Prospect of real-life appearance from Police and Crime Commissioner met with laughter from Walsall councillors

Councillors at a scrutiny committee meeting this month were highly amused at the thought of a real-life appearance from the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) next year. 

Simon Foster, PCC for West Midlands, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service he was, in fact, ‘looking forward’ to the get together.

The rendezvous, scheduled for April 17, was announced by chair of the committee, councillor John Murray. 

He said: “They have agreed to put that date in their diaries now and will be attending. 

"I know we may smile at that but in the past years we have had great difficulty in securing the attendance of the PCC.”

Police and Crime Commissioners are elected officials who exist to cut crime and hold the police force to account. 

Simon Foster was re-elected in May this year and according to the Association of PCCs, his annual salary costs taxpayers £101,900.

Walsall Council leader Garry Parry recently launched an attack on the role of the Police and Crime Commissioner at full council, saying the post was a ‘total waste of time’ and a ‘talking shop’. 

Councillor Perry aired his gripes when pressed about the levels of violent crime across the borough of Walsall. 

During an 11 week period between July 8 and September 24 this year, there were at least seven reported incidents of gun or knife crime across Walsall, equating to about one every 10 days. 

Councillor Perry said the PCC role was ‘a lot of money for nonsense’ and called for it to be abolished.