THE chief executive of Surrey County Council is set to receive a bonus of £100,000.
David McNulty will have to wait five years for the payout and will have to work pretty hard to prove he’s worth it, but the move has still come under fire in such austere times.Council leader David Hodge has defended his decision to agree to the six-figure payment to Mr McNulty – whose total pay in 2012 including allowances and pension contributions totalled £245,133 – saying it will be linked to very strict performance criteria.
In a statement Cllr Hodge said: “Surrey’s chief exec manages a budget of £1.8 billion and 26,000 staff. Due to the scale of this task, there are few people who are able to successfully handle this while also guiding the organisation as it uncovered savings of £280 million, launched the biggest school building programme in the county’s history, secured a new roads contract that has saved millions of pounds while also ensuring 100 miles of the county’s roads are completely replaced, as well as signing a deal that will give nearly everyone in Surrey superfast broadband speeds.”
The council leader also claimed Mr McNulty is on one of the lowest levels of chief executive pay, despite figures in 2011 showing he was the sixth highest paid boss in the country.
The payout has been endorsed by the pay committee at County Hall, though it still needs to be signed off by the Cabinet.
Former leader of the council Andrew Povey has questioned the move.
“I think given the current climate in the country about salaries and bonuses I would have thought it’s not the right thing to be doing at this point in time,” he said. “I don’t mean any disrespect to the chief executive, he’s done a very good job, but the size of the bonus and the fact it was done secretly [is wrong]. One of the main things when I was leader was transparency so I think it’s out of line.”
Earlier in the week Mr Povey tweeted about the decision asking if the current council leader had “gone mad” for approving what he called a “secret £100,000 bonus”.
A number of councillors who the Mirror contacted about the bonus plan were unaware talks had even taken place.
Lib Dem Caterham Hill councillor John Orrick said he was “flabbergasted”, adding: “It’s not as if he [David McNulty] isn’t on a decent salary.”
Lib Dem leader of the opposition Hazel Watson, who sits on the People, Performance and Development Committee, which decides pay issues, refused to comment.
As chief executive, Mr McNulty is tasked with being the principal advisor to the council, providing leadership to elected members in the delivery of the council’s corporate and budget plans and acting as head of the paid service.
The council would not provide details of the “very strict criteria” on which the bonus would be paid.
I have posted on this topic a lot before but it is clear I am not the only one concerned about the “Collective amnesia” and this post (see here) shows clearly that someone else has grave concerns. I have not copied it here as it is very long and contains numerous links that would take ages to replicate.
If, like me, you still feel too much has been left unanswered and that reflects badly on Surrey Police and the Service we love then please take a look. If you feel it has all gone on too long then you do not have to read it.
The final line I think says it all though
“This sorry Surrey saga is not over yet”
Can I also say that I do not know who “Brown Moses” is and I have not had any input to this whatsoever. If I had, and I was asked, I would remember – honest!
Surrey Police has appointed Stuart Cundy as a new Assistant Chief Constable with responsibility for operational performance.
Stuart, who is currently serving as a Chief Superintendent for the Metropolitan Police Service, was appointed on Wednesday following a selection process.
He joined the police in 1994 starting as a constable in Hounslow and Feltham before moving to Brixton as a sergeant. In 2000 he was promoted to Detective Inspector in Lambeth – one of London’s most challenging boroughs.
In 2003 he became a Detective Chief Inspector and headed up nearly 30 homicide cases including the high profile sexual assault and murder of Croydon teenager Sally Anne Bowman in 2005 resulting in the conviction and life imprisonment of Mark Dixie.
He went on to become Head of the Flying Squad working to reduce armed robbery and cash-in-transit attacks with notable cases including the UK’s largest diamond robbery at Graff’s jewellers.
In June 2010 Stuart was promoted to Detective Chief Superintendent heading up the Trident Gang Crime Command which is responsible for the prevention and investigation of shootings and gang crime in London. He completed the Strategic Command Course in March 2013.
Commenting on his appointment, Stuart said: “I am honoured to be joining Surrey Police as Assistant Chief Constable. It’s a challenging time for policing nationally and as a Surrey resident myself I look forward to working with officers, staff and all those who work with Surrey Police to ensure we give the best possible service to Surrey’s communities.”
Chief Constable Lynne Owens said: “I am delighted to welcome Stuart to Surrey Police. He brings a wealth of experience from his previous roles in the Metropolitan Police which can used to full effect here in Surrey and I very much look forward to working with him.”
The Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey, Kevin Hurley, said: “I am very pleased we have the opportunity to bring the talents of Stuart Cundy to Surrey. I know he has a proven track record of confronting criminals and bringing them to justice and, like the Chief Constable, I am sure he will bring his sharper focus to the robust Zero Tolerance approach being introduced against those people who blight the lives of Surrey residents.”
Stuart lives in north Surrey and is married with two children. The start date for his appointment will be confirmed shortly.
BMI Healthcare said patients were “let down” by “entirely unacceptable” failings
Children’s surgery has been suspended at a private Surrey hospital after “serious concerns” were raised by the health watchdog.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) demanded immediate improvements to “protect people from coming to harm” at BMI Mount Alvernia Hospital, Guildford.
Inspectors visited the hospital in December 2012 and January 2013.
BMI Healthcare apologised for “entirely unacceptable” failings and said it had voluntarily halted children’s surgery.
‘Let patients down’
The CQC was due to publish a report on Wednesday about the inspection but said the publication would be delayed because the hospital had made representations on two issues.
BMI Healthcare chief executive officer Stephen Collier said: “The hospital’s practices let BMI and our patients down and I apologise for that.
“In 2012 we were not maintaining the high standards that we and our regulators demand at Mount Alvernia.
“I want to reassure our patients that the hospital has already been in touch with anyone who may have been affected by a particular incident. ”
“I have personally written to all patients who were admitted for treatment at Mount Alvernia in the last year explaining what has happened and providing contact details should they want to discuss the matter further with us.”
A CQC spokesman said: “Following the inspection CQC raised serious concerns with the provider and formally warned them that immediate improvements were required to protect people from coming to harm.
“As a result of our concerns being raised with them, BMI agreed to voluntarily suspend children’s surgical admissions at the hospital and to start making other changes required.
“We have continued to monitor the hospital closely. Full details of our inspection will be published shortly.”
Kevin Hurley has changed his mind on police houses
THE Police and Crime Commissioner has authorised the sale of Surrey’s police houses and is still exploring ways to provide affordable accommodation for officers.
In January Kevin Hurley halted the sale of Surrey police stations, started by Surrey Police Authority in 2010, to investigate whether long leases could be offered, bringing in revenue for the force.
However, he has authorised the continued sale of the remaining 48 police houses and 14 section houses. A spokesman for the commissioner’s office said the housing stock is “not suitable” for affordable housing for officers.
“After his election Kevin Hurley took the decision to suspend the disposals of a number of Surrey police stations to ensure the maximum return was being made from these assets,” he said. “These stations are on larger sites with development potential and the commissioner is keen to ensure the full commercial value of these sites is realised. The commissioner has allowed the disposal of Surrey Police houses to continue – these are generally small residential properties without such commercial potential.”
The houses are sold as they become vacant and are offered in the first instance to serving officers and police staff before being put on the open market.
“Surrey Police’s housing stock is a legacy from the era when forces would provide housing to officers,” the spokesman said. “That policy was discontinued years ago and the commissioner is keen money be released from housing stock towards more visible frontline policing.”
When Mr Hurley announced he was halting the sale he argued the force should look at securing income from the properties. “If a company can do something and gain more income, why on earth can’t Surrey Police?” he said. “My aim is to generate revenue and keep the burden to the Surrey taxpayer down. It makes me sound Marxist but it is the people’s land and we should guard it carefully when it’s so valuable.”
He also said the cost of living in Surrey has created a problem attracting officers and suggested that as part of development partnerships it may be possible to include police housing provision.
A spokesman for Surrey Police said the sales do not signify a change of policy. “The commissioner is keen to explore possibilities for affordable housing for new recruits on police station sites with developers,” he said. “The old police housing stock is not suitable for that and the commissioner has opted to release funds from these properties.”
A market valuation will be carried out on the houses by the force’s property consultants regarding any development potential.
Sales are subject to a covenant that means should planning permission increase site value the police will receive compensation.
FIXING Surrey’s pothole-ridden roads would take 15 years at a one-off cost of £200million, it has been revealed.
Data obtained from Surrey County Council showed the full extent of the backlog of outstanding road repairs in the county, and that the budget for maintenance for the 2012/13 financial year was £37.7m.
Also revealed was that a total of 952 angry motorists have claimed compensation from the council after suffering damage caused by damage roads.
The allocated budget for maintenance was ultimately less than was needed to keep the roads in reasonable condition. A budget shortfall of £5m was recorded, but this was less than the £6.2m average for local authorities in England.
