Row set to intensify over crime commissioner appointment (From York Press)

Row set to intensify over crime commissioner appointment

10:33am Tuesday 1st January 2013 in East Yorkshire news

THE row over the appointment of an East Yorkshire councillor as the region’s deputy police and crime commissioner will intensify at a council meeting next week.

Howdenshire councilor Paul Robinson has said he intends to stay in the role despite being given the £45,000-a-year role as second-in-command to the new Humberside Police commissioner, Matthew Grove. Mr Grove is also a councilor but has said he intends to resign from his East Riding of Yorkshire Council seat for Mid Holderness.

Senior members of the authority’s Conservative group are understood to feel Coun Robinson should also quit the council over concerns his two positions create a conflict of interest. Labour councilor Paul Hogan has now tabled a motion to be debated at a full council meeting on Wednesday, January 9, reading: “That this council considers the role of Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner to be incompatible with holding office as an elected member of this council”.

Coun Robinson said council officials have told him there is no conflict between his two roles. He has indicated however he intends to stand down from two of the authority’s committees.