercia, to talk to us about the programme of work that the partnership undertakes and, in particular, how he has managed with a huge cut to the budget. I know from personal experience how important Rod's work is to rural communities in particular where speeding traffic continues to be a concern and have an impact on quality of life.

Specials' Attestation

2011-03-15T09:43:00.000Z

16 new volunteer police officers were sworn in at their Attestation Ceremony on Saturday in front of their friends and family - and what a proud occasion it was for all concerned.

Special Constables have exactly the same powers as regular officers. The only difference is that they are volunteers, giving their time freely to police and protect their communities.

I wrapped up the event by congratulating the new Special Constables and wishing them well in their new role - and also to stress how important they are in the wider police family. The original Peelian principle "The police are the public and the public are the police" is at the heart of British policing and Specials, members of the public giving their time and energy to police their own communities, are absolutely the embodiment of that principle.

New partnership with the University of Wolverhampton will boost West Mercia Specials

2011-02-28T08:53:00.003Z

We're issuing a press release today as follows - excellent news for the Special Constabulary:

New partnership with West Mercia Police

The University of Wolverhampton has joined forces with West Mercia Police to offer practical experience for students on a degree course.

The BSc (Hons) Policing provides students with a solid foundation for a professional career in the police and related occupations through academic study and a work placement.

Chief Constable of West Mercia Police, Paul West, and Professor Judith Burnett, Dean of the School of Law, Social Sciences and Communications, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at West Mercia Police Headquarters at Hindlip Hall, Worcester, on Wednesday, 23 February 2011.

The agreement means students on the Policing degree will have the opportunity to gain real experience as Special Constables in West Mercia Police.

Professor Burnett said: “We are delighted to have formed a new partnership with West Mercia Police which will benefit our aspiring police officers enormously. The work placement aspect of the BSc (Hons) Policing provides extremely valuable experience for our students which is underpinned by relevant and engaging academic study.”

Chief Constable Paul West said: “This partnership with the University of Wolverhampton will provide an opportunity for students enrolled on the BSc Policing degree to undertake a period of practical experience as a Special Constable with West Mercia during their second year of study. This is part of our wider strategy around the Special Constabulary and benefits West Mercia Police in opening up a new avenue of recruits, who may wish to apply to join as regular officers in due course.

“It also benefits our communities by engaging young people who can relate to the younger members of our communities, and can also share positive messages about policing with fellow students.”

The new agreement builds upon existing partnerships established by the University of Wolverhampton with West Midlands Police, Staffordshire Police, the British Transport Police and the Royal Military Police, Territorial Army which allow students to undertake work placements with them.

The BSc (Hons) Policing is one of a few available in the UK and was developed with the support of the National Policing Improvement Agency.

The course draws on expertise from across the University, for example students are taught law and criminology at the School of Law, Social Sciences and Communications, mental health concepts at the School of Health and Wellbeing, management and leadership skills at the University of Wolverhampton Business School and forensic science using the School of Applied Sciences state-of-the-art labs.

In their final year, students complete a research project based around their minimum two years of Special Constabulary service.

For more information about the BSc (Hons) Policing visit www.wlv.ac.uk/policing

Meeting with Oswestry Inspector Jim Stafford

2011-02-23T23:03:00.000Z

Class C drug GHB is a real problem is Oswestry, something which has come to the attention of the local media, the public and all of the crime fighting agencies in Oswestry. I mentioned the problem in a previous blog post: http://robinbennettpa.blogspot.com/2011/02/concern-about-ghb-drug-use-in-oswestry.html

This morning I went over to Oswestry to meet Inspector Jim Stafford to discuss the problem and the approach being taken to tackle it.

Enforcement is still the main aim and the police are actively targeting people involved in the GHB supply chain but a joined-up approach with other agencies is more likely to succeed in the long term. Jim and his team are working hard to ensure that everyone is working to a common aim of reducing the use of GHB in Oswestry to a level more akin to other rural Shropshire towns.

Liverpool John Moores University has funds to undertake a study into the problem and their report may shed more light on the root causes, but for now the police are applying themselves to the basics of enforcement and partnership working to keep the problem under control.

If you or your family are affected by problems associated with the use of GHB please do get in touch.

Telford Policing Board

2011-02-16T17:34:00.000Z

This was Superintendent Gary Higgins' first Policing Board since his appointment as police chief for Telford so we welcomed him into his job and, having met Gary in a number of roles over the last few years, I'm sure that he will do a fine job.

The Policing Board is the opportunity for the local Police Authority members to grill, question and offer support to the local Superintendent and to make sure that everything is as it should be in the area.