However, Surrey’s 15-year backlog is longer than the 12-year average across England.
The county’s roads budget will be increased by £25m over the next five years in an attempt to improve the standard of the roads, as part of Operation Horizon.
The new investment programme, first mooted in 2011, was created as a result of the additional funding and contract savings to increase both the scale and scope of highway repairs.
It is aimed at bringing the worst 310 miles of Surrey’s roads back to reasonable condition.
A report outlining the aims of Project Horizon stated that Surrey’s roads were “deteriorating at a faster rate than ever before”.
“Radical and urgent action is required to meet residents’ expectation for road condition,” it read.
“Consequently over the past 18 months Surrey Highways has been working with its contractors, UK research laboratories and senior stakeholders to develop a new innovative approach to highway road maintenance.”
Surrey County Council data for 2012/13 also revealed that 40% of the road maintenance budget was spent on reactive repairs, where potholes have reached an emergency stage and have to be fixed immediately.
The total proportion of this budget spent on structural maintenance was 65%.
The average cost to the authority to fill one pothole was £35.
Flood damage as a result of severe weather during this time was estimated to have cost the council £2m in additional repair costs.
Data for the entire country was collected by the Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA), which represents the companies producing the raw materials used in asphalt for road construction and repair.
AIA chairman Alan Mackenzie called for government support to introduce longer-term funding mechanisms to allow councils to create long-term maintenance programmes as opposed to reactive work in costly one-year cycles.
“Constantly having to patch up crumbling roads, rather than using highway engineers’ skills properly to ensure good road condition in a planned and cost effective way, is nonsensical and costly,” he said.
“It’s time to stop the rot. The government needs to make sufficient funding available now that will enable local authorities to get their roads back into a condition that will quickly and directly boost the economy, help businesses and improve local communities.”
Police commissioner for Surrey, Kevin Hurley, questioned over dual role
Controversy raises fresh fears over powers of commissioners
The former Scotland Yard commander says firm has no crossover with day job
A police commissioner is facing an investigation for running a private security firm on the side, prompting accusations of a conflict of interest.
Kevin Hurley, an ex-Scotland Yard commander, is still advertising his company’s services online with his personal mobile phone number – even though he is now responsible for governing Surrey Police, for which he is paid £70,000 a year.
Inspirational Security Solutions boasts that it provides safety advice and training in undercover investigations, and that its executives are ‘politically aware’. Mr Hurley has also caused controversy by appointing a former colleague in the Met as his £50,000-a-year deputy.
Kevin Hurley was a commander at Scotland Yard and is now police commissioner for Surrey but he is being accused of having a conflict of interest over his role as a director of a private security firm
He has declared his business interests online but critics insist his second job clashes with his public role. He has the power to give contracts to his own firm or other private investigators and could share his unrivalled knowledge of force finances with business clients.
It will raise fresh fears over the powers of Police and Crime Commissioners, elected last November in a bid to make forces more accountable. As The Mail on Sunday has disclosed, many have appointed friends and political cronies to well-paid posts without advertising them.
Mr Hurley’s private security interests will now be investigated by the official group that scrutinises his actions, the Police and Crime Panel for Surrey.
Its chairman, Councillor Dorothy Ross-Tomlin, said last night: ‘I have asked our officers to look into the rules around interests.’ A spokesman for Mr Hurley said: ‘Kevin remains the unremunerated Director of Inspirational Security Solutions Ltd. The company has not been closed, but has not generated any income since the election. The company has never worked for Surrey Police.’
==========
Force insists: We were right to question Paris
Police have defended their investigation into shamed youth crime commissioner Paris Brown over remarks she made on Twitter.
She was forced to quit her £15,000-a-year taxpayer-funded job two days after The Mail on Sunday revealed she had used homophobic and racist terms to refer to gays and travellers.
The 17-year-old, (right), was visited at her family home by two officers before being asked to surrender her mobile phone. She was later interviewed under caution at a police station.
Her lawyers have written to Kent Police, saying the nature of its investigation was ‘wholly disproportionate’.
A police spokesman said: ‘We received more than 50 complaints from members of the public and are investigating to establish whether any criminal offences have been committed in relation to this incident.’
I am aware that the below will earn me true ” too much spare time” status however a recent run in with a pot hole that required a new wheel and tyre – which SCC still refuse to reimburse me for – coupled with a headache of a situation with a listed wall that is being destroyed by vibrations caused by a pothole which SCC refuse to fill and GBC demand be rebuilt has prompted me to start the below petition, because I’ve had enough! Either that or I drank too much red wine when I created it and got carried away.
