Motion of no confidence in police commissioner (From Redditch Advertiser)
Get involved! Send your photos, video, news & views by texting RA NEWS to 80360 or e-mail us
Motion of no confidence in police commissioner
10:30am Monday 14th January 2013 in News
Police and crime commissioner Bill Longmore
WEST Mercia Police's new commissioner is facing calls to resign after county councillors published a 'no confidence' motion in him.
Worcestershire County Council's Labour group wants Bill Longmore to quit, along with his deputy Barrie Sheldon.
A full council meeting is scheduled for this Thursday, where the party will press for a vote of 'no confidence' in the duo.
Although it will not force the pair out, the group is hoping it causes Mr Longmore embarrassment over the appointment of his deputy.
It comes after Mr Longmore, a former officer at Staffordshire Police, hired his former campaign manager Mr Sheldon as his £50,000 deputy against the wishes of the watchdog-style Police and Crime Panel, which said he has not followed an "open and transparent" process.
Councillor Alan Amos, Labour group deputy leader, said that "It was an appalling decision".
A joint statement has been produced from Mr Longmore and Mr Sheldon saying they are "disappointed" by the motion.
It states: "We would ask that people judge us on our achievements over the course of the next three and a half years and not in a period when we have only been in office for around two months."
The vote comes at a time when it has been revealed that 140 police jobs are being axed and a number of police stations could be closed.
The move is part of a draft police plan, out for public consultation.
underterraingrunter says...
11:36am Mon 14 Jan 13
Policing is in crisis, we need positive action now. I'm suspicious of the motives of panels and groups who don't appear to have put the effort into finding helpful solutions to perceived problems.Hoping to cause embarrassment seems like a lazy way to carry on.
How about some evidence indicating why hiring Barrie Sheldon is not a good thing? Simply calling it "an appalling decision" sounds too much like a cheap shot.
There must be sound reasons Bill got voted in and others didn't.