Panel ignored

HOW can Katy Bourne, the Sussex police and crime commissioner, appoint a deputy, albeit an ex-police authority chairman and another Tory, like her, in spite of the police and crime panel being against it?

By The Newsroom

Published 28th Feb 2013, 16:00 BST

The job of the panel is to scrutinise the performance and decisions of the crime commissioner; but it hasn’t any power of veto. The role of the deputy police and crime commissioner is not subject to a democratic vote and does not have to be advertised – all this, in spite of Mrs Bourne’s promise to be open and transparent.

The combined salaries of these two individuals, about £130,000, would pay for three policemen or six community support officers.

In the vast area that Mrs Bourne represents, although now assisted by her deputy, how often has she participated in crime and police matters west of Worthing?

How expensive this new system is becoming, but how does this big financial commitment, replacing the former police authority, really benefit this part of Sussex?

Margaret Boulton

St Mary’s Close

Littlehampton