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Police Commissioners

West Midlands Police at ‘grave risk’ from £250m grant cuts

PCC Bob Jones warns financial squeeze could see increase in crime

By:
Published May 13, 2013, in Police Commissioners


crimeCrime-fighting across the West Midlands is being put at “grave risk” by Government spending cuts, Police Commissioner Bob Jones has claimed.

In a strongly-worded statement, Mr Jones forecast that the force budget will have been cut by almost £250 million between 2010 and 2017 – a 28 per cent reduction in spending power.

Speaking ahead of a meeting of the Strategic Policing and Crime Board (SPCB), Mr Jones said he expected about 2,500 uniformed police officers would have left the force during that time and could not be replaced  without additional funding. More than 1,500 civilian jobs will have been axed as well.

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Another 2,000 West Midlands police jobs face the axe

Commissioner warns new cuts could plunge falling crime figures into reverse

By:
Published April 30, 2013, in Police Commissioners


policeA further 2,000 West Midlands police jobs could be axed as a result of Government spending cuts.

The figure was revealed by Police Commissioner Bob Jones, who warned that a continued cull of uniformed officers might send into reverse a recent record fall in recorded crime.

Mr Jones said “alarming” proposals for a further 10 per cent cut in police budgets over four years from 2015, outlined recently by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander, posed a real risk

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Commissioner Jones’s critical friends turn out to be rather critical

Panel says crime plan targets unclear and not ambitious enough

By:
Published April 4, 2013, in Police Commissioners


Bob Jones

Bob Jones

The West Midlands Police and Crime Panel, a ‘critical friend’ to Police Commissioner Bob Jones, has certainly been critical, if not altogether friendly in its deliberations so far.

Asked to scrutinise Jones’ draft Police and Crime Plan setting out priorities for the coming year, the committee of local councillors posed a killer question about the document’s aspirations: “How will you actually achieve what you are promising to do?”

In a report that could be described as blunt and to the point, Mr Jones was told: “Overall, we felt the plan could have included more detail about how aspirations would be achieved.

“We also note that you assured the panel that precise action plans would underlie all of the deliverables listed in your plan – we look forward to seeing clear links to these action plans in a future iteration, along with some definitive timescales.”

The heavyweight panel includes the leaders and deputy leaders of West Midlands councils and was set up to monitor Jones’s performance as PCC.

The report went on to hit out at “unclear and unambitious” targets to

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Steelhouse Lane police station to close

Historic Birmingham building falls victim to reorganisation plan

By:
Published March 26, 2013, in Police Commissioners


policestationBirmingham’s Steelhouse Lane police station, one of the oldest in the country, is to close as part of a £17 million savings plan.

The listed building, which dates from the 1890s, still has a Victorian-era custody block in everyday use and the cost of bringing the facilities up to modern standards has been declared prohibitive.

West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner Bob Jones confirmed that Steelhouse Lane will be declared surplus to requirements within two years and the building will be sold.

Operational police officers and administrative staff are to be transferred to the nearby Lloyd House police headquarters at Colmore Circus, which will be improved and become the new central police station for Birmingham.

The Steelhouse Lane custody facilities will not be transferred to Lloyd House and will instead move to a purpose-built site elsewhere in Birmingham. West Midlands police custody provision is to be boosted by a ‘super block’ custody suite to be built in Sandwell, Mr Jones said.

Office-based police staff at Civic House and Aqua House in Birmingham will also move to Lloyd House in a wide-ranging shake-up of accommodation which Mr Jones said would

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Police chief Bob Jones appoints three assistants – all Labour councillors

One Tory, a Lib Dem and business representatives also join strategic police board

By:
Published March 20, 2013, in Police Commissioners


Bob Jones

Bob Jones

West Midlands Police Commissioner Bob Jones has appointed three assistants, and they are all Labour councillors.

Faye Abbott (Coventry), Judy Foster (Dudley) and Mohammed Nazir (Walsall) will be paid £22,500 for a two and a half day week.

The three will be expected to act as “champions” with responsibility for specific areas including victims, health, technology, equalities, human rights, and business, Mr Jones said.

They will sit on a new Strategic Policing and Crime Board alongside Mr Jones and his deputy, Birmingham Labour councillor Yvonne Mosquito.

It remains unclear whether the three will follow the example set by Mr Jones and resign as councillors. Ms Mosquito has said she intends to remain a Birmingham councillor.

Four non-executive members of the new board were also appointed by Mr Jones.

They are

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