Apparently if we get 100,000 signatures it will be debated in the Commons. This may seem a tall order however if you are as sick as me with the state of our roads then please follow the below link, sign up and respond to the confirmation e mail.
Obviously if you are able to pass it onto your contacts, friends and colleagues then that would be even better.
Grumpy of Surrey
Mark S Eshelby BSc (Hons) MRICS Latchmere Properties Ltd 134-136 South Street Dorking, Surrey. RH4 2EU
Tel: 01306 876006
——————————
Dear Mark Eshelby,
Your e-petition “Fix Surrey’s Roads” has now been published.
New Police Officers in Surrey will be paid more than the national average.
The government is cutting starters salaries to £19,000 a year, in Surrey, that’s a fall of £4,000.
But the Police and Crime Commissioner Kevin Hurley tells Eagle he’s happy to bridge that gap and pay 22 thousand: “The one thing that is different about being a Police Officer compared to virtually any other job anyone else does is that when someone is being nasty, when they’re being a bully, when they’re being frightening most people back away from that; the Police Officers go towards that danger, and they deal with it on behalf of the public.”
And Kevin tells Eagle Surrey Police needs to be competitive: “If we want to get intelligent, well-educated people of good character who are compassionate and considerate in what they do, so do many other employers in all walks of life.
“So we’ve got to be out there offering a relatively competitive salary.”
And Kevin has released his Police and Crime Plan for the county, it is based on six priorities, agreed after a series of consultations with the public of Surrey and consideration by the Police and Crime Panel:
“ Take a Zero Tolerance Policing Approach
“ More visible street policing
“ Put Victims at the centre of the Criminal Justice system
“ Give you the opportunity to have a greater say in how your streets are policed
“ Protect your local policing
“ I will be uncompromising in the standards you expect from your police
Kevin Hurley said: “The target culture has had a negative effect on British policing over the last 20 years. It has created a service where management has become more important than leadership. We have lost sight of the mission of policing.
“I am determined to move past that in Surrey. My Police and Crime Plan sets no numerical targets for Surrey Police. It is based on the simple principle of zero-tolerance. We should never turn away from a problem. We should always aim to do the right thing for the public. We should be relentless in our pursuit of the criminals and anti-social louts who blight our county. We should do all those things because they are the right thing to do.
“Let me be absolutely clear however: no targets does not mean no accountability. I will hold the Chief Constable to account for how Surrey Police is working to make our county a safer place to live and a more difficult place to commit crime. I will do so publicly by continuing to webcast my management meetings with her.
“Nobody joins the police to chase targets. They join to do the right thing for the public. I want to liberate our police to do that. Surrey Police has outstanding people. I believe in their desire to do the best they can for our community and I believe in their ability to do so.
“I am delighted that the Police and Crime Panel has agreed with that view and has given its support to the Plan.”
A Surrey police officer’s suing a shop-owner in West Horsley.
PC Richard Seymour’s claiming 10 thousand pounds for loss of earnings.
He claims he fell down a drain and tore his Achilles tendon.
His Lawyer is Trevor Sterling: “It is important to recognise that what we are dealing with are claims where premises are arguably unsafe and where a lawful visitor suffers injury, it matters not what the job title or job description of the victim is.”
In a statement – Surrey Police says it is distancing itself from the claim – and that it has supported PC Seymour since his accident.
Surrey Chief Constable Lynne Owens stressed that Pc Seymour’s claim was a private matter that was not supported or funded by her force.
“Every day Surrey Police officers face potentially dangerous situations and willingly put themselves in harm’s way for the benefit of the public,” she explained.
“Policing, by its very nature, carries an element of risk and the vast majority of our officers accept that this comes as part of the job.
“They are rightly proud of what they do and would never consider making a private compensation claim against a victim of crime.
“It is really important to us that the public have confidence in the service we provide and we are currently looking into the circumstances of this case.”
She added that the force had supported Pc Seymour since the incident on March 28 last year.
Arrests are made, but police continue to investigate an assault on one of their own officers in Reigate.
Officers on routine patrol along the High Street around 1.30am on Friday, 29th March spotted a disturbance outside JJ Whispers.
One of the officers was assaulted.
He was treated in East Surrey Hospital for injuries to his abdomen.
He has since returned to duty.
5 men have been arrested in connection with the incident.
