Motion of no confidence in police commissioner

1:12pm Thursday 10th January 2013 in News By Tom Edwards

Police and crime commissioner Bill Longmore 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 next Thursday, where the party will press for a vote of 'no confidence' in the duo.

Although it will not force the duo 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: "It was an appalling decision."

A joint statement has been produced by the duo 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."

As the Worcester News revealed today, 140 police officer jobs will be axed in the West Mercia force area by 2016.

Comments(33)

TmP says...
2:06pm Thu 10 Jan 13

Is this sour grapes because the Labour chap did not get in? I did vote unlike so many who did not bother to vote however not for this gentleman, it does seem to me that he should be given a fair chance to prove his worth.
With regards the 140 jobs to be axed by 2016 I imagine many of these will be natural wastage although I do feel we need more bobbies on the beat not less.

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TDH123 says...
2:43pm Thu 10 Jan 13

Not unsurprising - Mr Longmore needs to recognise that when in public office one needs to be transparent and of unquestionable integrity. The appointment of a crony without following any proper process has been his downfall. The public have also lost confidence - it is time to move aside.

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Hack says...
3:17pm Thu 10 Jan 13

I hope the response is mirrored across the region. I also hope elected authorities will refuse to have any contact with him. He refuses to place himself before public scrutiny and politics or no he has shown himself to be a disgrace. Boycott him and his office.

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imustbeoldiwearacap says...
3:59pm Thu 10 Jan 13

I'm no fan of "our" Police Commissioner but I rather think the Labour Group is being opportunistic? They have probably read all the criticisms in the WEN and other West Mercia newspapers and jumped on the bandwagon to be seen to be "in touch with the people". However so far if we "judge his achievements so far" it does not stand scrutiny!

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broadwas says...
5:04pm Thu 10 Jan 13

Sorry, Bill, but if you go into the lions' den you must expect to be bitten. You should have appointed a deputy on an open basis. Politicians bite politicians.

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BeeHiveBuzz says...
5:41pm Thu 10 Jan 13

On the PCC website, there is a page providing advice on "How to Make a Complaint" in relation to:

a) The Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC)
b) The Chief Constable
c) Other members of the Police Force

The section relating to complaints about the PCC is the only one that does not have a functioning link; the other two do. Is this a coincidence?

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BeeHiveBuzz says...
5:44pm Thu 10 Jan 13

Here is the "Making a Complaint" page, where you will notice the lack of a link for the PCC:

http://www.westmerci
a-pcc.gov.uk/Your-Vi
ews/Complaints/Makin
g-a-Complaint.aspx

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spider666 says...
5:53pm Thu 10 Jan 13

Absolutely pointless having a vote of confidence when it cannot be enforced should it be a "no",like he will care about it with his arrogance.

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whiskymac106 says...
6:23pm Thu 10 Jan 13

Of course the easier way out for Bill would be for his mate Barry to fall on his sword and resign. Obviously he would lose face if that course were to be adopted but it would show he was willing to listen. The advantage would be that he could get on with the job he's being paid not an insubstantial sum and serve those who he represents.

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reflector says...
7:13pm Thu 10 Jan 13

It may indeed be opportunistic for the Labour Group to propose such a motion but it is clear that Mr Longmore and his pal, Mr Sheldon, do not have the confidence of much of the general public. They are only echoing many of the views that have been expressed on this site and elsewhere and, as elected representatives, have a right, indeed a responsibility, to speak on behalf of the electorate.

Mr Longmore has provided them with the ammunition they need by steadfastly refusing to come out and face his critics and continuing to ignore the concerns and criticisms expressed by the public as well as by councillors of all parties.

Sadly, I don't suppose it will make a scrap of difference but at least I applaud them for trying.

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chapski75 says...
7:39pm Thu 10 Jan 13

Let's give them 3 and a half years as they request. Then if we're not satisfied do we get refunded all their salaries over that time?

So at the end of this we'll have a £400k windfall to spend. Maybe we could then put that money to good use and put some Police officers back onto the street!

Alternatively it could be split between all those who turned out to vote for a PCC, should be about £50k a piece the turnout was so low!

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chapski75 says...
7:39pm Thu 10 Jan 13

Let's give them 3 and a half years as they request. Then if we're not satisfied do we get refunded all their salaries over that time?

So at the end of this we'll have a £400k windfall to spend. Maybe we could then put that money to good use and put some Police officers back onto the street!

Alternatively it could be split between all those who turned out to vote for a PCC, should be about £50k a piece the turnout was so low!