Crime in Telford has been lower, year on year, for a long while now and that is to the credit of the local officers. Although levels of crime are generally low, there are some problem areas in the Borough and some of the statistics do cause members of the Authority some concern. One area we discussed today is the detection rate for household burglaries. Gary himself has worked on the burglary team and so he knows the tools and techniques that the investigating officers have at their disposal and has promised to make this an area he will focus on.

A number of large operations are reaching court in the next couple of months and we will be working alongside the police to help to engage with the community if there are likely to be public concerns, and, if necessary, to observe the police operations. Councillor Kuldip Sahota is the chair of the Telford Policing Board and he works especially hard to make sure that the views of the community are represented to, and understood by, the police.

Police Authority Meeting - Budget Setting

2011-02-15T21:26:00.000Z

We're facing drastic Government cuts to the police grant (in common with all forces across the country) and today's Police Authority meeting was focussed on addressing these reductions and hence setting the budget for 2011/12.

West Mercia Police is better placed than most forces simply because we've collectively (Police Authority and Police) tried so hard over the last few years to manage our money sensibly and prepare for difficult times. By keeping a small reserve in hand, and scrutinising expenditure incredibly carefully all year, we have managed to take the hit in the Government grant without it affecting front-line services this coming year.

Our new treasurer Patrick Birch has done a fantastic job in explaining the options and calculations to the members and today's budget - despite being in the midst of a national financial crisis - was actually one of the least controversial I can remember with the recommendations being supported unanimously.

We expect our strategic alliance with Warwickshire Police to deliver savings in the forthcoming years with detailed work on the partnership being done later this year.

Shropshire Policing Board

2011-02-14T22:32:00.001Z

Today was the regular Shropshire Policing Board chaired by councillor Miles Kenny. This is the forum where the local Police Authority members meet Shropshire's Police Chief Superintendent Peter Lightwood to look at the performance of his staff and the issues facing them across the county.

An important aspect of the meeting is to scrutinise the successful bids to the Police Community Safety Initiative Fund which is used to seed small projects, often directly helping communities to get projects started which otherwise wouldn't otherwise get off the ground.

I also raised the issue of the drug "GHB" in Oswestry and we held a full and frank discussion about the work that Inspector Jim Stafford is doing in the town with the local partner agencies. I'll be meeting Jim in a week to discuss the situation in detail.

Finally, have you been the victim of the theft of home heating oil from the tank in your garden? If so, I'd like to ask you to get in touch as the Police Authority are aware that this is becoming a common crime elsewhere in the country and want to be sure that our local police are prepared for any increase in this crime here in Shropshire.

Demonstration of new system for the Special Constabulary

2011-02-11T15:30:00.001Z

In my day job I'm an IT professional (I have a software business with offices in Bridgnorth and Telford) and I can sometimes apply my experience and expertise directly in my role on the Police Authority. This was one of those occasions.

The Specials have different needs to the regular officers when it comes to communication - as they don't spend much time in police stations they need easy access to log their duty hours and pick up messages from home and so we're looking at a suitable, cost-effective system to help them.

Another force has developed something which looks very good on the face of it - and is offering it to us for little or no cost. They came to demonstrate it to us and take questions and we'll be following this up in the next week or two.

Regional ACPO Special Constabulary Chief Officers' Meeting

2011-02-11T14:30:00.001Z

Our Assistant Chief Constable Simon Edens is the new chair of the regional group of Special Chief Officers - the volunteer police officers who run the Special Constabulary in each of their forces.

I sat in on the meeting keeping an eye on progress on behalf of the citizens of the region and with a view to scrutinising the work that ACC Edens does.

There is a lot of really good work going on in the Special Constabulary at the moment, with all forces trying to increase numbers in time for the Olympics. West Mercia has made good progress with recruitment and we have more courses this year to increase numbers further.

Personal submission re Police & Crime Commissioners sent to the Public Bill Committee

2011-02-09T18:05:00.000Z

The Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill (incorporating the proposal to replace Police Authorities with Police & Crime Commissioners) has reached its Public Bill Committee stage. See http://www.parliament.uk/business/news/2010/12/police-reform-and-social-responsibility-bill-now-have-your-say/ for more info.

I have grave personal concerns about the Bill and this week sent off my own submission to the committee. In a nutshell, I've tried to argue my case strictly on a "common sense" basis and my conclusion is that the change is unnecessary, unwise and unaffordable.

Since writing an article in the local "What's What" magazine, I've had a number of emails from local residents expressing their concern too, primarily about the logistics of a single person engaging with over a million people across three counties, and whether this means that local contact with the police governing body is bound to diminish.

If I hear from the committee I'll post again on this blog, but realistically I fear this is such a key government proposal that it is very unlikely to be derailed however strong the opposition.