Detective Sergeant Antony Preston from Reigate CID, said: “Although we have already spoken to a number of witnesses I would continue to urge anyone who witnessed this incident or the events leading up to it to contact officers with information.
“This incident demonstrates the dangers police officers face on a daily basis. Thankfully on this occasion the officer was not seriously injured and has been able to return to work.”
The men have been released on police bail until Thursday, 9 May while the investigation continues.
Anyone who witnessed this incident is urged to contact Surrey Police on 101 quoting reference RB/13/2377 or the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Walking my dog in woodland a few weeks ago, I suddenly became aware of a man following me.
Not liking the look of him, I began to walk faster. From several paces behind me he called out: ‘Is this the place to get sex?’
I kept walking, uncomfortably aware that there was no one else around.
‘You’ve got nice legs,’ he called after me. I ignored him and walked faster. He walked faster, too.
‘Come on, love, give us a kiss.’ He sounded impatient. A brief glance behind me showed a man in his 40s, short and balding with a pot belly.
Melissa Kite with her dog Cydney at the woods, where she walks everyday and regularly sees men using the woods for sex
With the car park in sight, I started fumbling with my keys. He was still behind me, still asking if I would kiss him — and more.
I clicked the wrong button as I tried to unlock the car door. ‘Oh come on, come on,’ I muttered desperately under my breath.
Pressing the right button at last, I jumped in. As I drove off trembling, he was still there, shouting at me, his arms out to the side as if to say ‘What’s your problem?’
I kept driving until I reached home, unnerved and shaken.
What was most shocking to me was I had not ventured out after dark, or along a city centre back street after pub closing time.
This happened in broad daylight in picturesque Surrey woodland right next to the Royal Horticultural Society gardens at Wisley.
Later, when I called the police they were polite, but seemingly unperturbed.
‘Why didn’t you ring from the scene?’ the officer asked.
‘Because I had to get away.’
‘Well,’ the officer said, ‘there’s not much we can do now.’
I explained, rather crossly, that this was not the first time this had happened.
In fact, I come across men seeking partners for sex in these woods more and more often. It used to be a well-known spot among men cruising for gay sex, but increasingly the woods are also being used by straight men looking for encounters with women.
‘I began to walk faster. From several paces behind me he called out: ‘Is this the place to get sex?’ I kept walking, uncomfortably aware that there was no one else around’
Surely, I asked the officer, the police should send a patrol just in case this particular man found another female dog-walker to hassle — or worse?
He replied that he would log my call and send an officer if they had one spare.
But as I put the phone down, I had little expectation of my complaint being investigated. This is because the leafy and peaceful area of Ockham and Wisley commons is now officially designated by the police as a ‘Public Sex Environment’, or PSE.
At night, the car park is filled with cars flashing their lights as dozens congregate, apparently unimpeded by police. Among the gay men who visit the woods during the day, many wear wedding rings. They sit in their cars, pretending they are reading a book, then follow another man into the woods.
Dogging is not a victimless pastime. Beauty spots are becoming no-go areas, and many will no longer take their children for walks on the common for fear of what they may inadvertently stumble across
I once saw a man emerge with another man from behind a tree, then start walking back to the car park on his phone saying: ‘Yes darling, I’m on my way. Oh great, I love lamb chops.’
The police insist that PSE is simply a convenient shorthand and that it does not mean the activity is facilitated by the authorities.
I disagree.
They may not have intended it, but the term PSE has come to be seen by people who frequent such outdoor spaces as a badge of distinction.
Melissa comes across men seeking partners for sex in the woods more and more often, and they have now officially been designated by the police as a ‘Public Sex Environment’, or PSE
In internet chatrooms, PSE is generally accepted, rightly or wrongly, to describe an area where open-air sex is lightly policed.
People now pull off the nearby A3 for sex in these woods, which sit in a glorious corner of Surrey between the attractive and well-heeled commuter districts of Esher and Guildford. And they seem to have little fear of being caught because the police patrols are surprisingly infrequent.
To understand why this should be, you need to realise that there is nothing in the law that explicitly prohibits having sex outdoors, unless it can be proved that you are causing ‘alarm, harassment or distress’ to someone.
Perhaps we should not be surprised that in our increasingly inclusive, anything-goes society, there is very little censorship of open-air sex acts. The Sexual Offences Act 2003 outlaws flashing and sex in public toilets — but sex behind a tree is not illegal, per se.
What’s more, in 2008, an internal police report advised officers to avoid a ‘knee-jerk reaction’ to those found having sex in public spaces.
