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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| West Mercia PCC 'no confidence' motion rejected | West Mercia PCC 'no confidence' motion rejected |
| (about 2 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 was pleased the vote went in his favour and said there is "no animosity" towards those against him. | |
| 'Not transparent' | |
| He said: "I think now we can all sit down together and start working for the job I was appointed for. | |
| "It's a big job and I think it needs us all to work together to achieve everything that was set out in the policing current plan. | |
| "I'm looking forward to working with the people on the council. | |
| "There's no animosity as far as I'm concerned. | |
| "I Just want to work together so that West Mercia people will have a really good police force, a safe environment and a happy environment." | |
| Mr Longmore added he was going to suggest that potential commissioners proposed a deputy, ahead of future elections. | |
| Bill Longmore accuses party politicians of "sour grapes" as they ramp up the pressure on him to resign. | 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? | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. |
| 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." | |
| Twenty seven councillors voted against the motion and 18 abstained from the vote. | |
| 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' | '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". | 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. | 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. | "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. | "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." | "To go on as he is now in a very weakened state he commands no respect." |