Concern about GHB drug use in Oswestry

2011-02-09T17:58:00.000Z

At some of the recent public Police Authority consultation meetings, concern was expressed about the level of GHB drug use in Oswestry and whether the police were doing enough about it.

I've been monitoring activity over the last few weeks and there is progress being made as reported here in the Shropshire Star: http://www.shropshirestar.com/news/2011/01/28/study-to-probe-oswestry-ghb-drug-use/

This is an area I will be taking a personal interest in over the next few weeks, meeting local officers and the public to see if the police are doing all that they should. Watch this space.

Attestation Ceremony for new Special Constables

2011-01-18T18:16:00.001Z

What a fantastic event! I was proud to be part of tonight's Attestation Ceremony for fifteen new Special Constables held at Wellington Police Station.

Supported by friends and family, the new volunteer Police Officers swore their allegiance to Her Majesty in front of a bench of magistrates watched by the Assistant Chief Constable, Simon Edens, their Chief Officer, Guy Fewtrell, and the Police Authority (represented by me!).

These occasions are always really uplifting - to see so many proud, supportive faces in one room is wonderful - and the families of the new Specials deserve to be proud because the commitment that these individuals have already shown is very impressive indeed.

Good luck to them all in their new lives as Special Constables. It will be the most challenging, testing, exciting and rewarding volunteering role that they have ever undertaken I'm sure.

(thanks to the official photographer Martin Humby for the excellent photos below)

Good news for Quatt

2011-01-16T14:59:00.000Z

Over the last year or so, I have been doing what I can to help Quatt Parish Council in their quest to get their 40mph speed limit enforced properly.

They have kept pressing the council, the police and the Safety Camera Partnership and at last have had some good news. The council will be installing new signage and "street furniture" to keep drivers to the speed limit whilst driving through the village.

Congratulations is due to Isabel Faithful and the rest of Quatt Parish Council for their determination and stamina. This is a really good outcome for the village.

Specials Steering Group

2011-01-13T15:31:00.000Z

We held our regular Specials Steering Group meeting this morning at Police HQ; a group which oversees the development of the Special Constabulary in West Mercia and makes sure that everyone is heading in the same direction.

We were very pleased to welcome our new Special Chief Officer, Guy Fewtrell, who brings such energy and enthusiasm to the role. Like many of our Specials, Guy has a significant "day job" and so he'll need to manage his time even more carefully in his new role - the balancing act between a Special's profession and their volunteer activities for the police is a real challenge.

We were very pleased to hear that numbers are up roughly 10% in the last 12 months (even accounting for leavers) and the courses this year are looking like they will be full or nearly so adding even more Specials to the ranks.

I'm personally looking forward to being part of the Attestation Ceremony for some new Specials in the north of the force this coming Monday evening at an event to be held at Wellington Police Station. Hopefully I'll be able to grab some snapshots from that event of proud-looking Specials and their supporting families and friends for the blog.

Shropshire consultation evening

2011-01-12T23:19:00.000Z

Shrewsbury Town Football Club hosted tonight's consultation evening for the Shropshire area where members of the public and interested groups attended to get involved in our discussions about police priorities and budgets.

The attendees heard from Chief Constable Paul West, Chairman of the Police Authority Sheila Blagg, Treasurer Patrick Birch and Deputy Chief Executive Ian Payne.

This will be the last round of consultation for our Chief, Paul West, as he is standing down this summer. With the introduction of the new Police and Crime Commissioners, the Police Authority decided to appoint a new Chief in plenty of time to find his or her feet before the change in Governance. We will miss Paul, he has been truly exceptional.

Equally, it may also be the last for the Police Authority - dependant of course on the progress of the Bill through Parliament.

If you want to get involved and couldn't make it tonight, come along to the Telford event at the Civic Offices on Monday. Full details are on the Police Authority's web site.

Consultation webcast

2011-01-12T15:14:00.000Z

Hope you all enjoyed the webcast. This is the first time we've had a live web broadcast to discuss priorities and the budget and it seemed to go well with plenty of questions coming in live to the panel.

You will be able to watch the webcast at your leisure by following this link: http://www.westmerciapoliceauthority.gov.uk/policing-priorities-2011-12/?PHPSESSID=120089c660d2ff63a232b6c9fe1e8495

I'm off shortly to the public meeting for Shropshire, being held at Shrewsbury Town FC. Hope to see you there.

http://www.westmerciapoliceauthority.gov.uk/prioritiesconsultation2011/?PHPSESSID=120089c660d2ff63a232b6c9fe1e8495

Regular meeting with Bridgnorth police chief, Inspector Andy James

2011-01-04T11:00:00.000Z

Just had a quick catch-up with Inspector Andy James at Bridgnorth station. We get together every few months to discuss any local issues which are causing concern to the public or the police.