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webadmin says...
8:33pm Thu 10 Jan 13

BeeHiveBuzz wrote:
Here is the "Making a Complaint" page, where you will notice the lack of a link for the PCC:

http://www.westmerci

a-pcc.gov.uk/Your-Vi

ews/Complaints/Makin

g-a-Complaint.aspx
BeeHiveBuzz - you are right, this link was not activated. I set this up and, when I did it, the Police and Crime Panel (who receive complaints against the Commissioner) did not have a web page set up. It was an oversight and the link is now active.
By the way, you could have used the 'Contact Us' links, of the Comment links if you want to contact the PCC office - they have worked since day one. Hope this helps.

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PoorJoey says...
9:31pm Thu 10 Jan 13

This is absolutely disgusting in my view.

It amounts to canvassing and the misappropriation of public funds.

He should be dismissed immediately and a full police investigation launched as criminal offences may have been committed.

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Mrfade says...
10:15pm Thu 10 Jan 13

A couple of weeks ago it was the Tories putting the boot into Bill Longmore. Now former Tory MP Alan Amos is perhaps jumping on the band waggon.

http://www.totalpoli
tics.com/history/571
3/where-are-they-now
-alan-amos.thtml

How the independents must be feared. Do we have faith in WCC? People are sick of the politicking

The county councillors having a vote of no confidence in someone else is an interesting scenario.
The former leader is in prison, and some might think that the council dragged it’s feet over an investigation into this nasty situation.

There was also reference to a drinking culture at County Hall which seemed to vanish, who was involved, what was it about?

Those with responsibility for ethics and scrutiny seem to have nodded off.

Agreed not the most astute move by Mr Longmore who has clearly made a bad judgement call, although I believe the rules allow him to do what he has done.

The police commissioner should be politically impartial if the position is going to exist.
If there is only one good thing about Mr Longmore and co it is that he is independent and clearly has no affiliation with either labour or conservative.

WCC are slashing £120 million from public services, they should be getting on with the job in hand, and swallow the sour grapes.

Do any of the councillors claim expanese in excess of £50,000 per annum?

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thompson9100 says...
12:56am Fri 11 Jan 13

Out of all those commenting, I just wonder how many voted? I for one certainly did vote.

If WCC can take a motion of no confidence to try to oust Bill, can we as the public do the same to the ConDem government?

As this is a (albeit a sham) democratic process that put Bill there, as the public who elected him (even the vast majority who didn't use there vote are still compliant in doing so) we can only use democratic means to hold him to account. That means complaining, and ensuring our voices are heard when things are wrong.

The ConDem government set the rules and Bill has acted within those rules so far, even in the appointment of his deputy, so if anyone is to blame It's the ConDem government. If you look at other force area PCCs you'll find exactly the same thing happening with appointments of deputies.

I just hope Bill sticks to his pledge to donate £20k to related charity from his salary, and is transparent in doing so.

Finally, please look at the site as there us a consultation being undertaken by Bill as to if the police precept of council tax should rise, and his planned priorities for policing in West Mercia. That is at least a start in transparency, and a story the WN has missed thus far - BBC had it up yesterday for all to see.

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Allan Whitehead says...
7:18am Fri 11 Jan 13

reflector wrote:
It may indeed be opportunistic for the Labour Group to propose such a motion but it is clear that Mr Longmore and his pal, Mr Sheldon, do not have the confidence of much of the general public. They are only echoing many of the views that have been expressed on this site and elsewhere and, as elected representatives, have a right, indeed a responsibility, to speak on behalf of the electorate.

Mr Longmore has provided them with the ammunition they need by steadfastly refusing to come out and face his critics and continuing to ignore the concerns and criticisms expressed by the public as well as by councillors of all parties.

Sadly, I don't suppose it will make a scrap of difference but at least I applaud them for trying.
Surely, the public showed their contempt for these new Police and Crime Commissioners by not turning out to vote. A small majority of which I was one took the time trouble to vote for who they thought may have been the most likely to fill the post. However, when the actual turnout was revealed. One thing was obvious the general public would sooner had the finance used for these posts of Commissioner and deputy to have been used to place more front line police constables on the beat so as to be seen.

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Jabbadad says...
8:13am Fri 11 Jan 13

I hear that Alan Amos and his fellow Labour County Councillors are holding their next meeting in the Phone Box in Spetchley Road. All like narrow minded politically driven supporters to attend.

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reflector says...
8:58am Fri 11 Jan 13

reflector wrote:
It may indeed be opportunistic for the Labour Group to propose such a motion but it is clear that Mr Longmore and his pal, Mr Sheldon, do not have the confidence of much of the general public. They are only echoing many of the views that have been expressed on this site and elsewhere and, as elected representatives, have a right, indeed a responsibility, to speak on behalf of the electorate.

