This in from the office of the new Police and Crime Commissioner, Simon Hayes. Ed
Residents of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight are being asked for their views on policing in the first major public consultation exercise by the Police and Crime Commissioner.
Simon Hayes is writing his first Police and Crime Plan since taking office, setting out how he will ensure there is an efficient and effective police service for the two counties.
He wants to ensure the targets he sets are reflective of the views of the public, and so has launched an online survey to collect opinions.
The “voice of the people”
He said: “When I was elected, I made a commitment to be the voice of the people. I spend much of my time meeting community representatives, but I want the public to send views and opinions directly to me. When I publish the plan and set the policing element of the Council Tax, I want my decisions to represent the thoughts of as many people as possible, so I would strongly encourage people to complete the survey.”
The Commissioner has some difficult decisions to make in the coming months, particularly around financing of the police. He said: “The public expects more from our police service, but there is only a limited amount of money in the pot to spend. Could the police be doing more in some areas? If so, would people be prepared to pay for it through an increase in the Council Tax? Or if we need to make cuts to ensure people don’t pay more, where can we make savings?”
Complete the survey online
To complete the survey, follow the link from the Commissioner’s website at www.hampshire-pcc.gov.uk/survey.
The survey will end at midday on Friday 18th January 2013. Hard copies of the survey are available by contacted the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner on 01962 871595.
Image: © Used with the kind permission of Eastleigh News
