31 August, 2011
I have today written to Paul Carter, Conservative Leader of KCC and Trudy Dean, Lib Dem Leader of the Opposition, to thank them for their support.
Their joint letter to the Prime Minister, sent earlier this month, states that the current arrangements, if properly exercised, allow for robust scrutiny of the police, and they highlight what they see as the serious flaws in the Government's proposals for the introduction of Police and Crime Commissioners next May.
Indeed, their concerns are around how such a model of governance could "Open the doors to confrontation with elected councillors, and accusations of political bias which would detract from independent, robust policing."
I would like to think that, even this far down the road , there is still time for reconsideration and further debate, especially when senior political figures such as Paul Carter and Trudy Dean raise such fundamental concerns.