My postbag has been fairly quiet lately (perhaps the poor weather has had an effect?) so there was little to raise from my side. Andy had some questions and concerns about the spending review and the government cuts, and we were able to discuss some staffing changes which are affecting the local policing teams.

We'll be meeting again in the Spring when the weather will hopefully be significantly better!

On patrol with Special Sgt Charlie Pearson

2010-12-22T21:35:00.002Z

Charlie Pearson is a very special individual; a member of West Mercia's Special Constabulary with 38 years of service as a volunteer police officer. It was my pleasure last night to spend a few hours with him out on patrol around Much Wenlock and Broseley.

Charlie is a Special Sergeant - a volunteer officer who takes responsibility for other officers and who has the experience and knowledge to help new Specials to find their feet. I first met Charlie at the Special Constabulary Conference and when he realised that I live near to Much Wenlock (where Charlie is based) he offered to take me out on a patrol to show me the work that he does.

The weather last night was appalling with the minor roads being particular icy and difficult for driving, and most drivers had sensibly decided to stay at home. The quiet radio gave us time to talk and I was very impressed with the approach that Charlie takes to his policing and the positive effect it has on the community.

The weather was so poor that we were considering an early end to the shift when a call came in about a youngster and we joined another Special to go to her home town to help look for her and reassure her worried mother.

In the end, the call had a happy ending with the missing youngster contacting home herself but the time and effort that the Specials had put it was by no means wasted. Charlie was a reassuring and comforting presence to all and he left the family in no doubt that he would be there for them in the future if they needed assistance.

Often in the Police Authority we manage and monitor performance by graphs, numbers and statistics - but this call would likely never appear on any chart or spreadsheet. No crime will be recorded and no offender brought to justice, yet this patrol demonstrated again the vital and important work that police officers - especially Specials - do in our community, week in and week out, and we should all be thankful that they do.

Carol Service, Christmas lunch and Police Authority meeting

2010-12-15T15:02:00.001Z

It's my fourth year serving on the Police Authority and the first time I've made it to the Carol Service. I can see why now- the church at Hindlip was FREEZING!!

The Police Authority meeting after lunch was the first when the public could ask questions directly of members and the chief officers, but disappointingly no questions had been submitted. I really hope that the public take advantage of this new opportunity to grill us and ask difficult questions.

It is the time of the year when we consult the public about the policing priorities so look out for leaflets and public meetings near you over the next month or two.

I took the opportunity in the public session to thank the Special Constabulary Chief Officer Neil Burnett for his 20 years service. Neil is having to resign his post because he has changed his job. The new Chief Officer, Guy Fewtrell, is going to be a fantastic replacement.

There was good news about CSOs - the government have continued to "ring fence" the CSO grant and so funding the CSOs over the next year or two will be easier than if the money had been combined into the main policing fund.

West Mercia Special Constabulary Conference

2010-12-07T20:52:00.001Z

What a fantastic day for the 80 or so Specials from around the force who attended our Specials Conference at Police HQ.

With the weather so poor and many Special Constables committed to Christmas shopping patrols, this turn-out was really impressive and it says a lot for the appeal of the bacon baps which greeted conference attendees!

ACC Simon Edens opened the conference with an inspiring and thought-provoking address.

I then followed up with a short presentation about the role of the Police Authority and a heart-felt thank you from me, from the authority and on behalf of the public of West Mercia for the time and efforts of all of our Special Constables. I was also able to brief the audience on the likely roles of the new Police & Crime Commissioners due to be elected in 2012.

You can view my presentation here: https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B0l84bOE1lwgZDRiMDJlMmUtYmZjZC00MmRiLTg2M2YtMjljNzg2ZTMyMWJk&hl=en&authkey=CIfw2bQN

The conference then heard lots of "news" in the world of West Mercia Special Constabulary.

After lunch, long service pins were presented to proud recipients. There was also some sad news as Chief Officer (Commandant) Neil Burnett told the conference of his retirement due to work commitments. The good news is that the incoming Chief Officer, Guy Fewtrell, will be an excellent replacement and we are all looking forward to working with him.

Neil closed the conference with some down-to-earth common sense. "It doesn't matter what the Chief Officer thinks or what the latest news is about the Police Authority and Police Commissioners. It doesn't matter what new rules and procedures are announced. What matters is the old lady who suffers at the hands of a distraction burglar. What matters is how you deal with her in her hour of greatest need and distress. You are what matters and the job you do". Hear hear.

Police Authority surgery in Ludlow

2010-11-26T10:23:00.000Z

Thanks to PC Dan Wood and PC Sara Perry for their help in organising the police "surgery" at the Assembly Rooms in Ludlow last night.

