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West Mercia PCC 'no confidence' motion rejected West Mercia PCC 'no confidence' motion rejected
(about 4 hours later)
A motion of no confidence against the police and crime commissioner for West Mercia has been rejected by councillors.A motion of no confidence against the police and crime commissioner for West Mercia has been rejected by councillors.
Four out of 53 Worcestershire County Councillors voted in favour of the motion at a council meeting earlier.Four out of 53 Worcestershire County Councillors voted in favour of the motion at a council meeting earlier.
The vote followed criticism of Bill Longmore's decision to appoint his former campaign manager as his deputy.The vote followed criticism of Bill Longmore's decision to appoint his former campaign manager as his deputy.
Mr Longmore previously said he would not resign even if the vote went against him.Mr Longmore previously said he would not resign even if the vote went against him.
The Labour group on the council had proposed the motion after Mr Longmore appointed Barry Sheldon as his deputy on a £50,000 salary.The Labour group on the council had proposed the motion after Mr Longmore appointed Barry Sheldon as his deputy on a £50,000 salary.
They said candidates for the deputy role should have had full interviews and that the process in selecting Mr Sheldon was not "open and transparent."They said candidates for the deputy role should have had full interviews and that the process in selecting Mr Sheldon was not "open and transparent."
Twenty seven councillors voted against the motion and 18 abstained from the vote.Twenty seven councillors voted against the motion and 18 abstained from the vote.
Bill Longmore accuses party politicians of "sour grapes" as they ramp up the pressure on him to resign.
Is it, as he implies, a question of party politicians trying to get their own back because he was elected as an Independent?
I suspect the answer may reflect a clash of cultures. In his new-style executive role he is quite within his rights to appoint his chosen deputy without any semblance of an open or transparent selection process.
But this is clearly at odds with the selection processes of local government.
Ultimately, he is not accountable to individual local authorities and the Police and Crime panel reflecting all the councils in the area cannot veto his decision.
Perhaps the real test will be whether or not his embarrassment threshold is sufficiently high for him to tough it out for another three-and-a-half years.
BBC Midlands Today's Cath Mackie said: "Although the motion was overwhelmingly rejected, not a single councillor who spoke at the debate supported Bill Longmore's decision to personally appoint his deputy.BBC Midlands Today's Cath Mackie said: "Although the motion was overwhelmingly rejected, not a single councillor who spoke at the debate supported Bill Longmore's decision to personally appoint his deputy.
"He was accused by all sides of naivety and a lack of transparency.""He was accused by all sides of naivety and a lack of transparency."
'Extremely bad judgement'
Labour councillor Alan Amos said his group had proposed the motion because of what he called "unprecedented concern and anger throughout Worcestershire".
Mr Amos said: "Nobody's accused him of breaking the law. There comes a point when even if you haven't broken the law you should consider your position.
"What he's done is extremely bad judgement and he's brought the position of police and crime commissioner into disrepute within days of being elected.
"He's undermined the running of the West Mercia Police force by his actions.
"To go on as he is now in a very weakened state he commands no respect."