Present excepted (From York Press)

Present excepted

9:37am Wednesday 17th October 2012 in Letters By Readers' letters

IN NOVEMBER, the people of Yorkshire will be tasked with electing a crime commissioner, or in the words of Wilf Arnott, a sheriff (Letters, October 11).

He states that political parties will have a leading role, but they have had a leading role since1999.

They have controlled the build-up of police numbers and the decline in numbers.

They suspended the cap whereby the authorities put quite a burden on the public.

The future of the police forces (all 43) will be in the hands of 43 individuals of whatever political following, but the unfortunate thing is the advisers to the commissioner are the same people who have sat back and done lip service to the job they were supposed to do.

However, what is not clear to the public is with the reduction of the police officers is the massive savings in costings: 30 officers equals £1million.

So what about the reduction of 300 with the prospect of a further 130 by 2015? Work it out for yourself.

No present members of the police authori--ty should be considered for involvement with the post of commissioner or their advisors.

P Richardson, Haxby, York.

 

• THE police and crime commissioner election for North Yorkshire takes place on November 15.

This role is open to all, yet I have no idea who is taking part.

The Government appears to promote this role while not giving easy access to details of the candidates.

The only voices getting minimal notice are those being supported by the main political parties – independent candidates are getting no exposure.

The obvious conclusion is that the Government would like a political stooge to occupy the posts.

May I therefore ask that anybody considering voting looks at any independent candidate first and then exercises these options:

• Vote for the independent candidate of your choice

• If no independent candidate is available then spoil your ballot paper

• Refuse to vote.

But please do not vote on party lines as this role crosses political boundaries.

Neil Raw, Oriel Grove, Clifton Without, York.