• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

MayorWatch

London News and Comment

  • NEWS
  • Twitter

Is the Deputy Mayor for Policing a politically restricted job?

May 8, 2012 - Martin Hoscik@MayorWatch

A lot of online noise is being generated by the Standard’s report that Stephen Greenhalgh is to be the new Deputy Mayor for Policing.

As Greenhalgh is a councillor it’s claimed that his appointment breaches the so-called Widdicombe rules on politically restricted posts.

I don’t think that’s the case – though I’m open to being proven wrong.

The Deputy Mayor for Policing is a statutory role created by Parliament when it passed the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011.

The act allows for the functions of the MOPC to be carried out by the Mayor or a Deputy Mayor for Policing.

The Deputy can be an Assembly member but doesn’t have to be. Where it’s not an AM the Act provides a list of exclusions for who can be appointed of which local councillor isn’t one.

As the Mayor and an AM are clearly political it would make no sense for a non-AM Deputy to be politically restricted.

On a related point, where the Deputy Mayor isn’t an AM their appointment can be vetoed by the London Assembly Police and Crime Committee on a two-thirds vote.

Update: My attention has been drawn to a second list which includes a number of political post holders excluded from being Deputy Mayor for Policing but again does not list councillor.

Update 9th May. I’m now told “The post of Dep Mayor Policing and head of MOPC is a member of staff of the MOPC if they are not an Assembly Member and cannot be an elected councillor of another authority.”

Earlier on Wednesday Labour’s Val Shawcross issued the following statement: “This is a complete shambles. It is clear that the mayor has made a serious mistake, Mr Greenhalgh is a sitting councillor which bars him from taking a senior paid position in local government. The rules are very clear on this matter. They haven’t announced that Cllr Greenhalgh has stood down, so I believe this is in breach of the Local Government Act 1989.”

“These rules are very clear and everybody working in and around local government is aware of them, the mayor even made this mistake in 2008 with another appointment, you would have thought they’d have got it right this time round.”

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)

RECENT UPDATES

TfL proposes bus and tube cuts and annual fares increases to achieve long-term financial sustainability

London’s entire bus fleet now meets ULEZ emissions standards

New road layout comes into effect at Old Street roundabout

TfL funding enables creation of 2,000 new cycle parking spaces




Popular

1,700 extra Santander Cycles are coming to London’s streets

TfL confirms changes to Older Person’s Freedom Pass and 60+ Oyster card hours

TfL fares to rise in return for £1.6bn Government rescue package

Election for Mayor of London and London Assembly postponed until 2021

FEATURED

City Hall to move to Docklands as Mayor seeks to raise £55m for frontline services

‘Concern’ over TfL’s ability to deliver major projects in wake of Crossrail cost overruns

City Hall halts London Overground ticket office closures but many will still see opening hours reduced

Transport for London confirms bus cuts will go ahead despite passenger opposition

GOT A STORY?

As the original London news and scrutiny site we've been casting an eye over the capital's public services and politicians since 1999.

 

Many of our top stories started with a tip-off from a reader - if you've got something you'd like us to cover get in touch and we'll do the rest.

Stay In Touch

  • E-mail
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Copyright © 2021 MayorWatch Publications Limited · MayorWatch is Registered Trademark · All Rights Reserved · Contact Us · Terms of Use · Privacy Policy

MayorWatch Publications Limited · 20-22 Wenlock Road · London N1 7GU · Company Number 6291816

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.