'˜Freedom of speech is dead at County Hall' claims crime czar

Matthew Grove sat through a two-hour meeting at County Hall, Beverley, yesterday, but was not allowed to say a word on a review panel’s report.

The panel made 16 recommendations after the official police watchdog branded Humberside Police “inadequate” last October.

Mr Grove, a former East Riding Cabinet member, had offered to take questions from a scrutiny sub-committee yesterday, which was reviewing the panel’s findings, but was told he could only attend as an observer. Afterwards Mr Grove - who was sitting just behind review panel chairman John Dennis - said it was “madness.”

Mr Grove fell out with colleagues after sharing the same benches at County Hall. He was the only Cabinet member to vote against giving a golden goodbye to former council director Sue Lockwood. In 2010 he and his deputy Paul Robinson were accused of being part of a plot to oust the Tory leadership.

The review panel had claimed Mr Grove and chief constable Justine Curran had “rejected” their own invitation to take part in the review, but Mr Grove said this was because they had insisted on a behind-closed doors meeting. He said: “I’ve warm relationships with the three other councils and have spoken to public scrutiny meetings about these very issues. But the authority where I was a member of the Cabinet seem unable to communicate with me in a normal human way.”

A council spokesman said the report was purely for the sub-committee to comment on, adding: “The PCC was invited to take part in the review panel process but refused but the sub-committee would welcome their input at a future meeting when it monitors the progress made against the recommendations.”