Job for the boys.

Is the coming election on November 15th, an election to get a job for the boys?
The job will carry a salary of £100,000 a year, which is going to cost us millions over the years.
I believe it is ill timed when the are getting rid of 16,000 officers.
Do we really need police commissioners?

Re: Job for the boys.

In a word No Arthur ...

Re: Job for the boys.

I think it would be wiser spending money on more constables.

Re: Job for the boys.

Which is why Cameron's neo-fascist back-benchers don't want reform of the Upper House either, because they see it as their RIGHT to a retirement 'nice littler earner'.

Re: Job for the boys.

I don't think there is a political divide on that issue UJ, they all want a nice little earner in their retirement, be it the Upper House, Europe or wherever...

Re: Job for the boys.

I have just looked on the website for information on who is standing in our area and apparently the nominations will not even be be published until 26th October. I also wanted to know what sort of person was eligible to stand. The criteria for being elible says that you should be an important person in the community and if you are an MP you must give up the post of MP if elected.
The site told me that 100 individuals (but who these individuals are has not been mentioned) have to nominate a candidate before he/she can stand in the elections and a deposit of £5,000 must be put up be each candidate. I have also discovered that the appointed person will employ an entourage of Chief Executive, Finance, etc., as well as administrative staff.
How can a nominated candidate possibly effiectively canvas the voters in his/her area in about 3 weeks weeks of being nominated? I am beginning to think that in a lot of areas these posts already have people lined up for them.
So yes, I do think it will be a case of "jobs for the boys" and the appointments have all but been made already - in spite of the public having a vote, because I don't think that many people will have the time or information for them to be able to make an informed decison on who to vote for and will stay at home - Sorry, but I don't trust these elections and I fear that I smell a rat and all may well not be what it says it is. The actual public vote may not be as important as the selection work that has already taken place and decided without the input of the general public. I hope I am wrong.

Re: Job for the boys.

If sufficient numbers abstain from the election, then these so-called Police Commissioners will have lost their legitimacy to take action on 'our' behalf.

Re: Job for the boys.

I have just been watching the TV and they are interviewing nominated candidates for posts in North West. Given that according to the website the nominations are not supposed to be out until the 26th of this month how come they are already canvassing and being interviewed. Now I smell a pack of rats.

Edited to add:
I have just been onto the website which has been updated and the nominations actually closed at noon today - so although I was sure I read it as such, maybe I was mistaken believing the 26th was the closing date.
Whatever though, I do think these appointments will be political - and think there will be problems and arguments ahead. By the way I understand the cost of the elections is something like £75 million.

Re: Job for the boys.

Yes Rena £75million, and it is every 4 years Give me strength, I thought we were making cutbacks.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/au...ns-low-turnout

Re: Job for the boys.

Thanks for the link Wrinkley. It might have been the date the helpline opening that confused me? I don't think I have ever felt so negative and sceptical about an election process as I do over this one.

Edied (again) to add:
Sorry to appear to be labouring this folks, but I was right after all. The candidate information won't be available until 26th October (although we do know their names). Voting day is 15th November and I do really think it is a short timescale for folks to be able to make an informed decision on how to vote.
I'll leave this now - I must be getting a bit boring.