West Mercia PCC to establish Community Ambassadors
Bill Longmore, Police and Crime Commissioner for West Mercia, is to establish a scheme of Community Ambassadors to improve engagement with local communities and organisations across the area.
The Community Ambassador Scheme will make use of volunteers, establish a single Force-wide Community Co-ordinator and five Area Ambassadors who will work with local communities and organisations to find out what they expect and need from their policing service.
The Community Co-ordinator post will be the first to be established and a recruitment drive is now underway.
The successful candidate will be asked to commit around eight to 10 days a month to work alongside the PCC to further develop the scheme and create a comprehensive community engagement strategy in return for an allowance of £15,000 a year.
Speaking about this new scheme, Mr Longmore said: “Since my election in November 2012 I and my Deputy have visited over 300 individuals and community groups to learn about their local policing needs. This level of engagement has proved invaluable, particularly when putting together my first Police and Crime Plan.
“We thought long and hard before deciding on a figure that would enable us to attract the right candidate, whilst taking into account the tough financial challenges we are facing. I feel it is also worth highlighting that the allowance we have agreed upon is considerably less than ambassadors or advisors appointed by other PCCs.
“We remain very cost conscious and even with this post we have reduced the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner budget by £300,000 this year – which is around a 20 per cent reduction.
“We will be expecting a great deal from the successful candidate including exceptionally strong skills, experience and knowledge in a number of different areas. Covering the whole of West Mercia area, they will be fundamental to help us make the area even more vibrant and safe.”
For further information visit www.westmercia-pcc.gov.uk