Mr Longmore has provided them with the ammunition they need by steadfastly refusing to come out and face his critics and continuing to ignore the concerns and criticisms expressed by the public as well as by councillors of all parties.

Sadly, I don't suppose it will make a scrap of difference but at least I applaud them for trying.
Perhaps I didn't express this very well.

Just to be clear, it is the proposers of the vote of no confidence who I am applauding. In Mr Longmore and his chum, who had the support of about 5% of the electorate so no mandate to do anything, I have no confidence whatsoever.

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VINCETREVOR says...
9:37am Fri 11 Jan 13

I would remind Mr Amos , that this independent was voted for with an overall majority by the West Mercia Region. I will judge him on his results AFTER his tenure as Commisioner. I remind these fat cat politicians that they also have local elections in May. I would be more concerned about his own results whilst in office. I didnt vote for Con/Lib alliance, but I will judge them on results, I have not made headline news about my no confidence in them, I will judge them on results and then vote accordingly.
Politicians need be very worried as it is the public that decide. We are a democratic country and its time our main political parties realised this fact .

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pronstar says...
10:27am Fri 11 Jan 13

Jabbadad wrote:
I hear that Alan Amos and his fellow Labour County Councillors are holding their next meeting in the Phone Box in Spetchley Road. All like narrow minded politically driven supporters to attend.
You going then?

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Allan Whitehead says...
2:57pm Fri 11 Jan 13

spider666 wrote:
Absolutely pointless having a vote of confidence when it cannot be enforced should it be a "no",like he will care about it with his arrogance.
Let us hope that when the Labour Group proposes the vote that Party politics do not come into play. With the low percentage of votes cast for these posts, and the appointment of a close friend as a deputy. The majority has rejected these posts throughout the UK, by sitting on their posteriors and not voting. While nepotism is not illegal. During these tough economic times, many employers are lending a hand to struggling family members or friends by offering them employment opportunities. Ordinarily, in the private sector, nepotism (favouritism directed exclusively or mainly toward friends or relatives regardless of merit should be outlawed and more so when it happens in public arrange posts.

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Lew Smoralz says...
11:16am Sat 12 Jan 13

From day one everybody who followed the introduction of the new post knew there would be staff appointed as well. In one area not only is there a deputy, but 6 assistants as well.

Get real everybody, did you really think that he could do this job on his own?

It is on the record that the deputy is not a close friend, just an ex-police officer with whom Longmore is acquainted.

To the Liebour party I would say stop trying your cheap political scheming, haven't you worked out yet that the public is sick to the gills with your dishonest political scheming and outright hypocrisy!

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M@lvernite says...
4:57pm Sun 13 Jan 13

A vote of no confidence sounds like new territory for the Labour party - usually they just announce that "you voted for it" at the first sign of controversy. The fact that nobody actually voted for a coalition government or the PCC's deputy seems irrelevant.

It seems a nationwide theme developed regarding the election of PCCs - in most regions the successful candidate was the independent ex-policeman because the electorate felt the PCC should have police experience rather than being truly independent - presumably the chief constable already has a fair amount of police experience.

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More Tea Vicar says...
5:05pm Mon 14 Jan 13

The whole situation is a mess.

The government has fouled up, quite badly, over the whole issue, imposing an election that few of us wanted.

What a contrast to their attitude to the idea of an EU referendum....

Having imposed the election, they then did so in a way that more or less guaranteed it would be a flop, with a high signature requirement and deposit, and little if any support for candidates, favouring the better-off and well-connected.

They proceeded with the expensive election at a time when they were cutting police numbers, which doesn't look shrewd.

And they appear to have written the rules in such a way that elected candidates can do what Mr Longmore has done.

Labour are no doubt being opportunistic. If their man had won, he might well have done the same thing, after all.

But the Tories are responsible, ultimately.

And as said - if they're so fond of democracy, why no vote on the EU?Why the frankly repulsive support for the unvoted, unloved plans to pave over the county, whatever voters think?

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More Tea Vicar says...
5:45pm Mon 14 Jan 13

Lew Smoralz wrote:
From day one everybody who followed the introduction of the new post knew there would be staff appointed as well. In one area not only is there a deputy, but 6 assistants as well.

Get real everybody, did you really think that he could do this job on his own?

It is on the record that the deputy is not a close friend, just an ex-police officer with whom Longmore is acquainted.

To the Liebour party I would say stop trying your cheap political scheming, haven't you worked out yet that the public is sick to the gills with your dishonest political scheming and outright hypocrisy!
Lew (love your name, by the way)

Labour no doubt are just politicking. But the Tories caused this.

