18/11/2012 Sunday Politics East Midlands

In the East Midlands: Want to know what your new police

commissioner looks like? We'll hear from all of them.

And is the Corby by-election Middle England rejecting the

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 2387 seconds

Two Labour, one Conservative and an independent. No, it's not the worst

Christmas party ever. It's the line up of police and crime

commissioners in the East Midlands. We'll be hearing from all four of

them, and from you. He cannot know about it unless you do so for about

it. -- you cannot know about it. All that and Corby too. In the

studio are two brand-new, fresh- faced Police and Crime

Commissioners. Paddy Tipping won Nottinghamshire for Labour and Alan

Charles, also from Labour, is the commissioner for Derbyshire. And no

less fresh-faced, we also have Mark Spencer, the Conservative MP for

Sherwood. So, what's the difference between our studio and a polling

booth? Well, there are more people here than turned up at one voting

centre in the East Midlands this week that's for sure. So let's take

a look at those figures. The highest voting was in

Nottinghamshire, with a turnout of just over 16%. Next it was

Leicestershire where there was also a 16% turnout. In Lincolnshire it

was 15%. And in Derbyshire only 14% of the electorate cast their votes.

The best performer in the region was Rushcliffe with a dizzying

turnout of 22%. Poorest was Bolsover where only 11% of the

electorate voted. Paddy, this will haunt you for your entire term in

office, won't it? How can you say you have a mandate for anything you

do? I have got more votes than any other politician in the East

Midlands. It is a poor turnout, there is no point denying that. The

responsibility upon us all is to demonstrate that this post can work.

The Derbyshire figures were even worse, 11% in Bolsover. Only two

people turned out at one polling booth at Kedleston. That is a shame

that that happened. But quite clearly, the government were told

that they must give candidates the ability to give a mailshot. I spoke

to hundreds of people on the phone last week and everyone said they

didn't know what the election was about all he was standing. Isn't it

also that people didn't want I take a point on board. I would rather

have seen that money spent on policing on the streets. This is an

embarrassment, isn't it? Does the tax payer want to pay for those

leaflets? We should take feedback about whether they want to get a

mailshot. It is now down to these guys to do the job and inspire the

next round of voting. If they do a good job, maybe they will be

inspired. If they do a bad job, they will probably inspired an even

more! We had heard of and out there has been a shooting in Nottingham.

This is the sort of thing that will land on your desk on a weekly basis.

What do you do now? I have been speaking to the police and you'll

be pleased to note an arrest has been taking place. We will have to

wait and see how the investigation goes, going forward. Let's be clear,

Nottingham has a good place to live. The amount of shootings has gone

down. We have to keep on top of that because the image of our city

depends upon it. It shows that the commissioner, the Chief Constable

have to work closely together and that is what is going to happen.

What are you going to do about gun crime? We have to use intelligence,

target serious gangs which is happening at the moment. We have

got to reassure the public but actually, Nottingham is a safe

place to live. The fear of crime sometimes is more disabling than

the actual crime itself. Next here for another of our new

commissioners. -- let's hear from another of our commissioners. OK,

let's hear from another of our new PCCs. The former fighter pilot and

ex-Air Chief Marshall in the RAF, Sir Clive Loader, won

Leicestershire and Rutland for the Conservatives. He's jetted off on a

break before taking up his post. Our reporter caught up with him at

the count and asked how his previous experience will help in

his new role. The IRA leader, a high of knowledge of running

complex budgets, particularly making difficult decisions. That is

the background that I bring. Also, I would say I have something else,

which is building teams. I have built, sometimes lead, teams in

very difficult circumstances and we have 18 to build here. Myself and

the Chief Constable, our relationship will be critical to

how wealthy initiative works here. I know that we will work well

together. You have had a few run- ins in with Sir Peter Salsbury.

do you see your relationship panning out with him in the future?

We will work together. I have a job to do witches to help the Chief

Constable to give targets and so on to the police force. A crime is a

crime were ever it is committed. I have made it very clear, while at

the on hustings and elsewhere, and there has to be a balance between

things that happen in the City, it could be anti-social behaviour,

burglaries and so on, and things that happen in this country side,

whether it is theft of rural farm machinery or whatever. Getting that

balance right and making sure that people feel that the police are

looking after them, are responding to things properly, one day become

the victims of crime. We heard Sir Clive talking about representing

all of Leicestershire and Rutland, the rural areas and the urban ones

and Alan, that's going to be a challenge for you isn't?

