Local Labour politicians have hit out at government plans for directly-elected police chiefs, creating further rifts between the central and local party. The LGA Labour group has written to the prime minister, Gordon Brown, criticising the policing plans which were outlined in the latest Home Office Green Paper, published last week. Controversial proposals to have directly-elected crime and policing representatives (CPRs) to control the work of police authorities could open the door to ‘populist or extremist candidates', and would ‘threaten and devalue' the role of councils, according to Labour leaders. The letter urges ministers to engage in ‘urgent dialogue' with Labour local government. The Tories also reacted coldly to the idea of CPRs, with the shadow home secretary, Dominic Grieve, branding the plan ‘half-hearted'. LGA chairman, Sir Simon Milton, said CPRs could be a ‘disaster'. He added: ‘Why go to the cost and bother of setting up this new role when council leaders are ready to do the job and already have a democratic mandate? Bringing in direct elections for police authorities and sidelining democratically-elected councillors could prove to be a recipe for disaster. The paper pledges that ‘no additional pressure' would be placed on council tax bills' if the changes were implemented. A discussion report by SOLACE has questioned the plans. It says police authorities already have elected members. ‘Who would pay for the major cost of running these elections?' the report asks.
