The New Local Government Network has welcomed the Government’s commitment to giving citizens a larger influence over local policing but urged the Government to ensure that councils were given a clear and powerful voice in the process. The announcement was made as part of a new Policing Green Paper.

NLGN – which last year called for council leaders to have the power to hire and fire Chief Constables – said that varying local circumstances meant that local citizens and elected representatives were in a better position to decide how resources should be targeted.

NLGN Director Chris Leslie said:

“The Government has worked hard to bring local citizens closer to policing, however, central control of can leave some communities feeling that their concerns are not fully addressed. Crime is predominantly a local problem and research shows that 90% is committed within 10 miles of the perpetrator’s home. Neighbourhood accountability over local policing is the right way ahead.

“Local government stands ready to take on the role of police accountability and I hope that these reforms will see elected representatives helping their local forces to better target crime”.

Commenting on the Draft Queen’s Speech in general, Chris Leslie said that the programme “was underpinned by a genuinely localist framework”. He said that he was encouraged by the proposals to empower local citizens with more control over local services and plans to reform the House of Lords, although he urged Ministers to look seriously at involving council leaders in a new Second Chamber.