The cold weather kept some people indoors we think (quite sensibly!) but the venue was ideal so we'll be having more surgeries there in the spring and summer.

The Police Authority sets the priorities for the police at this time of year so if you couldn't make it last night but have an opinion on policing in Ludlow please do get in touch, by email (robin.bennett@start-software.co.uk) or by telephone (07971 696157).

On patrol with PC Dan Wood in Ludlow

2010-11-22T17:00:00.000Z

PC Dan Wood is one of the hard-working local police officers for Ludlow Town and he very generously spared me a couple of hours this afternoon to take me around his beat in Ludlow. The purpose of the patrol was to help me gain a better understanding of the local issues before my Police Authority Surgery at The Assembly Rooms (this Thursday, 25th November, at 6pm!).

As well as checking that posters for the surgery were up at the most popular venues in town, we also called in on a number of schools and visited sheltered accommodation so that the young and old especially were aware of the event.

Do you have an opinion about policing in Ludlow? Are you happy or unhappy with the way that your town is policed? Come along and tell me your views between 6pm and 7:30pm at The Assembly Rooms, Ludlow.

Meeting with Rt Hon Owen Patterson MP to discuss the new Police & Crime Commissioners

2010-11-14T18:48:00.000Z

I was very grateful to Owen Patterson to spare me some time on Friday to discuss my concerns about the new Police & Crime Commissioners.

As well as being a very hard working local MP, Owen is also Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

In the limited time we had available, I raised two specific concerns relating (1) to the size of West Mercia (can one person really engage with 1.1m people across 3 counties?) and (2) to how the new arrangements will affect the selection and appointment of chief officers.

Gatehouse official opening

2010-11-04T17:43:00.000Z

HRH The Duke of Gloucester visited Hindlip Hall today for the official opening of our new gatehouse.

This is the first phase in a much larger redevelopment of the site designed to increase security and the opportunity for partner justice agencies to work together better.

Priority setting day

2010-11-02T17:08:00.026Z

The whole Police Authority spent the day at Stone Manor Hotel near Kidderminster today for one of the most important days in our policing year - the day where we begin to set the priorities and the budget for the force.

The Chief Constable and Deputy Chief presented their views on priorities to the 17 members; our new (and talented) treasurer described the difficult financial position we face now that the government has announced such drastic cuts in the police grant; and the members of the police authority express their opinions based on all of the contact they have had with the public over the last few months.

Policing in 2010 is complex and multi-faceted. As a society, we face challenges across the whole spectrum of risk and harm from international terrorism at one end of the scale, to persistent and troubling anti-social behaviour at the other. Over my 4 years on the police authority, I have learned that it is vital for use to keep a watchful eye on the international and national stage as well as focusing on the more visible policing that matters to each of us in our own streets.

The message from the Home Secretary, Theresa May, is that policing is about catching criminals and preventing crime. It really doesn't feel as simple as this and one of my concerns today was that our list of priorities for the Chief looks more like a shopping list (one member described it as a "laundry list") than an expression of Theresa May's vision. One of my first experiences as a police authority member was a meeting where a senior officer tried to express the breadth of policing and then said "of course, it is actually quite simple - we're the good guys and we try to catch the bad guys". I understand that this is where Theresa May is coming from, but it really isn't as simple as that.

The priorities the public have expressed are what you'd expect in the main, the sorts of issues that crop up time and time again at PACT meetings. In addition, we want the Chief to focus on efficiency, collaboration, and the vulnerable in society. There is now a well-defined and clear process which will result in a clear public statement of our priorities for 2011/12 being published in the new year.

Citizen Focus panel

2010-11-01T18:20:00.009Z

Today's Citizen Focus panel was smaller than usual (a few members couldn't attend) but that gave the meeting a more dynamic, more challenging, feel with all colleagues contributing to lively discussions. Brandon Clayton in the chair was able to keep the meeting flowing well despite a long agenda.

Some of the key issues discussed were:

- how we change our public engagement processes in the light of the spending review

- PACT, where it works and where it doesn't, and where it goes from here

- how we should work in the area of community engagement as the government moves towards a Police Commissioner model of police governance (scrapping Police Authorities in the process)

- what the public want our priorities to be for 2011/12 (we have a full-day event tomorrow for the whole Police Authority to debate this with the Chief Constable)

- some fantastic successes for West Mercia Police in developing innovative engagement methods with young people (including a new badge for the Scouts related to volunteering with police work)

- CSO powers.

Assistant Chief Constable Simon Edens was challenged directly on several items and was congratulated on even more. Despite being "on notice" with only 18 months or so to run before Police Commissioners replace us, we continue to work hard on behalf of the public of West Mercia in all of our roles.

