May denies police ‘spending sprees’

The Home Secretary insisted yesterday that most of the country’s new Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) are striving to keep spending down, amidst criticism that many have appointed key jobs to their campaign managers or other political colleagues.

West Yorkshire PCC Mark Burns-Williamson was this week accused of “politicising the police” after giving two roles to fellow Labour councillors, with a combined salary of almost £100,000-a-year.

And Humberside PCC Matthew Grove – who beat John Prescott in last November’s inaugural PCC elections - was accused of “political cronyism” after unveiling a fellow Conservative councillor, Paul Robinson, as his new deputy.

In Cumbria, meanwhile, it emerged this week the new PCC has been spending hundreds of pounds of taxpayer’s money on limo trips for “security reasons”.

Appearing before the Commons home affairs committee yesterday, Mrs May was forced to deny that some PCCs are “living the good life” and going on “spending sprees” at the taxpayer’s expense.

“I don’t believe that to be the case,” she said.

“My sense is they are trying as far as is possible to remain within the sort of budgets we said they should - which would mean they cost no more than the police authorities which preceded them.”

Asked to condemn the appointment of political advisers to high-salaried ‘deputy’ positions, the Home Secretary said: “The whole point is that PCCs will be accountable to their electorate.

“The point will come where the electorate will take a decision on how it is appropriate for PCCs to spend their money, and how effective they have been.

“The point of localism and PCCs is it is up to them to make decisions about their budget. These are matters that the electorate will judge them on.”

During a wide-ranging question-and-answer session on British policing, Mrs May revealed the Metropolitan Police have decided to increase numbers at this weekend’s London Marathon in light of the bombings in Boston.

“Nobody has yet been identified as being responsible for the incidents that took place in Boston,” she said.

“We and the police have looked once more at the London Marathon in light of that, and they have made what they believe to be appropriate arrangements.

“They have made some adjustments and they have put some increased policing in.

“The organisers have a good record in terms of the venue security arrangements, such as you can for an event which covers 26 miles.”

Mrs May added that she felt “the police did an excellent job” at Lady Thatcher’s funeral on Wednesday, and insisted “the policing was appropriate for the event”.

She also expressed her “deep frustration” at the Home Office’s ongoing failure to deport Abu Qatada, and said police are currently assessing whether there is any prospect he could face trial in this country following his recent re-arrest.

“Those who are responsible for making decisions about prosecutions... have looked at in the past, and continue to look at, what evidence is available, to see whether it is possible to take a prosecution in the UK,” she said.

“We have a situation at the moment where Abu Qatada is in Belmarsh, he was arrested for breach of his bail conditions, and obviously consideration is being given, in looking at material that was discovered, to see whether that leads to prosecution.”