Bedfordshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner urged to "tell the truth" on what he can achieve with his new plan at meeting

The PCC welcomed support from the Police and Crime Panel on his upcoming Police and Crime Plan – but said the plan needs more work and agreed he should be “called out” if he is seen to be overpromising

On Tuesday (September 17) the Bedfordshire Police and Crime Panel gave the PCC feedback on his new Police and Crime Plan – “A safer and fairer Bedfordshire”.

There are six missions in the plan “which are underpinned by objectives”, and the Panel was told that these will evolve over the period of the plan.

The PCC said he referred to the graphic setting out his six missions as a “cheesecake”.

“We are doing this [plan] in two stages,” the PCC said.

“The first stage of the plan is in effect the foundation plan that takes us from October of this year to March of next year, which gives us an opportunity to set a baseline.

“[And] it enables us to do considerable more work in terms of consultation and engagement with partners.

“So there’s a lot more work we’re going to be doing to get an even more comprehensive plan, with real outcomes to measure, in place for the next three years.”

Holding up a copy of the Plan, councillor Gareth Mackey (Central Bedfordshire Council) said: “It’s lovely, it’s glossy, all looks good, there’s a Labour government in charge, we’re all happy.

“Here comes the but, I think we need to be very, very, clear on what we actually hope to achieve.

“Without understanding the resources that are going to be able to be devoted to actually tackling this, your cheesecake.

“If that [centre piece] ‘Safer and fairer Bedfordshire’ falls out it becomes a doughnut glazed with broken promises and tears.

“We in the modern age are living under unprecedented demand for local policing and what you hope to achieve, from a very low baseline, will need funding that just is not going to be there.

“Tell us the truth, tell us what you can achieve, be honest with us on the finance and the five-year medium term financial plan,” councillor Mackey said. “Because we know that there are significant problems coming. Be honest with us, what can you achieve with the funding you have?”

Commissioner Tizard said: “I hope I’m going to be honest, if I’m not honest you need to call me out. That’s why I want to do a lot more work on the plan that takes us over the three years from next April. We have to demonstrate in that plan where the resources are coming from.

“There are things you can do in terms of improving productivity by using technology. There are areas where we can do more collaboration as well. If we can have prevention then we’ll have less demand on services. If we can get less reoffending, if we can get better systems, over time we will free up money.

“If I appear to be just being very glossy and over promising please call me out, because that’s not what I aim to do,” he said.

Councillor Mackey said: “[I’ll] just remind the commissioner of the very laconic response. If.”

Speaking after the meeting, John Tizard said: “My ambition is to have a Police and Crime Plan that reflects the community safety plans and aligns with the strategies of all our public sector partners.

“The plan is centred around preventing crime and tackling the causes of crime including the social and economic causes, reducing serious crime and violence against women and children, reinvigorating local policing, and putting victims at the heart of the criminal justice system.

“It is based on the values of equality and equity, the prevention of crime through partnership working, and reforming the police service and the wider criminal justice system.

“Change will take time but is necessary.”

Paul Downing, police and crime panel chair, said “We recognise that this is an ambitious, hard-hitting plan that shows that the PCC is dedicated to building a safer and fairer Bedfordshire."

“We will continue to work with the PCC, both supporting the delivery of this Plan, and questioning how he is supporting residents & victims. The Panel are keen to see how the PCCs partners respond as required.”

You can watch the recording of the Police and Crime Panel meeting here.

You can attend the Meet and Challenge events held around the county to ask the PCC about his plan.