SURREY'S new police commissioner has held his first meeting with the board responsible for holding him to account.
Kevin Hurley appeared before the Police and Crime Panel, made up of a councillor from each Surrey local authority and two independent members, at County Hall in Kingston.
Mr Hurley, along with his deputy Jeff Harris, answered questions from the panel and told councillors they would have to work "cohesively" as it was "all hands to the pumps".
"In Surrey we are looking at, in the next couple of years, a 23 per cent cut in funding for our police," he said.
"It's a real challenge for police that 83 per cent of the cost of policing goes into wages. With 23 per cent cuts you don't need to be a rocket scientist to work out that those cuts can only go in one direction."
He added: "The good news is the police officers and the police staff are fantastic people. They are still motivated and they still want to do it – they still want to serve."
Mr Hurley said he had written to Surrey's MPs, the Chancellor and the Home Secretary asking for an urgent review of the police funding formula which results in Surrey receiving the least funding in the country.
He said: "I'm a politician and my role as a politician is to do something if I possibly can with everyone's support about the funding gap because it's simply not fair for our taxpayers."
Mr Hurley and his deputy, both ex-police officers, were asked if they would be tempted to interfere in operational aspects of policing.
Mr Harris, who was confirmed in his role at the meeting on Thursday, said: "It's an itch we both have and we have to work very hard not to scratch it – to ignore it.
"And I don't make light of it because there is a very thin line between advising and taking over, and suddenly we become part of the senior management team for Surrey Police as opposed to that strategic element."
Surrey's Chief Constable will stay on until 2017 following a decision to extend her contract. Lynne Owens was appointed in February 2012 but Home Office restrictions meant Surrey Police Authority could offer her a contract only until November 2014. New regulations have allowed police commissioner Kevin Hurley to extend the chief constable's appointment by three years, which he did last Friday. He said: "I have taken this decision to ensure the continuity of leadership that Surrey Police needs to deliver a zero-tolerance approach to antisocial behaviour and crime, provide more visible street policing and improve victim care." Mr Hurley also announced a series of public meetings to gather views for the Police and Crime Plan, the document that will set out the overall strategy for policing.
He will visit Dorking Halls on January 10 from 7 to 9pm. E-mail SurreyPCC@surrey.police.uk or call 01483 630200 to book a seat as places are limited.
