Oldham Liberal Democrats are dismayed that the Mayor of Greater Manchester and Police and Crime Commissioner is not immediately publishing a damning report into Police management and performance.
Oldham Liberal Democrat Group Leader councillor Howard Sykes MBE has previously raised his concerns in letters and meetings with Mayor Andy Burnham.
Commenting councillor Sykes said: “Regrettably Mayor Burnham’s tenure as Police and Crime Commissioner has not been a happy one. Greater Manchester Police has under his woeful watch allowed over 80,000 crimes to go unrecorded in a single year, seen the departure of a Chief Constable under a cloud, and spent a fortune on a new iOPs Police computer system which still doesn’t work properly and at one point was functioning so poorly that officers had to go back to using paper and pen to take notes. Under Mayor Burnham, victims have been failed and criminals have not been prosecuted.”
Although the new Chief Constable, Stephen Watson, has seen the report, Mayor Burnham has refused to release the report, commissioned from consultants Pricewaterhousecoopers, until the Chief Constable formally commences his new duties at the end of May.
“This excuse provides just enough delay to enable Mayor Burnham to get through the process of seeking reelection as Mayor and Police and Crime Commissioner of Greater Manchester without the contents of this report impacting on his election hopes”, added Councillor Sykes.
“From what I have heard the report provides grim reading, with scathing comments about Police culture, management and performance that go to the very top. This is not the first time Greater Manchester Police has come in for serious criticism. Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary was condemnatory in its findings when it reported last year. This new report is now ready, it has been commissioned at public expense, so why can’t we the public see it?”
Andy Burnham has defended the delay in publishing the report arguing it would not be ‘appropriate’ until the new Chief has had the chance to assess his response to it.