Specials Attestation

2010-10-30T21:56:00.002+01:00

Nine proud (and slightly nervous!) volunteer police officers - Special Constables - were sworn in this evening at a ceremony at police HQ.
As the member of the Police Authority with responsibility for the Special Constabulary I was pleased and proud to attend with the chair of the authority, Sheila Blagg.
Well done and congratulations to all nine officers. Welcome to the police family.

Meeting with Philip Dunne MP to discuss the new Police & Crime Commissioners

2010-10-16T15:09:00.002+01:00

I was very grateful to Philip Dunne for sparing me time at the end of a long week to discuss the proposals for the new Police & Crime Commissioners (PCCs).

This is a flagship policy for the Government and the Prime Minister so I have no doubt that the necessary bills will be enacted to abolish Police Authorities and to replace them with PCCs, but my concerns about the proposals are grave and sincere and Philip listened with interest to what I had to say.

I raised three issues in particular, and in each area I tried to make positive suggestions to improve the proposals:

1 Will PCCs work in West Mercia?

Police Commissioners are an idea that crossed the Atlantic from the USA and are designed to strengthen the link between the public and the police; to give the public someone they can relate to and can contact to discuss their concerns about police priorities. However, where the USA has thousands of police forces, the UK has only 43 - and West Mercia in particular is a huge area of 1.1 million people, 3 counties and 4 local authority areas. Where Police Commissioners work locally in the USA, they will be distant and less "contactable" than the 17 members that make up the existing British Police Authorities.

My suggestion to improve the current proposals is to add "Assistant Commissioners" to the structure, one for each county of Shropshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire. They would interact with the territorial superintendents and have a genuine geographic connection.

2 Is it right for a single individual to hold this much power?

I can't think of another British institution where a single individual has so much power and influence over a professional at the pinnacle of their career. We face the prospect of politically-motivated individuals, with not necessarily any knowledge or experience of policing, "hiring and firing" the Chief Constable. How can this be right? Would a head teacher or hospital consultant be willing to accept the authority of a single individual with no experience of education or medicine?

Policing is too important to allow a single individual, even an elected individual, to wield so much power. The commissioners are to be supported by a Police & Crime Panel, made up of local councillors, but it isn't clear whether they will have enough power to keep an errant commissioner in check

My suggestion? Give the Police & Crime Panels genuine power to scrutinise and keep the commissioner in check (and keep the notion of independent members who bring their own skills and experience to the role).

3 Will the new proposals open the door to corruption?

It has been a very long time since we have seen corruption at the top of British policing and this is no accident. Corruption is almost engineered out of the current system as the Chief Constable, and his or her top team, are appointed by the 17 members of the Police Authority. Even if an organised crime gang (and don't underestimate their determination and professionalism) succeeds in influencing a chief officer, the current system means that the individual concerned has virtually no say in the people serving in the top ranks around them.

The new proposals, however, turn this on its head. One person, the PCC, will appoint the Chief. The Chief will then appoint their top team - the Deputy Chief Constable and the Assistant Chiefs. And there is nothing to stop someone being Chief Constable one day and Police & Crime Commissioner the next. Essentially one rotten apple could have the opportunity within a matter of a couple of years of replacing the whole of a Chief Officer team with their own barrel of recruits. And this leaves the door wide open to inappropriate relationships and the direct influence of organised crime.

In my opinion, it is vital that the chief officer team continues to be appointed by a large number of people (perhaps the PCC and the Panel?), not by single individuals working without sufficient checks and balances.

Summary

In summary, despite the objections from the police profession and most other "think tanks", I am sure that the government will pursue these proposals. Not even the £50m-£100m additional cost of holding elections will deter those intent on bringing Police & Crime Commissioners to our shores. My 4-year term on the Police Authority is almost up and so I'm not objecting out of personal interest (I'm not a turkey complaining about Christmas!), I'm raising these key objections quite simply because I think that the government has got this policy badly wrong.

A Service of Thanksgiving for Edward (Ted) Sheldon MBE

2010-10-11T17:25:00.000+01:00

I have just returned from a very moving funeral service held for our most respected colleague, Councillor Ted Sheldon, who passed away after a short illness on September 22nd.

Ted was chair of the South Worcestershire Policing Board and I worked closely with him as fellow members of the Citizen Focus panel and Complaints and Surveys working group.

Ted was a stickler for detail, quality and standards - as well as being entertaining and very good company at all times. His commitment to the Police Authority was incredible and I have heard today from his councillor colleagues that in terms of public service this was just the tip of the iceberg. Ted was truly a public servant of the highest calibre and demonstrated the value of selfless service in all that he did.