This politically correct attitude seems to have resulted in officers being reluctant to confront ‘doggers’ — the unpleasant term used to describe those who meet in public spaces and car parks to have, and watch others have, sex, because open-air sex has been deemed simply another sexual preference.
The car Park at the woods in Surrey, a well known ‘dogging area’. At night, the car park is filled with cars flashing their lights as dozens congregate, apparently unimpeded by police
Perhaps the police fear that if these people are confronted they will go to the European Court of Human Rights to uphold their right to sexual fulfilment.
There is certainly, according to those officers I have talked to, a concern that gay cruisers should not be confronted too robustly for fear the police will be deemed homophobic.
Indeed, when I called Surrey Police to ask them to explain their policy about sex in outdoor spaces, I was told that I would need to speak to their ‘diversity officer’ and also to LAGLO.
‘What is that?’ I asked. ‘It’s our Lesbian and Gay Liaison Officer,’ he said. In fact, the person who called me back with a response to my queries was a Press officer at Surrey Police headquarters, but his response will fill any right-minded person with utter despair.
‘Surrey Police works closely with local residents and users of the public sex environment (PSE) site at Wisley. Officers carry out regular patrols and if any criminal incidents arise then proportionate action will be taken.
‘However, it is not against the law for people to be present at a PSE site with the purpose of meeting others to engage in conversation or activity that doesn’t contravene existing legislation.’
If you think this is straying into the absurd, it seems it is difficult to get anyone to take this subject seriously.
Melissa nearly stopped walking in the woods after coming across three men engaged in a sex act
Tonight, Channel 4 will show a documentary called Dogging Tales, which looks at ‘this peculiarly British pastime’. They make it sound like a game of cricket or a visit to a stately home.
The film is shot in atmospheric soft-focus, but the men are manipulative, the women nervous and the overall impression is sad and sordid.
This is not a victimless pastime. Beauty spots are becoming no-go areas. At the stables where I keep my horses, there are mothers who will no longer let their daughters hack out into the countryside on their ponies because teenage girls have been flashed.
Many people I know do not take their children for walks on the common for fear of what they may inadvertently stumble across.
I nearly stopped walking there myself after coming across three men engaged in a sex act I had never even heard of before I actually saw it. I felt troubled that my dog had witnessed it, never mind a child.
Those who regularly walk in the woods also complain of the litter which accompanies such acts.
I’ve seen debris including condoms, pages of pornographic magazines, even underpants. Stephen Bungay, who owns the Ockham Bites café on the common, says that every morning before opening up he collects a bin-bag full of debris from outside his kiosk including sex toys and latex gloves.
‘I haven’t got a problem with what anyone does in their own home, but this is a lovely family place and I want families here,’ he says. ‘I have four children and if they saw something like this it would scar them for life.’
The rangers from Surrey Wildlife pursue dog-walkers who fail to pick up dog-mess, but I have never seen them ask a cruiser to pick up their condoms. Hazel Longworth, a Surrey resident, has been campaigning on the issue for years.
She says: ‘I’ve got a four-year-old grandson and I’m worried he will see people having sex, or pick up a used condom. It’s all very well saying people have the right to have sex in the woods, but what about our rights?’
If people are foregoing the pleasure of walking, horse-riding and going for picnics with their children in their local countryside then surely that does make them the victims of a crime.
It should not fall to us to prove to the police that we were ‘alarmed, harassed or distressed’.
If local forces patrolled known sites regularly, they would catch men and women indecently exposing themselves, and could impose on-the-spot fines. They are quick enough to fine any motorist caught parked on a double yellow line.
But it seems they just may not want to police this particular crime.
Two years ago, a Freedom of Information request to Surrey Police elicited an astonishing response.
The request asked if the county force had given out food and drink at public sex sites as part of their strategy of policing these sites. The reply was ‘yes’, it had ‘provided teas and coffees to all members of society using the area for various reasons’.
The force were also asked how many public sex or cruising sites they were aware of in Surrey. The answer came back with estimates of 19 in Guildford, six in Waverley, nine in Woking, eight in both Elmbridge and Mole Valley — 50 in all.
Meanwhile, tonight’s Channel 4 documentary about ‘this intriguing and unusual’ pastime will doubtless appeal to viewers who pride themselves on being non-judgmental.
In doing so, the film-maker no doubt wants to tackle the prejudices of people like me who want to enjoy the countryside without being hassled for sex. How very small-minded of me.
