Latest news with #PhilipSeccombe
BBC News
a day ago
- Automotive
- BBC News
Scheme targeting anxious Warwickshire drivers wins praise
Police work to help young drivers get over their fears about taking their cars to the garage has been praised in a road safety Police said their team, which work to improve safety and cut the number of crashes in the county, was named Road Safety Partnership of the particular, judges praised a "garage anxiety" initiative and said after-hours garage evenings, which tackled young drivers' reluctance to maintain their vehicles, had "empowered a new generation".Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner, Philip Seccombe, who is also chair of the county's safety partnership, said getting the recognition was a "fantastic honour". He said the garage anxiety scheme showed "the real difference we can make when we listen to concerns and act on them". Follow BBC Coventry & Warwickshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
18-02-2025
- BBC News
MP 'worried' over Warwickshire Police officer suspensions
A Warwickshire MP has said he is "very worried" about the public's confidence in the police after a three officers and a special constable were suspended. A superintendent, chief inspector, sergeant and special constable were suspended by Warwickshire Police for allegedly sending inappropriate messages via Western, MP for Warwick and Leamington, said he was worried about how the force would be viewed if the claims were found to be correct. Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Seccombe said the vast majority of officers in the county served with "integrity and dedication". The force has confirmed the suspensions were all in connection to an ongoing internal officers were suspended on 10 and 12 February, with the special constable suspended in November, the force said the public would have "good reason" to lose faith in the police at the moment. "My concern is that these behaviours can become systemic in an organisation," he said. "It can become a cultural issue and that's my concern. "I'm very worried that this latest incident, if proven that something has again gone wrong with Warwickshire Police, would give the public every reason to have lost trust in our local police." In total, 17 officers for Warwickshire Police are suspended, the force said. Three of those have been suspended for more than 18 months, a spokesperson said he had made "building trust and confidence in policing" a key part of his job. "It is right that a robust system is in place to identify and remove those who fall short of the standards the public expects," he said,"However, in my experience the vast majority of officers and staff in Warwickshire Police serve with integrity and dedication, working tirelessly to keep our communities safe." A spokesperson for Warwickshire Police said: "We expect the highest standards from all our officers, staff and volunteers and where there are concerns or allegations that these aren't being met we will take action." Follow BBC Coventry & Warwickshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
04-02-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Cuts will not affect officer numbers says Warwickshire PCC
The number of police officers in Warwickshire will not be affected by the need for £1m of savings, the person responsible for setting the force's budget has said. The force area's police and crime commissioner (PCC) Philip Seccombe said he had been reassured by the top officer at Warwickshire Police that a tightened budget would not affect staff numbers. The Conservative was challenged on the savings at a budget meeting of the Warwickshire Police & Crime Panel on Monday. The force has to find savings, despite plans to increase its council tax precept by the maximum allowed for the 2025/26 financial year. The owners of an average Band D property in Warwickshire will pay an extra £14 to the police in their council tax bill, the plans state. Documents show Warwickshire Police will require another £10m just to stand still over the next financial year, and while the bulk of that will come from government, Chief Constable Alex Franklin-Smith has been tasked with making £2.2m worth of savings to balance a £140.8m was explained at the meeting that £1.2m in savings had already been found, with the force currently working on plans to find the rest of the money. Speaking at the meeting, Mr Seccombe said Mr Franklin-Smith had assured him that officer number would not decrease. "These savings are challenging," he said."I stood on a manifesto to increase the number of officers in Warwickshire Police, I continue to stand by that."Mr Seccombe said that while it was currently "difficult to look over the horizon", he was "optimistic" the force was in a sound financial position."We have to make sure we protect our reserves - they are there for a reason - but I am optimistic we can continue to grow the number of officers and PCSOs in Warwickshire," he news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations. Follow BBC Coventry & Warwickshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