Derbyshire is a one a full county and extremely diverse. As others

have done, once the election is over, you represent everybody.

are your priorities? To maintain it community policing. So long as

there are no other budget cuts handed down in December, I will

maintain those levels. I am going to stick up for the police who are

facing major cuts. Actually, I will argue for more resources. It is

important and I will use those resources to strengthen

neighbourhood police teams and secondly to take on anti-social

behaviour. That's a big priority for me. You have said that most

crime happens in Labour areas. will concentrate on whether crime

is. 70 % of the crime is in urban parts of Nottingham. It is

important to represent everybody and Ferrar real anxieties in rural

areas. Mark, are you worried about that? World rural areas lose out?

am more than happy to work with these gentlemen to make sure we get

good funding from the Government. Maybe they cannot commit to not

increasing council tax. By her up there will be no cuts coming in

December. -- I hope. It is vital those families under pressure will

those families under pressure will those families under pressure will

those families under pressure will those families under pressure will

not see their council tax bill go I've already had a meeting this

morning. It is important to get best value for money. There are

ways of getting savings and putting resources to the frontline. Ray are

on the case. We are going to do it. People want to feel safe in their

homes and streets. We have to get on with it. I started meetings this

yesterday morning. This work is under way. We have to demonstrate

that police commissioners can make a difference if we work together to

make a change. Everything depends on a settlement that will be out in

December. Cuts will be inevitable but we need to be clear that we

need to protect frontline services. So a lot of promises about policing,

but what do people really want from their police commissioners? The

voters may have stayed away from the ballot boxes, but one place

where you're guaranteed to find a crowd on a Sunday morning is at the

car boot sale at Nottingham Racecourse. So our political editor

has been there this morning to gauge opinion.

�14 and voters the cost to every voter who took part in elections.

�14 would certainly go a long way here today. We are at their car

boot sale at this racecourse. We will find out whether these people

voted or not and if they didn't, why not? And if they did, what they

expect from the commissioners. Let's find out from Sandra.

didn't know who I was voting for. I expect from these commissioners to

know who they are and what they are going to do for us. Why did you

vote on Thursday? I've always had good relationships with the police

because we often do work with them. They help us out. It is important

to me. I would like to see a less paperwork done and more men on the

beat. Less bureaucracy. Did you take part? I have a disabled

daughter and I wasn't prepared to give my free time up to go and vote.

I didn't vote. I didn't have any information. That needs to change,

definitely. If we go over here, we will find somebody who did vote.

And a, you did vote. Why did you vote? I was given the opportunity

to vote. You cannot moan about it unless you do something about it. I

didn't feel there was enough information given regarding the

candidates. You are given an opportunity so you must use it.

Thank you very much. Things are moving on very quickly. These

commissioners will take their office as early as Tuesday. On

Friday, the commission's take office itself.

Could this mean a rise in council tax? We don't know until we get the

settlement from the government. If we get a good settlement... If we

get a good settlement, and I hope Mark will be good on his word and

will fight for that, we will be able to adjust the council precept

from their. The government have offered a 1% freeze grant to us

this year but that is not straightforward drive a. We you

work together on this? The East Midlands has been underfunded for

many years. We need to work together on this. The first answer

is not to put up tax but to look for efficiencies. Let's get coppers

out from behind desks and on to the streets. Paddy, you have promised

to cut paperwork. What will you cut? It is important that people

get out on the streets. It's important police officers get out

on the streets. Many of them have hand held computers are, new

technology. We need to get people out of the police stations and onto

the streets. We need to be efficient and effective. Most

people want to see more bobbies on the beat but the government is

saying we cannot afford this with twenties % cuts. -- 20 % cut.

have to make sure that the police work for us. They are

democratically accountable representatives and they need to be

steered the police. If you are complaining about anti-social

behaviour or you want to complain about anything in your community,

get in contact with these new commissioners and make sure they

know what your priorities are. are all going to be asking for more

money. Where will it come from? Nottinghamshire police have lost

300 officers. The Inspectorate of police say police can take 12 % cut

but not 20 % cuts without affecting frontline policing. We need to work

with Marchand others to get a fair settlement for course -- for all

the East Midlands police forces. Briefly. The Government needs to

get more money in the system and get people out into work.

