This is Nottingham -- POLICE and Crime Commissioner Paddy Tipping admitted he believes he holds too much power as he celebrated a first year in office. He also revealed he does not expect Notts Police to hit the target he set them of cutting crime by ten per cent by March 2014. Mr Tipping was elected to the Notts role a year ago tomorrow as part of national reform of the way police forces are held accountable. Loading... He replaced the old Notts Police Authority in monitoring the performance of Notts Police and setting its budget. But the change was dogged by controversy amid a low turn-out for the elections across the country and claims the reform was an unnecessary expense. Across Notts only one in six people bothered to vote in the poll. Mr Tipping told the Post: "I was sceptical about the role myself. Have I changed my mind? To a certain extent I have. "The amount of work here that comes in from the public is twice that which came in to the Police Authority - I think that's because people better know who to get hold of." He added: "But perhaps more powers need to go to the Police and Crime Panel. "I'm responsible for a £200m budget. Who makes the decision? I do alone - I'm not certain that's right." The Police and Crime Panel is made up of councillors and independent members, and meets six times a year to scrutinise Mr Tipping's work. Mr Tipping, the former Sherwood Labour MP, added: "At the end of the financial year the force is still provisionally predicting a drop in crime. "I'd set ten per cent - it won't be that. The force won't hit that target. But I believe there will be a drop." He added as of Monday (Nov 11) the force was running at a two per cent overall rise in crime year-on-year. "Crime is up in half the police force areas in the country, but it's no good just saying that - I'm interested in where I live, which is Nottinghamshire." Mr Tipping pledged to bring 150 new police officers in to the force before he was elected. So far around 60 have been taken on, he added with the 150 target due to be hit next year. But officers choosing to leave the force means it is unlikely there will be 150 extra officers on the streets compared to pre-election levels. However, there are plans to recruit more officers and Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs), he added. A snapshot of Notts taxpayers today mainly told the Post they did not bother to vote in last year's election and were uncertain what Mr Tipping's job involved. Tony Barfield, 50, of Carlton Hill, said: "I didn't vote and I don't see the news much so I don't know much about him. "I still think the whole thing was a pointless exercise and I can't see that it's made any difference." Seamus Blodwig, of Bestwood, said: "I know who he is and I don't think he's doing a bad job. "Things are going in the right direction. I see enough police around and they've got lots of PCSOs to help them."
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This is Nottingham -- POLICE and Crime Commissioner Paddy Tipping admitted he believes he holds too much power as he celebrated a first year in office. He also revealed he does not expect Notts Police to hit the target he set them of cutting crime by ten per cent by March 2014. Mr Tipping was elected to the Notts role a year ago tomorrow as part of national reform of the way police forces are held accountable. Loading... He replaced the old Notts Police Authority in monitoring the performance of Notts Police and setting its budget. But the change was dogged by controversy amid a low turn-out for the elections across the country and claims the reform was an unnecessary expense. Across Notts only one in six people bothered to vote in the poll. Mr Tipping told the Post: "I was sceptical about the role myself. Have I changed my mind? To a certain extent I have. "The amount of work here that comes in from the public is twice that which came in to the Police Authority - I think that's because people better know who to get hold of." He added: "But perhaps more powers need to go to the Police and Crime Panel. "I'm responsible for a £200m budget. Who makes the decision? I do alone - I'm not certain that's right." The Police and Crime Panel is made up of councillors and independent members, and meets six times a year to scrutinise Mr Tipping's work. Mr Tipping, the former Sherwood Labour MP, added: "At the end of the financial year the force is still provisionally predicting a drop in crime. "I'd set ten per cent - it won't be that. The force won't hit that target. But I believe there will be a drop." He added as of Monday (Nov 11) the force was running at a two per cent overall rise in crime year-on-year. "Crime is up in half the police force areas in the country, but it's no good just saying that - I'm interested in where I live, which is Nottinghamshire." Mr Tipping pledged to bring 150 new police officers in to the force before he was elected. So far around 60 have been taken on, he added with the 150 target due to be hit next year. But officers choosing to leave the force means it is unlikely there will be 150 extra officers on the streets compared to pre-election levels. However, there are plans to recruit more officers and Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs), he added. A snapshot of Notts taxpayers today mainly told the Post they did not bother to vote in last year's election and were uncertain what Mr Tipping's job involved. Tony Barfield, 50, of Carlton Hill, said: "I didn't vote and I don't see the news much so I don't know much about him. "I still think the whole thing was a pointless exercise and I can't see that it's made any difference." Seamus Blodwig, of Bestwood, said: "I know who he is and I don't think he's doing a bad job. "Things are going in the right direction. I see enough police around and they've got lots of PCSOs to help them."
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