Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Matthew Ellis spoke of on-going work to make policing more visible and transparent at a Staffordshire Parish Council Association (SPCA) conference yesterday (11 June).
Mr Ellis was one of many guest speakers at the 75th anniversary event held at Staffordshire County Showground, Stafford, which included speeches from several prominent figures in the county including; Councillor Philip Atkins – Leader of Staffordshire County Council and Ian Dudson CBE – Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant of Staffordshire.
Addressing parish council members from across Staffordshire, Mr Ellis spoke about progress made within policing during his first year as PCC, followed by questions about a range of police and community safety-related topics.
He said: “Over the past 12 months we have been laying down the foundations for genuine improvement.
“On a local level, my ambition going forward is to maintain neighbourhood police officer numbers and freeing-up thousands of hours of police time through vast improvements in technology.”
Talking after the conference, Mr Ellis added: “I truly appreciate being asked to speak at this important event. Parish Councils across Staffordshire do a phenomenal job helping to keep our communities safe.
“The SPCA gave me a warm welcome with some members offering me praise – that’s always a confidence-booster as it shows people across Staffordshire recognise and understand what I’m trying to achieve.
“I gathered a real sense of passion from the members’ questions which is always good to see, they were varied and offered some good debate.”
Ian Ashbolt, President of SPCA, said: “We were delighted to have Matthew address our 75th Anniversary Conference and many of those present were greatly encouraged by much of what the PCC had to say, particularly in respect of the prospects of a more visible police presence in rural parts of the county.
“We also applaud his initiatives to encourage more positive engagement with young people. It’s clear that we’re fortunate in having one of the most proactive PCCs whose commitment promises to realise many benefits for the people of Staffordshire.”
For more information on Staffordshire Parish Councils’ Association visit www.spcaonline.org.uk