Dogging Tales airs on Channel 4 Thursday 4 April, 22.00 GMT
A FORMER Surrey Police officer has been jailed for 10 months for selling details of the arrests of Chelsea footballer John Terry’s mother and Rolling Stone guitarist Ronnie Wood to The Sun newspaper.
Mr Justice Fulford said the offences were “a disgraceful way for a police officer to act”.
Tierney, 40, of Manor Road, Hayling Island in Hampshire, sold details about Sue Terry and Sue Poole, the mother and mother-in-law of former England football captain John Terry, who were arrested on suspicion of shoplifting clothes and food from Marks & Spencer and Tesco in Brooklands, Weybridge, in March 2009.
After The Sun ran an exclusive story about the arrests, he contacted the tabloid from the email address guildford1@gmail.com to correct the reported value of the goods involved, from £850 to £1,450.
The court heard he was then contacted by journalists on the newspaper and offered a “donation” for a detailed account of what the two women said during police interviews and what they were accused of taking.
Tierney also tipped reporters off when civil legal action was started for compensation.
He was paid with a cheque in his brother-in-law’s name.
The court heard Tierney was called to interview a witness in relation to the incident.
He then contacted a journalist at The Sun, giving the name and address of the witness, even making one of the calls while he was at a police station.
Terry, Poole and Wood all accepted cautions over the matters.
Mr Justice Fulford said: “It is wholly against the public interest for those who hold public office cynically to profit out of the misery or unfortunate circumstances of those for whom they are responsible.”
And the judge added: “The most serious aspect of the two offences is that, in relation to count two [involving Ronnie Wood], the defendant provided the name and, most significantly, the address of the witness.
“The fact that the individual coincidentally tried to sell the story to another newspaper is neither here nor there in terms of what this defendant had in mind.
“Put bluntly, it could easily have led to that witness withdrawing all co-operation as regards being a witness.”
In mitigation, the court was told that most of the details of the incidents would have eventually become public, and that the leaks had not undermined any investigations.
Bill Emlyn Jones, defending Tierney, said he was “an effective and well-regarded police officer” who was commended a number of times during his 11 years as a constable.
He said: “He has lost everything already. He has been dismissed from the job that he loved and he has therefore lost his income, his reputation, his family.
“His wife has separated from him and contact with his children has been extremely difficult. His fall from grace is complete already.”
Mr Jones said Tierney was genuinely sorry and regretted what had happened.
‘Appalling abuse of position’
The charges came as part of Operation Elveden, the Metropolitan Police’s investigation into illegal exchanges of information between journalists and public officials, which is running alongside the Operation Weeting phone-hacking probe.
Tierney – who was paid a total of £1,250 for the confidential information – was dismissed from Surrey Police in July 2012 after a referral by the force to the Independent Police Complaints Commission and a fast-track disciplinary procedure.
Following his sentencing, Chief Constable Lynne Owens said: “It is totally unacceptable that a serving police officer chose to pass on information to the media for his own personal gain.
“Officers are regularly privy to sensitive information and by the very nature of their job are trusted to act with integrity and professionalism at all times.
“This was an appalling abuse of his position and Mr Tierney has not only let down his colleagues but more importantly betrayed the trust the public put in us.
“This sort of behaviour tarnishes the reputation of the vast majority of our hard-working and professional officers and staff who serve the people of Surrey.”
A former prison worker and two ex-policemen have been jailed for selling information to newspapers.
Alan Tierney sold details about John Terry’s mother being cautioned
Richard Trunkfield, 31, who worked at Woodhill prison near Milton Keynes, was jailed for 16 months for passing on details about one of James Bulger’s killers, Jon Venables.
Ex-Surrey PC Alan Tierney, 40, received 10 months for selling details about two cases linked to high-profile people.
A second unnamed ex-officer was sentenced to two years for misconduct.
He cannot be named for legal reasons.
All three were charged as part of the Operation Elveden inquiry into corrupt payments made by journalists to public officials, in return for information.
‘Corrosive effect’
Mr Justice Fulford, who passed sentence on the men in separate hearings at the Old Bailey, said: “This country has long prided itself on the integrity of its public officials and cynical acts of betrayal of that high standard have a profoundly corrosive effect.”
“It could easily have led to that witness withdrawing all co-operation”
Mr Justice Fulford – Judge
Trunkfield from Moulton, Northamptonshire, had earlier pleaded guilty to misconduct in a public office between 2 March and 30 April 2010.
The Old Bailey heard that he was struggling with debt at the time he sold the information, and had cared for his mother while she was suffering from cancer in 2008 and 2009.
