Lewes MP, Norman Baker, is calling for political parties in Sussex not to put forward political candidates to fill the new position of elected Police and Crime Commissioner when this is first voted upon next year.
The role of PCC was created within the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act, which requires elected PCCs to take over responsibility of policing in a force area in its totality. The role comes with the responsibility of directly holding the local Chief Constable to account on behalf of the local community and also setting the strategic direction and objectives of the force.
Such is the importance of the role, the local MP has urged local parties to not make it a political battle, but to allow individuals with the skills and experience to take on the task to rise to the top.
Norman says: "Local people need to be able to feel that the campaign for the election of PCCs is not one based on a political ideology, but is based on who has the most experience and skill to bring to the job, and to cut local crime. Once in the job, the PCC also needs to be able to utilise that skill without being some political football, restrained by partisan ideology. The only way to ensure this, in my view, is to remove party political associations from the contest and I am hopeful that all local parties will agree that tackling local crime and responsibility for the local force must be a non-partisan issue."
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Contact Norman at:
Norman Baker,
23 East Street,
Lewes,
East Sussex,
BN7 2LJ.
Tel: (01273) 480281.
Fax: (01273) 480287.
Email: info
