'It's just jobs for the boys' says furious Hernandez

A HUGE row has broken out locally following this week's announcement by the Government that it will abolish the role of Police and Crime Commissioners.

- By CARL EVE & JANET KING

As we reported yesterday, The announcement came as a shock to Devon and Cornwall's Police and Crime Commissioner, Alison Hernandez, who says she is 'disturbed' by the planned sweeping changes.

Speaking to The Herald, Ms Hernandez revealed she had already had an 'impending sense of doom' after the Labour Government had previously announced its plan to establish mayoral authorities, saying it was always known to her that the government's aim was to transfer the powers of policing into mayoral models.

However, she observed that such a new system was not currently in place in the South West, and there was no firm timeline as to when it would be. As such, while her role now had an end date of May 2028, nothing was even close to being prepared to take over the responsibilities of the Crime Commissioner.

Asked if this meant the Government had to get the regional mayoral system in place in the South West by May 2028, she explained: "I would like to say they have to have, but they don't." She revealed: "They've come up with an alternative option for areas that don't have a mayor - and this is my worry, because from what I've heard the minister say in her announcement, it will basically be four leaders of councils appointing somebody to do the day job that will probably cost the same as me, but will be unelected. So I don't quite see the point in that.