Police boss speaks out about job plans

Police and Crime Commissioner Clive Grunshaw has defended his role in Lancashire after the Labour Party announced plans to scrap the office if elected next year.
Police Crime Commissioner Clive GrunshawPolice Crime Commissioner Clive Grunshaw
Police Crime Commissioner Clive Grunshaw

Mr Grunshaw, who was Labour’s candidate for the £85,000 a year job almost two years ago, issued a statement stressing the “significantly positive contributions” made by PCCs since they were introduced in November 2012.

And if there was to be change, the former county councillor said he would “wholeheartedly support proposals which move the PCC system forward.”

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Mr Grunshaw’s comments came after Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced Labour would abolish the role if returnedto power.

“This was Theresa May’s flagship reform and it just hasn’t worked, “ she said.

“The model is just fundamentally flawed. They spent £80mm on the original elections. It will cost £50m to hold the next elections.

“To spend all that money on something where so few people vote, when you could put that money back into policing is wrong.”

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Since elected, several PCCs have been in the public eye for the wrong reasons, including Mr Grunshaw who was the subject of a drawn-out investigation into his expenses as a councillor before he came to office.

He was totally exonerated and, although the inquiry took the best part of a year to conclude and diverted attention from his job.

Clive Grunshaw said: “Since their election, I firmly believe Police and Crime Commissioners across the country have made significant contributions to the communities they serve.

“I am revolutionising support for victims, driving forwardawareness around key priorities such as child exploitation and domestic abuse. I am an accoountable figure.”