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Local Police Launch “Have Your Say” Campaign in Run-up to Police and Crime Commissioner Election

On November 15, 2012, the county’s voters will have the opportunity to elect a Police and Crime Commissioner for Northamptonshire to replace the current Police Authority. The newly elected Police and Crime Commissioner will represent the views of the public in relation to local policing and will be accountable for how crime is tackled across the county. A key area of his/her work will be to involve the public in decision making.

To guage local opinion, Northamptonshire Police and the Police Authority are asking members of the public to participate in a survey on policing and community safety. There are several ways to take part:

• Complete and submit the online survey
• Request a postal version of the survey (or a “Have Your Say” pack for collective responses) from Jane Follows on 01604 888113
• Post comments on the Police Facebook page

Members of the public are also invited to tell Northamptonshire Police how they would like to see its £124.91 million budget spent. Click here to go to the budget simulator.  (The force’s current spending priorities can be viewed here.) 

The feedback from these consultations will be used to help Northamptonshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner set his/her priorities for 2013/14. (Local opinions will also help inform the work of Northamptonshire’s six Community Safety Partnerships.) The deadline for taking part in the survey is October 5 (October 2 for the budget simulator).

About the Police and Crime Commissioner Role

• PCCs will be elected and hold office for a term of four years
• PCCs will hold Chief Constables to account
• PCCs will set the level of payment towards policing in Council Tax
• PCCs will set the Police and Crime Plan for the county
• PCCs will be fundholders for community safety work
• PCCs will promote and enable “joined up” working on community safety and criminal justice
• PCCs will have a duty to consult with members of the public about their priorities
• PCCs will need to produce an annual report on what they have done
• Anyone in the County can be nominated to stand for election as a PCC (subject to conditions)
• PCCs will be held to account by a Police and Crime Panel made up of local councillors and independent members of the community (as well as at the ballot box every four years)

The Candidates
Those who have thus far declared their candidacy for the Northamptonshire Police and Crime Commissioner role are as follows:

Barron, Lee (Labour) Twitter

MacArthur, Jim (UK Independence Party) Click here for local newspaper article.

Norrie, John (Independent) Website, Facebook, Twitter

Simmonds, Adam (Conservative) Website, Twitter

Stockdale, Matt (Independent) Twitter 

Varnsverry, Paul (Liberal Democrat) Website, Facebook

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