FORMER POLICE CHIEF HITS OUT AT HIS SUCCESSOR

HE'S UNHAPPY AT CUT TO OFFENDER SCHEME FUNDING

- By RICHARD EVANS Local Democracy Reporter [e-mail]

THE former Police and Crime Commissioner for North Wales has criticised his successor for lack of provision of support for offenders who use drugs.

Dechrau Newydd was a Criminal Justice Support Programme aiming to support and engage those at risk of offending or who are involved in the Criminal Justice system.

Funded by £400,000 from the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), the scheme was run by drug and alcohol charity Kaleidoscope, together with funds from the Probation Service and Welsh Government, supporting people across North Wales.

The project was set up in 2019 when former Police and Crime Commissioner Arfon Jones was at the helm, but the PCC has cut funding after a five-year review of the service, and the scheme ended on March 31, 2025.

Now Mr Jones has taken aim at the current chief, Labour's Andy Dunbobbin, for cutting the funding, claiming he's not put a new scheme in place.

"I'm disappointed that the PCC has decided to discontinue the Dechrau Newydd without putting an alternative into place," said Mr Jones.