He also made me laugh - often - and one of my fondest memories was being fiercely reprimanded with a wag of his sternest finger when I attended a Police Authority meeting sporting a "holiday beard" - he insisted that it didn't suit me in the slightest and that I had let myself and the authority down by not shaving that day! He was only half joking...

We will miss Ted dearly and our thoughts are with Daphne and the family.

Meeting Bridgnorth's new Inspector, Andy James

2010-09-28T21:28:00.001+01:00

Bridgnorth has a new Inspector - Andy James. Andy replaces Jamie Dunn who has moved across to Ludlow.

Andy has already made an impact on the station and the Bridgnorth district and has ensured that his name and face have appeared in the local press. He is a local man himself (although he has worked in many other forces) and is enjoying the prospect of being back in Shropshire.

I met Andy to welcome him and to let him know that I'm the member most local to Bridgnorth and that we need to have regular contact so that he knows what the public want from their police. Andy will be keeping me in touch with developments and I'm sure we'll have a very fruitful working relationship, improving the quality of policing for the residents of Bridgnorth and district.

Police Authority Meeting

2010-09-28T19:40:00.001+01:00

Today's Police Authority meeting started on a very sombre note with a minute's silence to mark the passing of our much respected colleague Councillor Ted Sheldon MBE who died last week after a short illness. Many tributes were paid to Ted echoing the thoughts of many others outside the police family.

I have worked closely with Ted over the last four years, not least on the Citizen Focus panel where Ted was a leading light having been the chair of the South Worcestershire Policing Board for many years.

Always entertaining, erudite and wise - Ted will be sorely missed.

Back to the meeting itself and the agenda covered many areas of policing as usual but in particular we discussed the Government's plans to replace Police Authorities with Police and Crime Commissioners. In the main we tried to consider potential risks and how they might be mitigated. Many meetings have been held with local MPs to ensure that they are well briefed and I am setting up meetings with Philip Dunne and Owen Patterson myself. My concerns about the new arrangements are specific and grave - my guess is that however well expressed and sincerely held these concerns are (across the whole police family) the coalition will press ahead anyway, but I feel that I owe it to the public I serve to make every effort to make our elected representatives understand that this is a very bad idea indeed.

With the results of the Comprehensive Spending Review being announced next month, I was pleased to hear the Chief Constable and Chairman of the Police Authority both publicly state their support for PCSOs within West Mercia. They are now a vital part of the local policing landscape and the public value their contribution greatly.

Finally, I was delighted to support the recommendation from the Executive Board that public questions will now be part of Police Authority meetings. Excellent news and a step towards even greater openness and engagement with the community.

National Citizen Focus Partnership Network meeting (held at the APA)

2010-09-16T15:31:00.003+01:00

A visit to London today to the Association of Police Authorities' offices in Grey Coat Place for our regular Citizen Focus Partnership Police Network meeting. I represent the four authorities in our region (West Midlands, West Mercia, Warwickshire and Staffordshire) and meet with approximately 10 other regional reps to discuss issues relating to the Citizen Focus agenda.

The agenda covered many topics with presentations from the Home Office and the soon-to-be-abolished NPIA but one topic in particular received most attention: Directly Elected Police Commissioners.

The coalition Government is determined to replace Police Authorities with Directly Elected Police Commissioners and is moving incredibly quickly to this end. The APA has been working to collate the views of all Police Authorities nationally and has now completed this work and the collective response was discussed and debated at length today.

In a nutshell, the proposal is opposed. Strongly. Superficially, such a move might seem like a good idea. A single individual is easier for the public to relate to (and would be more "visible" to the public); it sounds like it ought to be cheaper than having 17 people working to do a similar task; and voting for someone to be the police commissioner is surely democracy in action.

However, you only have to ask one or two questions to demonstrate the fundamental flaws in the plan. What happens if the person elected has extreme views, either politically (eg BNP) or in police terms (eg elected on a mandate to ignore all drug crime)? How is a single person going to cover large geographic areas (eg West Mercia - Shropshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire)? Who would bother to vote in an election and who would bother to stand? How much would elections cost and would the overall cost be lower or higher than the status quo? Who says that the current system is actually broken when virtually all crime indicators are going in the right direction?

The APA has commissioned two reports to investigate these issues. The first is from ipsos MORI and seeks to determine whether there actually is public support for the change in police governance. The answer is that there is when the single question "Would you like directly elected police commissioners" is asked... but there isn't when the detail is discussed and the prospect of a extreme individual is raised or the practical problems associated with the post are discussed.

