Concerns raised over Bedfordshire police and crime commissioner's budget scrutiny process

John Tizard, Police and Crime Commissioner for BedfordshireJohn Tizard, Police and Crime Commissioner for Bedfordshire
John Tizard, Police and Crime Commissioner for Bedfordshire
Concerns have been raised as Bedfordshire’s police and crime commissioner (PCC) departs from the “tried and tested approach” for budget scrutiny.

But the PCC said he wants discussions in public to be “fully transparent”.

Last year two separate finance briefings were held in January before the Police and Crime Panel (PCP) meeting in February.

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The Local Democracy Reporting Service understands that this was to provide answers to low level questions in advance so that there was a strategic approach to debating the budget at the public panel meeting.

Panel member, councillor Marc Frost (Bedford Borough Council) said: “There was time to understand the numbers, question and formulate thoughts.

“This year it’s proposed the briefing is at 4.30pm on the same day as the panel meeting.

“There are a number of problems with this, there’s insufficient time to properly get into the numbers, and not everyone can attend an afternoon meeting due to work or other commitments,” he said.

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Councillor Gareth Mackey (Central Bedfordshire), who will be chairing the panel meeting as the elected chair Paul Downing is unavailable, said the relationship between the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) and the PCP should “by necessity” be based on trust and mutual respect.

“The statutory duty of the PCP cannot function at its best if the members of the PCP are not afforded the necessary time to prepare adequately for what is, arguably, its most important duty in scrutinising the precept,” he said.

“As chairman I am very concerned that we have departed from the tried and tested approach.

“Despite having the papers in advance of the meeting, a proper briefing prepares members, and the chairman, to conduct a comprehensive and focused scrutiny of the PCC’s budget.

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“I feel that the arrangement proposed deprives us of a valuable opportunity to understand the PCC’s position.

“The ratepayer expects us to do our job and we expect the OPCC to enable us to do it to the best of our ability.

“I am hopeful that the OPCC will recognise our strong desire to work constructively with them and thus change the poor timing of this important briefing,” he said.

Police and Crime Commissioner, John Tizard said: “I want to be fully transparent and open to scrutiny, with discussions in public and not in private.

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“This is why my preference is to take a paper to the public meeting of the Police and Crime Panel to allow them to challenge me on my financial proposals, including the precept.

“That would not have been possible on the original scheduled date, due to the timing of receipt of the financial settlement and the consequential budget decision making process.

“The paper that will be submitted five days in advance of the public meeting will set out the financial position of Bedfordshire Police, the budget I have agreed, and my decision on the precept,” he said.

The PCP meeting will be held on February 4 at Borough Hall, Bedford.

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