The PCC's [Jane Kennedy] Selection of Cllr Ann O'Byrne For The Position of Deputy - Part 1
Josie Mullen made this Freedom of Information request to Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner This request has been closed to new correspondence. Contact us if you think it should be reopened.
Dear Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner,
In the FOI response [29th March 2019 re. Selection of Deputy Crime Commissioner I note the following:
Merseyside Police & Crime Panel – 15th May 2014
[1] The Panel had not been notified of the item - re appointment of Deputy Crime Commissioner by Jane Kennedy
[2] how the candidate had been identified;
[3] whether it was appropriate to appoint a Liverpool Councillor given that the Commissioner had herself been an MP in Liverpool, and whether this was suitably representative of the rest of the City Region;
[4] possible public perceptions in respect of the way the candidate had been selected, particularly in view of the Home Affairs Select Committee’s recent report which had pointed to problems regarding such appointments and allegations of ‘cronyism’, and the level of remuneration;
[5] whether Councillor O’Byrne would continue to be an Assistant Mayor and Cabinet Member in Liverpool City Council, and whether this would result either in a conflict of interest given the field of work the DPCC was expected to be working in and/or insufficient time available to discharge her DPCC responsibilities;
QUESTION 1 -The position of Police Crime Commissioner demands the highest standards of ethical behaviour. This being so, why did the PCC, decide to circumvent normal procedures - i.e. advertising post of Deputy Crime Commissioner/Interviewing candidates etc [Especially in light of observations made by Merseyside Police & Crime Panel [above]
QUESTION 2 - PCC Jane Kennedy unilaterally decided to give the post of Deputy Crime Commissioner to a person who was well known to her, if not a personal friend [as was intimated by members of the Merseyside Police & Crime Panel in relation to perceived cronyism] Why did the Merseyside Police & Crime Panel permit Jane Kennedy to engage in outrageous cronyism?
Yours faithfully,
Josie Mullen
Thank you for your email to the Office of the Police and Crime
Commissioner for Merseyside.
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Regards,
Office of the Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner
Dear Ms Mullen,
Re: Freedom of Information Request – Our Ref: 2020/01
I refer to your recent request:
1. The position of Police Crime Commissioner demands the highest
standards of ethical behaviour. This being so, why did the PCC, decide to
circumvent normal procedures - i.e. advertising post of Deputy Crime
Commissioner/Interviewing candidates etc [Especially in light of
observations made by Merseyside Police & Crime Panel [above]
2. PCC Jane Kennedy unilaterally decided to give the post of Deputy
Crime Commissioner to a person who was well known to her, if not a
personal friend [as was intimated by members of the Merseyside Police &
Crime Panel in relation to perceived cronyism] Why did the Merseyside
Police & Crime Panel permit Jane Kennedy to engage in outrageous cronyism?
In response to your request, I can advise:
1. The information requested in question 1 is exempt from disclosure
under Section 8(1)(c) of the FOI Act 2000, as this is a request for an
explanation/personal views, rather than information and is therefore not
compliant with the Act.
2. Question 2 requests an explanation as to a decision taken by the
Merseyside Police and Crime Panel, in relation to the appointment of a
Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner. The Panel is an external
organisation and is therefore the relevant authority to contact with your
request.
The requested information is not held by the Office of the Police and
Crime Commisisoner and therefore, my response is “no information held.”
Yours sincerely,
Laura Owens
Private Secretary
Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Merseyside
Wavertree Police Station | Wavertree Road| Liverpool | L7 1RJ
0151 777 5187 |[1]www.merseysidepcc.info| Twitter: @MerseysidePCC
[2]full-transparent [3]IIP_ACRED_LOGO_2021_CMYK
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