The electorate can't be blamed. They voted with their feet, which they kept firmly at home in front of the fireplace.

The Conservatives are responsible for this, from conception to execution.

I suspect the whole scheme will bed in, in the end. But the legislation seems to have been poorly though through, in terms of providing the administrative framework and the appropriate checks and balances.

And it is hard to square the Tories' attitudes to an EU referendum (don't let the plebs vote, they won't understand...) with the insistence on the PCC vote, especially at a time of police cuts.

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Lew Smoralz says...
10:57pm Mon 14 Jan 13

More Tea Vicar wrote:
Lew Smoralz wrote:
From day one everybody who followed the introduction of the new post knew there would be staff appointed as well. In one area not only is there a deputy, but 6 assistants as well.

Get real everybody, did you really think that he could do this job on his own?

It is on the record that the deputy is not a close friend, just an ex-police officer with whom Longmore is acquainted.

To the Liebour party I would say stop trying your cheap political scheming, haven't you worked out yet that the public is sick to the gills with your dishonest political scheming and outright hypocrisy!
Lew (love your name, by the way)

Labour no doubt are just politicking. But the Tories caused this.

The electorate can't be blamed. They voted with their feet, which they kept firmly at home in front of the fireplace.

The Conservatives are responsible for this, from conception to execution.

I suspect the whole scheme will bed in, in the end. But the legislation seems to have been poorly though through, in terms of providing the administrative framework and the appropriate checks and balances.

And it is hard to square the Tories' attitudes to an EU referendum (don't let the plebs vote, they won't understand...) with the insistence on the PCC vote, especially at a time of police cuts.
Thanks for your kind compliments concerning my name, it was given to me by my pater Righteou Smoralz, and mater Virteou Smoralz.

I was going to be named after uncle Religiou Smoralz, but my parents decided to be more modern and trendy e.g.Brooklyn Beckham was named after where he was conceived.

After some heated debate I was named after the small building in the corner of the Corn Market car park.

When referring to the Lib-Lab-Con party, are they all not the same nowadays? Whichever one of them forms the next Government, there will be little change for most of us.
- we will still be fed on a diet of lies
- we will still be in the EU
- we will still be paying Brussels £56M/day for them to steal and squander
- we will still have no say over 40% of the laws made by unelected bureaucrats in Brussels
- we will still have open borders
- we still won't be able to afford proper care for our elderly
- we will still have a struggling Health system
- we will still have the lowest public pensions in Europe
- we will still have less democracy than that enjoyed by previous generations
- we will still not be able to punish offenders as it will contravene their human rights

That is why I will be voting for UKIP in all forthcoming elections, as they offer the only real change for the better.

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Jabbadad says...
1:10am Tue 15 Jan 13

Me too.

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pronstar says...
9:45am Thu 17 Jan 13

You mugs

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More Tea Vicar says...
10:33am Thu 17 Jan 13

pronstar wrote:
You mugs
You're entitled to your view. I suppose it would be a bit boring to ask you to back them up.

The Lib/Lab/Con parties are pretty much the same now, and are massively out of touch with public opinion and reality on some key issues.

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More Tea Vicar says...
10:33am Thu 17 Jan 13

pronstar wrote:
You mugs
You're entitled to your view. I suppose it would be a bit boring to ask you to back them up.

The Lib/Lab/Con parties are pretty much the same now, and are massively out of touch with public opinion and reality on some key issues.

Report this post »

Lord Newbold says...
10:43am Thu 17 Jan 13

More Tea Vicar wrote:
pronstar wrote:
You mugs
You're entitled to your view. I suppose it would be a bit boring to ask you to back them up.

The Lib/Lab/Con parties are pretty much the same now, and are massively out of touch with public opinion and reality on some key issues.
More Tea Vicar.

Pronstar is one of those who must have watched that Henry Fonda film. "12 Angery Men"

argued his point and at the very end was proven to be wrong.

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More Tea Vicar says...
11:01am Thu 17 Jan 13

Lord Newbold wrote:
More Tea Vicar wrote:
pronstar wrote:
You mugs
You're entitled to your view. I suppose it would be a bit boring to ask you to back them up.

The Lib/Lab/Con parties are pretty much the same now, and are massively out of touch with public opinion and reality on some key issues.
More Tea Vicar.

Pronstar is one of those who must have watched that Henry Fonda film. "12 Angery Men"

argued his point and at the very end was proven to be wrong.
mmm, I've not seen that one. But it sounds about right. Except Pronstar doesn't seem to actually argue a point.

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