Bill Longmore survives council 'no confidence' vote

5:02pm Thursday 17th January 2013 in News Photograph of the Author By William Tomaney

WEST Mercia’s police and crime commissioner has survived a ‘no confidence’ motion at Worcestershire County Council - but was subject to widespread criticism.

Bill Longmore faced a Labour Party motion at the full council meeting earlier today at County Hall but it was widely rejected, with not a single Conservative or Liberal Democrat councillor voting for it.

When the motion went to a vote, all four Labour politicians voted for it but 27 voted against and 18 abstained.

The £50,000-a-year appointment of deputy Barrie Sheldon sparked the move and has caused Mr Longmore to come under fire from politicians and members of the public across the force area. Criticisms included accusations of “cronyism”.

The motion, if carried, would not have forced Mr Longmore or Mr Sheldon to resign.

Mr Longmore has called the furore "sour grapes" and has asked people to judge him in three-and-a-half years time.

Labour county councillor Mumshad Ahmed, who represents Kidderminster St George’s and St Oswald’s ward, said he was disappointed many councillors who had previously criticised Mr Longmore did not support the motion.

He added even though Mr Longmore had not broken any laws, Labour was still pushing for the police and crime commissioner's resignation.

Comments(17)

FranOb says...
5:41pm Thu 17 Jan 13

Unfortunately the Labour Motion was very poorly worded. It was a straight vote of No Confidence giving no reasons and the Labour speakers just did a character assassination on the guy.
I hate what the PCC has done but he has broken no laws and LabourPCCs have given even more jobs to their friends.

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emjaypee says...
8:49pm Thu 17 Jan 13

So Cllr Ahmed does not agree with the appointment of a deputy PCC without the job being first advertised. Shame he did not show the same concern for democracy when he changed party allegiance without first consulting his constituents through that most democratic gauge of opinion...the ballot box.
If Labour at County level can't think of any better way to engage the public, is it any wonder they only number 4 in total.

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DOEPUBLIC says...
8:54pm Thu 17 Jan 13

In reality Bill Longmore only co-opted a member of staff, following a protocol that is reflected across the country.
Expertise engaged for the security of West Mercia.

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HowardM says...
12:07pm Fri 18 Jan 13

@DOEPUBLIC - incorrect - the co-option to which you refer is ANOTHER appointment! The Deputy he appointed was not a member of police staff, he was his election agent with no current police connection prior to his appointment.

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emjaypee says...
5:31pm Fri 18 Jan 13

Just like Bob Jones the Labour PCC in West Mids then. He has appointed a deputy and is about to appoint a number of assistant deputies.
Jobs for the boys/girls if ever I heard one.
It is one thing Labour moaning about Mr Longmore but what about their lot in West Mids?
Stones & glasshouses together with a generous dose of hypocracy spring to mind.

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DOEPUBLIC says...
2:33am Sat 19 Jan 13

The appointment/co-optio
n was open to his discretion according to the two documents on this link
http://www.worcester
news.co.uk/news/1010
3871.Bill_Longmore_a
ppoints_deputy_PCC/

The politicians created the rules and call foul when they are followed.

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HowardM says...
1:22pm Sat 19 Jan 13

I didnt comment on the issue just the accuracy of an observation - The PPC has appointed both a Deputy and an Assistant - so far! Thats £200k taken from front line policing in West Mercia alone. Multiply that by the whole country and see what funding has been "lost" to policing by this ridiculous legislation.
"The politicians created the rules and call foul when they are followed" - not so - the Tory Government created this policy - Labour were against it in all its facits but put up candidates to mitigate the damage of a free run for Tory candidates! The Labour candidate said in his campaign that he would appoint a Deputy and that person would have a police background - that cost him some votes since a number of people questioned the cost. Longmore made no such prior commitment which was clearly misleading on what his eventual intentions were. Then he appointed his agent - clearly a predetermined intention? Neither open nor transparent! He could/should have said all along what his intentions were so voters could make up their minds.
Whether or not we agree with the principle, or the policy, the democratic process elected a PPC - it is then up to the individual to justify the faith and trust put in him by the electorate - some may say he has failed in that duty at the first hurdle. Time will tell if it is to be a blip or if it will ultimately prove par for the course.

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DOEPUBLIC says...
5:38pm Sat 19 Jan 13

If you examine documents on the link you will see a clear statement of position on both sides. Noting the expertise brought to the table by both individuals.

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emjaypee says...
11:40am Sun 20 Jan 13

HowardM is quick to criticise West Mercia and to answer critics here but is deafly silent on the antics of his lot in West Mids who are frittering away just as much of the public purse.
Bob Jones does not have to make those apppointments at West Mids and he is paying himself £100,000 per year where as Bill Longmore is taking £65000.

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Frank Owen says...
8:58pm Sun 20 Jan 13

Of course the vast majority of councillors were never going to support this motion....they never know when they might need a job!