We've heard from three of the commissioners in the East Midlands,

let's hear now from the fourth. Because in Lincolnshire the

Independent candidate, Alan Hardwick, who's a former TV

presenter on Calendar, was elected. He's certainly well known on the

streets of Lincolnshire and there was no shortage of well-wishers

when our reporter caught up with him. My dream, my ambition is that

the police -- the people of Lincolnshire get the police and

they want. I am going to arrange meetings and surgeries all over the

counter because only by finding out from the people of Lincolnshire

what they want, getting grassroots opinion, can retarget the resources

that we have effectively. To what if the public. Expense of things? -

- what if the pub we want expensive things? A special role Grant was

taken away from us. My message to the Government is you've taken away

money. The problems are still here. That doesn't make sense, does it?

We would like our money back, please. You only have 10 weeks to

plan your budget? Will that be enough? I want a depth of

consultation with the people of Lincolnshire. Her Majesty's

Inspectorate of Constabulary have raised concerns that they won't be

able to deal with much more in terms of cuts. I believe that is

scaremongering in the extreme. me put it this way, the cuts are

front-end loaded so we've got over the worst of them. I am hoping that

an approach of asking the government, demanding from the

Government that we have at least our �1.8 million a year bank, which

is the equivalent of 42 officers, coupled with economies that I am

sure we can beat -- I am sure we can make, without losing jobs,

without threatening jobs, unsure that what H M RIAC says may ring

true with them at the moment. But we will prove them wrong. -- HMRC.

And didn't Lincoln look beautiful in that autumn sunshine?

Well, if the PCC elections weren't exciting enough we've had a by-

election too. Corby is on the edge of the East Midlands but the

results there have big implications for our region. There was a

relatively healthy turnout of 45% for the by-election. The result saw

a swing of almost 13% from Conservative to Labour. UKIP polled

more than 5,000 votes, leaving the Liberal Democrats in fourth place.

The new MP, Andy Sawford said it was an historic result. Today,

Middle England have sent a strong message to David Cameron. It's the

first parliamentary by-election in 15 years where Labour has won back

a Tory-held seat. Mark Spencer, a seat that swings between Labour and

Conservative goes back to Labour? Ring any alarm bells? Could be

Sherwood! People are feeling the pressure. At the general election,

there will be a different result. Paddy, you were the Labour MP for

Mark's seat in the last government. But in reality you haven't done as

well as you expected. If Middle England is turning against the

Tories it's not turning to you is it? This was a 13 % swing. Let's be

clear. County council by-election last

month and a 19 % swing to Labour. People want the economy to grow and

that is what will decide the next general election. It is not just

Corby, is it? It is the PCC elections as well. There have been

predictions of 20 Labour PCC's. People are not exactly warning to

Labour, are they? I think our prediction was 819. We have done

significantly better than that which is great. What people have

said in Corby is where David Cameron is saying we are all in

this together, clearly we are not. Where tax breaks are being handed

out in millionaires and big companies, who won not paying their

share, we have had enough. They want to move back to Labour. I

suppose one of the bigger worries for you, with a call the result,

might be the size of the United Kingdom Independence Party vote. I

think the general election is two years away so let's not get excited

about them. What really matters is actually jobs and the economy. We

as a government need to make sure we get the economy moving. That

process is starting to happen. With created 1 million jobs in the

private sector. We've cut the deficit and by the time we get to

the next general election, plan a will have been proved to be right.

He cannot ignore this United Kingdom Independence Party result,

can you? The Tory cry that a vote for them is a wasted vote may be

wearing a bit thin now. Ignore it at your peril, I think is the one.

I am not ignoring it. Europe is a big issue. If we look at what has

happened in the courts and the fact we cannot get rid of some of our

criminals frustrate people enormously. As a government, we got

to address that and get to grips with that. There are two-and-a-half

years ago. We are halfway through this journey and I think we are

making some progress. People will recognise that the progress we've

made is good. Time for our regular round up of the other political

stories in the East Midlands in our Ambulance workers have been

protesting. A public consultation over restructuring plans for East

Midlands ambulance service which includes closing 12 out of 13

stations in Nottinghamshire has so far only resulted in so... Rutland

County Council has approved a new guidelines on wind turbines. The

planning document limits the number of turbine is that can be built

close together. Sir Peter Salsbury has warned

appalling choices will have to be made when it comes to Leicester

City Council has future budgets. The mayor accused the Government.

The Peak District National Park Authority is asking people to stop

planting ashtrays to prevent the spread of a disease.

It also wants people to contact them if they've planted ashtrays in

the last six years. No cases of the have been found in the park. -- ash

What about Nadine Dorries in the jungle? I haven't been voting for