The second report examines the costs of the elections and they are huge. In fact, the elections alone would cost more than the total cost of all of the Police Authorities put together. A colossal waste of money in the current financial climate. In fact, the extra costs of the new governance model would pay for hundreds if not thousands of extra uniformed officers.

I don't doubt that many will view the APA opposition as simply "turkeys don't vote for Christmas" but that really isn't fair. There isn't a single police professional body that supports the proposal. I equally don't doubt that this is such a flagship proposal for the Government that they will not back down, but I do hope that they perhaps implement only in a few pilot areas and then when they see the practical difficulties they quietly drop the proposal.

Another aspect of the Government's white paper is the proposal to scrap the Independent Custody Visiting (ICV) scheme whereby specially trained members of the public visit police stations unannounced to check the well-being of detainees and that all is in order in the cells. I was an ICV volunteer myself for 4 years and it is genuine scrutiny and community engagement in action in a scheme that costs virtually nothing. I am flabbergasted that this scheme is under threat and will find out more - this isn't something I was aware of until today's meeting.

PCSO funding is also under threat as the Goverment are proposing to remove the "ring fencing" which has protected the money (and therefore the posts) next year. With the financial pressure that the forces face, if and when the PCSO money is rolled into the main grants, Chief Constables will find it difficult if not impossible to keep PCSO numbers as high as they are - and neighbourhood policing (and community confidence) is sure to suffer. The APA is going to make its submissions in this area next month.

2010-09-11T11:10:00.000+01:00

Just testing some new code, please ignore!

Regional Citizen Focus & Partnership Group Meeting

2010-09-10T17:18:00.003+01:00

Every 3 months, representatives from the Police Authorities of the four Forces in our region (West Mercia, West Midlands, Staffordshire and Warwickshire) get together to share best practice, discuss policy and to set our regional agenda before the national Citizen Focus meeting which I attend on behalf of the region. This national meeting is set to take place next Thursday.

Yesterday's meeting had a lively agenda with (unusually) consensus across the region on most items: Collaboration, Total Place, the Government's ideas for replacing Police Authorities and PCSO Funding.

As mentioned, I'll be attending the national meeting next week to ensure that our region's views are known and represented in the national debate.

Audit Commission/HMIC report that we are "performing well"

2010-09-09T11:25:00.001+01:00

Just read this on Twitter - it is heartening to see our hard work in West Mercia Police Authority recognised.

@wmerciapolice: RT @ACgov: West Mercia Police Authority is 'performing well': http://bit.ly/d3Hyfm
Shared via Tweetcaster

Sent from my Android phone using TouchDown (www.nitrodesk.com)

Annual appraisal

2010-08-12T06:49:00.002+01:00

You'll be pleased and reassured (I hope!) to learn that all Police Authority members in West Mercia have an annual appraisal to check that we are doing our job properly and to the best of our ability.

Val Ainsworth, the Chair of the Standards Committee, gave me my appraisal yesterday at the Police Authority offices in Shrewsbury and as she is a former Headmistress it is always a daunting proposition!!

A 12-monthly chance to reflect on the work we've done and my contribution to the Police Authority is always valuable and on this occasion we also looked forward and pondered the imminent changes as the coalition government continue with their plans to replace Police Authorities with direcly elected Police Commissioners.

Telford Volunteer Cadets Passing Out Parade

2010-08-05T22:20:00.004+01:00

Proud, proud, proud!!!

Tonight was the passing out parade for the Telford Volunteer Police Cadets and what an evening it has been. These young men and women have been members of the cadets for the last two years at least and tonight did themselves, their families and the whole of West Mercia Police so proud.

There was barely a dry eye in the house as Cadet of the year Roxanne Varnham spoke of the fun, friendship and comradeship that they have enjoyed whilst serving the community in so many ways.

There were some very special guests present tonight including Lord Lieutenant Heber-Percy who presented the cadets with their Queens Award for Voluntary Service - the group equivalent of an MBE - for 15 years of community service.

Congratulations to the Senior Cadets 2010 and I'm already looking forward to next year's ceremony.

Special Meeting: HMIC Inspection and Force Review

2010-08-04T18:19:00.002+01:00

Yesterday was a busy day for the Police Authority as we digested the draft report from the recent HMIC Inspection and debated the initial findings of the comprehensive force review.

The HMIC report is confidential in draft form so I can't say too much at the moment about this, but a useful hour or two was spent discussing their initial findings and how we respond before the final report is published. In some respects, this is all water under the bridge now that the new government has announced its intention to scrap Police Authorities completely (and to replace us with directly elected Police Commissioners) but we are fiercely proud of the work we do as a group and want the report to reflect our strengths (and weaknesses).

The force review also sparked considerable debate but the essence of the recommendations were accepted and we were all pleased to report that the process that has been followed was professional and very well done.