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HowardM says...
11:47am Mon 21 Jan 13

@emjaypee - After appointing a Deputy, Bob Jones has advertised the recruitment of an Assistant in the West Midlands and applicants will be interviewed - unlike Bill Longmore who co-opted his Assistant choice with no option for others to apply! Due process!
Also the rate Jones is paid was set centrally (not by Jones, as implied) based on a population being covered of over 2 million in the West Mids area - the population in West Mercia is just over 1 million, hence a lower salary was set by Government. Both are being paid the "set rate for the job"
which was known before either were appointed.
And if you read what I said....... "Multiply that by the whole country and see what funding has been "lost" to policing by this ridiculous legislation" - I criticised the WHOLE process and national costs resulting from the policy, not just the West Mercia issue. So, no @emjaypeedeafly I am not "deadly silent on the antics of his lot in West Mids who are frittering away just as much of the public purse." If you actually read what I said my observations were all embracing. To repeat - the whole national policy is a shambles, costly and top heavy, and Labour have already said their next Government will scrap the role.

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comberton hill questions says...
1:06pm Mon 21 Jan 13

There appears to be 3 points to this the 1. Why the vote of no confidence fail?
2. Has Bill Longmore not been genuine with his intentions?
3. Is the system a waste of money

Taking the easy route question 3 most people would say paying extra bureaucrats monies which could be spent on front line policing a mistake.

Regarding point 2 I think this is where the argument is getting a bit twisted - other PCC did make their intentinos to appoint people duing their campaign process - now Bill as far as i am aware did not do this therefore it was not an open situation where others be it the Conservative or Labour candidate may have or even in other areas they may have.

If therefore Bill did not and an appointment was to be made that process should have gone through a proper channel to avoid this situation and accusation of cronyism being levied against him, as if his intentino was always to appoint his friend irrespective of how good is his friend may or may not be then that should have been declared if not then at least like you would do in most jobs it should have been properly advertised and the best person for the job then appointed.

Regarding point 1 well i do not know the exact wording of what was put forward however reading the live link whilst the debate was ongoing showed the strength of feeling against - this could have been used to send a message and it would be interesting to see who voted for him out fo the 27 and who abstained which was another 18.

Fran herself said in the chamber she regrets voting for him and I think that she reflects the mood well which brings us back to point 2 because if he had always intended to do this and had we known when we voted there is probably a good chance he would not have got voted in - in the first place hence the anger surrounding this situation.

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emjaypee says...
2:20pm Mon 21 Jan 13

If Labour are so against this process why are they only quibbling about it in areas where they lost in the vote.
As I said before if this is the best Labour at local level can do to try to engage the public, especially with a County election looming this spring, then is it any wonder they only number 4 in total.

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comberton hill questions says...
2:36pm Mon 21 Jan 13

emjayoee

Lets get this in order for a second - this is about the PCC in West mercia and the points I raised above.

Your position is to criticise someone who we do not know that much about who is also nto in our area - so I looked him up not only did he receive a CBE in 2010 for services to the police he also won 117,388 over the next of 55,685 to be the PCC for the West Midlands

Now your question or statement on why he is on 100,000 well maybe because the west midlands is the second largest area only being smaller than the Met - so one would imagine he would be on a larger salary as a result.

This is a conservative shambles which should never have happened do you not agree or are you a tory that will blindly follow dave and gideon irrespective?

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DOEPUBLIC says...
7:56pm Mon 21 Jan 13

Qu 1 answer.
Political opportunism. Especially with amendments being scarce.
Qu2 answer. Document on this link clearly addresses aspersions
http://www.worcester

news.co.uk/news/1010

3871.Bill_Longmore_a

ppoints_deputy_PCC/
Qu3. answer. Trust that the community will benefit more from the appointees than the disappointees.

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emjaypee says...
8:34pm Mon 21 Jan 13

CombHill, I have said on previous posts that I do not agree with the PCC issue, and I would have preferred to know the intentions of all prior to their appointment.
The West Mids PCC and any of the others for that matter do not have to accept the salary that is put in front of them.
You say I criticise someone we do not know much about.... likewise the Labour group at County Hall with this no confidence motion.
Anyone who sees my posts will know that I am equally critical of other party politicians and I will continue to be so

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comberton hill questions says...
2:10pm Wed 23 Jan 13

emjaypee i would hope you do carry on being critical of all political parties and look forward to reading your comments. regarding taking the salary - we all agree some salaries are disgusting - however most would agree the same re millionaire politicians and investment bankers (not you Mr Garnier) earning millions a year is obsene however for a man to run the 2nd biggest police authority in this sytem compared to other jobs £100,000 may be the going rate - and at least he is taking the going rate not like our own district councillors who take more than what they are entitled to based upon the report they commissioned.

I agree with you this should not have taken place at all there is no need for such a position however it is the transparency with which it occurred - tell the people what you stand for and what you intend to do that is where Bill has fallen down in this situation.

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