Response to policing green paper

In July 2008 the Home Office published the Policing Green Paper, "From the Neighbourhood to the National: Policing Our Communities together."

Our response outlined here proposes a London Councils model for local police accountability which would embed stronger local accountability and leadership. We are calling for:

• council leaders (including, of course, directly elected mayors) to oversee community safety partnership arrangements directly
  
• devolution to councils of a share of police budgets to allow 'joined-up' commissioning of neighbourhood policing alongside commissioning of community safety initiatives
  
• police operational independence retained, with commissioning focusing on outcomes
  
• retention of the Metropolitan Police Service's boundaries and it's wide ranging functions as a strategic force
  
• borough commanders to sit as part of local authority chief officer management teams but with their existing line management still in place
  
• freedom for borough commanders to respond more fully to local public demands backed up by the leadership role of councils, balancing the reach of the Home Office
  
• a streamlined local consultative panel, replacing the plethora of arrangements in place.

The response was considered by London Councils Executive committee on 6 October 2008 and was fully endorsed by Leaders' Committee on 14 October 2008.

Read our press release about the Leaders' Committee backing