6 years in office
As Police and Crime Commissioner, Clive is elected to be the voice of the people of Lancashire and hold the Chief Constable to account for policing. Since 2015 he has also been responsible for commissioning and supporting victims of crime across the county through the launch of Lancashire Victims Services and NEST Lancashire.
Police and Crime Commissioner, Clive Grunshaw said: “I am immensely privileged to be Lancashire’s Police and Crime Commissioner and I am proud of all the work the Constabulary, together with my office has done to develop safe and confident communities across Lancashire and to support vulnerable people and victims.
“The past six years have been a difficult time for policing with significant cuts that have hit the service hard. As the public’s voice, I continue to stand up to government against further cuts to police funding and although we had a ‘victory’ in the funding formula debacle, fairer funding remains a constant issue, including lobbing for funding for the fracking protests.
“However, in spite of austerity Lancashire continues to be a top performing force, as credited by HMICFRS and the resilience of officers and staff never ceases to amaze me, with stories every day about the incredible work they do keeping people safe.
“I am pleased to have protected 300 PCSOs across Lancashire, invested £1.5m into the force control room, increasing call handlers and enabling online reporting and importantly free up officer time by digitally enabling them with mobile devices, body worn video and laptops.”
“A personal highlight for me was last year when Lancashire became the first White Ribbon County in the UK, marking our shared commitment to tackle violence against women and girls.
“Lancashire has a lot to be proud of, particularly Lancashire Volunteer Partnership which has gone from strength to strength since we launched in 2016 and now has over 4,000 volunteers from policing, to local councils and community organisations, supporting vulnerable people to get the help they need to become stronger and more resilient whilst reducing the demand on statutory services.
“I look forward to expanding on these efforts to really build on the fantastic community spirit we have across our county next year when I launch Our Lancashire. This online platform is being developed as a one stop shop for local groups in Lancashire to connect with other similar groups, attract new members and find support.
“In my time as Commissioner I have created 650 police cadet places across Lancashire and from cyber volunteers; to neighbourhood watch, the enthusiasm, determination and skills of the public of Lancashire and our volunteers are vital to the success of our work.”
Lancashire’s Police and Crime Commissioner has awarded £400K in small grants to over 200 groups since 2012 as part of his Community Action Fund to tackle local concerns and help to deliver his Police and Crime Plan the priorities. Recently he has also given £160k in grants between eight projects which will play a vital role across the county in working to reducing reoffending.
Clive Grunshaw continued: “It’s important to me to support grass root organisations that are making a real difference to the lives of people in Lancashire. Last year I launched my social value policy to maximise our spending power to ensure maximum benefit for Lancashire wherever we invest or procure goods and services, investing money back into local economy.
“As a direct result, investment in Lancashire has increased by 11% in the last year to almost £36m. The new West Division Headquarters provides a perfect example of how the policy is working with almost half of the money invested through this project spent within 20 miles of the site with 85% of the spend taking place within 40 miles. This means a lot of money is going back into Lancashire, creating local jobs and apprenticeships.
“From the ground-breaking new Forensic Science Academy which saw the Constabulary team up with UCLAN, to the innovative work we have done with partners using the Freedom Bus to tackle modern slavery, there is no doubt the challenges are far greater than I could ever have imagined when I was first elected but over the coming years I will continue to work with the Chief Constable, holding him to account, to ensure that the public of Lancashire still receive the best possible police service they not only expect but deserve.”
