Matthew Grove defends PCC roles

Cutting police and crime commissioners could put an extra 1,200 bobbies on the beat.

That's according to the Taxpayers Alliance who say removing PCCs would save around £30m.

It's as some police and crime commissioners have been criticised for spending more than the police authorities they replaced.

But Humberside PCC Matthew Grove says that's not been the case here. He told Viking FM:

"When Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) were introduced they were intended to provide better value for money than the Police Authorities they replaced. Due to the lack of public awareness that the former Humberside Police Authority existed at all, PCCs have been perceived by the overwhelming majority of the public to be an additional expense, which this report proves is definitely not the case in the Humberside force area.

"When I first took office and replaced the Police Authority in November 2012 I was determined to offer better value than my predecessor. I inherited a very grand office building in Hull from them which was far too big and costly to run, there were available police buildings with spare office space to accommodate a small team and my office staff now work from one of those.

"I sold my office building which generated £350,000, and together with other savings made in the office put the money back into communities by creating my Crime Reduction Fund, which is helping local community groups cut crime and improve safety.

"The 13 office staff of the police authority transferred into my employment and it soon became clear there was a duplication of work in some areas that was also being carried out by staff within Humberside Police. In 2014 the Chief Constable and I created a shared service which allowed some of my staff to provide work for the force and vice versa. My office now consists of just 9 staff, including myself and my Deputy, which this report shows is the smallest nationwide.

"There has to be a system of governance in place so local taxpayers can hold their police force to account. That is what PCC’s are there to do on the public’s behalf. I am very aware that every pound I spend in my office is one pound less that can be spent on police officers and staff, and I have worked very hard to ensure my office provides value for money and will continue to do so."

Jonathan Isaby, Chief Executive at Taxayers Alliance, said:

"Taxpayers were told that the new system of Police and Crime Commissioners wouldn't cost them any more than the Authorities they replaced, but this research suggests that's not the case in many parts of the country. When the future of the police is being discussed in the context of a necessary savings programme, discussing whether we're getting value for money from the new Commissioners must be paramount. With potential savings of £29 million available, we have to ask for more efficiency from those who seem to be spending over the odds.

"Those Commissioners who have been empire building or stocking their offices with PR staff must be asked whether that money wouldn't have been better spent on bobbies on the beat."