Time to say "Evenin' all" to the police and crime commissioners

Police and crime commissioners have not lived up to the hopes for them when the role was created, so it should be scrapped.

In 2012 David Cameron told us:

"This is a big job for a big local figure. It’s a voice for the people, someone to lead the fight against crime, and someone to hold to account if they don’t deliver."

And:

"This isn’t just for politicians, but community leaders and pioneers of all sorts. People with real experience who’ve done things and run organisations, whether they are charities or companies.

"Whatever their background, they will need to be outstanding leaders ready to take a really big role on behalf of all of us."

While the Home Office press release those quotes are taken from said:

PCCs will bring a democratic voice to people in 41 police forces across England and Wales (outside London), replacing the current system of police authorities. They will not interfere in operational decisions, but will set the direction for chief constables. 

PCCs will be driven by one clear aim - to use the backing they have received from the public to deliver a real, tangible difference to the lives of the people they serve by cutting crime.

Yesterday saw the third round of PCC elections, and I believe we can now say that the experiment has failed. It has not delivered any of what Cameron and the Home Office promised.

Not only that, it has proved an expensive experiment. PCCs have discovered the need to appoint a deputy on a generous public salary as well as the need to employ researchers.

Here in Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland, there was no visible campaign - on the doorstep or online - for the PCC election. And the Labour and Conservative candidates were both party hacks who have never made it to Westminster.

Though to be fair to Labour's Rory Palmer, he has, unlike his Conservative opponent Rupert Matthews, never been a lecturer on the paranormal for the International Metaphysical University or expressed the view that "the evidence for UFOs and for the humanoid creatures linked to them is pretty compelling".

It seems that who wins the PCC contest here depends on what other elections are taking place at the same time. 

In 2016 it took place at the same time as Leicester City Council elections, so the Labour vote came out there and we got a Labour PCC. Five years later it coincided with county council elections, so the Tory vote came out and we got a Tory PCC.

Yesterday there were no other elections and Rupert Matthews won a second term with a majority of only 860. Rory Palmer would have won for Labour if the Tories had not changed the voting system since last time.

As to what we put in the place of PCCs, I suggest we go back to something like the old police authorities, which included various interest groups like local councils and magistrates.

I've seen no evidence that the system that replaced them has been better at overseeing local police forces.