Police and Crime Commissioner for Lincolnshire

Police and Crime Commissioner for Lincolnshire
Post	Police and Crime Commissioner for Lincolnshire
Incumbentsince	22 November 2012
Formation	22 November 2012
Inaugural	Alan Hardwick
Appointer	Electorate of Lincolnshire
Termlength	Four years
Website	Lincolnshire PCC

Police and Crime Commissioner for Lincolnshire is an elected official charged with setting policing priorities for Lincolnshire Constabulary, overseeing budgets and strategic direction, and commissioning community safety services across Lincolnshire. The office was created by the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 as part of national reforms prompted by debates in the House of Commons, the House of Lords, and responses to recommendations from inquiries such as the Hillsborough disaster review and the Macpherson Report. The position interacts with national bodies including the College of Policing, the Home Office, and the National Crime Agency.

History

The office was instituted following passage of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 under the Coalition government led by David Cameron and Nick Clegg. The first elections in November 2012 occurred alongside contests for other PCCs across England and Wales, a process shaped by debates in the Local Government Association and campaigns by figures such as Sara Thornton and Sir Hugh Orde. Lincolnshire's transition replaced the former Lincolnshire Police Authority, which included members from the Lincolnshire County Council, representatives from district councils like Boston Borough Council and East Lindsey District Council, and independent magistrates. Subsequent national developments—such as the creation of Mayor of the West Midlands and discussions about police governance in the London Assembly—influenced discourse around regional accountability and combined authority models affecting Lincolnshire.

Role and responsibilities

The commissioner sets a Police and Crime Plan aligning with statutory duties set out in the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 and liaises with the Home Secretary and the Secretary of State for the Home Department on strategic priorities. Responsibilities include appointing and dismissing the Chief Constable of Lincolnshire Constabulary, approving annual budgets and precepts in consultation with billing authorities such as Lincolnshire County Council and unitary authorities like North Lincolnshire Council, and commissioning victim services often provided by organisations including Victim Support and local charities. The office engages with multi-agency partnerships such as the Local Criminal Justice Board, the Community Safety Partnerships in areas like Grimsby and Lincoln, and national agencies like the Crown Prosecution Service and the Sentencing Council on crime reduction strategies.

Election and tenure

Commissioners are elected by registered voters in constituencies including Gainsborough, Lincoln, and Boston and Skegness using the supplementary vote system instituted in the 2012 cycle and the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 framework; subsequent debates in the Electoral Commission and the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011 influenced electoral arrangements. Terms last four years, with elections contested by candidates from parties such as the Conservative Party, the Labour Party, the Liberal Democrats, the Green Party, and independents formerly associated with groups like UK Independence Party. High-profile election campaigns have referenced national figures including Theresa May, Jeremy Corbyn, Boris Johnson, and Nick Clegg in debates on policing policy and local crime priorities.

Officeholders

Since 2012, officeholders have included inaugural commissioner Alan Hardwick and successors from parties and independent backgrounds who coordinated with chief constables such as Neil Rhodes and Christopher Haward (acting), and worked alongside partner organisations including Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue and the NHS England local teams. Commissioners have shared platforms with politicians and public figures like Sir Peter Tapsell, Clare Short, John Prescott, and local MPs from constituencies including Lincoln and South Holland and The Deepings to communicate priorities. Officeholders have varied in policy focus, drawing on comparative models from commissioners in Greater Manchester and West Midlands and referencing national oversight by institutions such as the Independent Office for Police Conduct.

Policies and initiatives

Policy agendas have encompassed priorities such as rural crime responses in areas like The Fens, anti-social behaviour campaigns in towns such as Skegness, and domestic abuse initiatives coordinated with agencies including Rape Crisis and Refuge. Commissioners have launched programmes targeting issues mirroring national strategies from the Home Office: reducing acquisitive crime, improving road policing on arterial routes like the A15 road and A46, and enhancing cybercrime resilience in partnership with the National Cyber Security Centre and the College of Policing learning programmes. Commissioned victim support services have engaged community organisations, faith groups linked to dioceses such as the Diocese of Lincoln, and youth interventions referencing models from the Youth Justice Board and the Prince's Trust.

Oversight and accountability

The commissioner is scrutinised by the Lincolnshire Police and Crime Panel, composed of councillors from authorities including West Lindsey District Council and independent members appointed under guidance from the Local Government Association. National oversight mechanisms include the Independent Office for Police Conduct for complaints, the National Audit Office for financial accountability where applicable, and parliamentary scrutiny via select committees such as the Home Affairs Select Committee. Transparency obligations require publication of the Police and Crime Plan, audited accounts aligning with standards from the Charity Commission for England and Wales where local charities are funded, and compliance with freedom of information practices overseen by the Information Commissioner's Office.

Category:Police and Crime Commissioners in England Category:Lincolnshire