Legal restrictions meant it could not initially be reported that the prisoner involved was Venables, however Trunkfield has since resigned from Woodhill prison and Venables is no longer being held there.
Venables and his accomplice, Robert Thompson, were 10 years old when they abducted two-year-old James in Bootle, Merseyside, in February 1993 before torturing and murdering him.
Venables served seven years of a life sentence for the 1993 murder before he was freed on licence in June 2001, aged 18.
He was later jailed for two years in July 2010 after admitting downloading and distributing indecent images of children.
‘Disgraceful’ behaviour
Tierney, of Hayling Island, Hampshire, admitted two counts of misconduct, dating back to 2009, earlier this month.
Mr Justice Fulford said Tierney’s offences had been “a disgraceful way for a police officer to act”.
The former PC sold details about Sue Terry and Sue Poole, the mother and mother-in-law of former England football captain John Terry, who were arrested on suspicion of shoplifting in Surrey.
Tierney also sold details about the arrest of guitarist Ronnie Wood, 65, on suspicion of beating up his Russian lover Ekaterina Ivanova, who is in her 20s.
Terry, Poole and Wood all accepted cautions over the various matters and the Tierney received £1,250 for the information.
Tierney’s defence team, addressing the hearing, said he had “suffered a collapse of his mental health” since his arrest and had tried to commit suicide.
The court was told Tierney had lost his wife, family and reputation.
The judge said it was “wholly against the public interest for those who hold public office cynically to profit out of the misery or unfortunate circumstances of those for whom they are responsible”.
‘Utterly indifferent’
The court was told Tierney had sold the name and address of a witness to the Wood incident, which Mr Justice Fulford said was the most serious aspect of the case.
He said: “Put bluntly, it could easily have led to that witness withdrawing all co-operation as regards being a witness.”
Regarding the second, unnamed officer, Mr Justice Fulford said: “In my judgment this defendant was utterly indifferent as to whether his actions would harm particular police investigations and the course of justice, and overall he did not care what effect his activities would have on the victims and others involved in the various cases about which he provided information.”
Three officers have now been convicted under Operation Elveden, following the first case of ex-counter-terrorism detective April Casburn.
She was jailed for 15 months for offering to sell information to the News of the World newspaper after the inquiry into hacking by the tabloid reopened in 2010.
The operation is being run alongside Scotland Yard’s Operation Weeting, which is looking into phone hacking.
As a result of the Chancellor’s pronoucements in the budget today about tax breaks for the shale gas industryI wondered what the implications would be for residents in Surrey. Currently the nearest exploration site for shale gas exists in Balcombe on the Surrey/Sussex borders but although Cuadrilla, one of the largets companies, has an interest ina site in Lingfieldit seems the permissions are expired at this moment in time. However, that might be due to change anytime according to this report.
Through the wonders of the internet it is interesting to discover that Reigate and Banstead Council have rejected a ‘frack free zone’ in their area which leaves the door open for the controversial drilling technique to be used in the borough. See –‘Frack Free Zone’ calls rejected by Reigate and Banstead councillors.A pdf containing the minutes of the meeting that made that decision can be viewed byclicking this link
Even more interesting is the discovery of just how many staff belonging to the energy companies are ‘on loan’ to government departments as a December 2011 Guardian article pointed out, see -Energy companies have lent more than 50 staff to government departments, (Oil and nuclear industries’ presence throughout Whitehall exposed by Green MP, who warns of undue influence on policy).
In another article on the same site we read that the same Guildford District Councillor, Nick Sutcliffe, (pictured), is paid to lobby for fracking company Cuadrilla. See: – Gas pollution seeps into government
Mr Sutcliffe gets another mention in Private Eye when he attended a ‘PR’ meeting at Balcombe about gas fracking which apparently turned into a complete shambles. The article states: -
‘Tempers were not improved when it was revealed that one of Cuadrilla’s PR reps, Nick Sutcliffe, of lobbyist PPS (which boasts of “securing support from key politicians for shale gas exploration for Cuadrilla”), is also a Guildford borough councillor. He serves on the planning committee which considers drilling applications in the area and is cabinet member for, er, environmental services!’
Thought I would post the above just in case anyone in Surrey was thinking about protesting any gas fracking proposals in the County and feel like talking to somebody who might have an interest in the environment…
PS – And don’t forget that Francis Maude MP for Horsham and currentlyMinister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, seems to have a close interest in gas fracking company Cuadrilla if this article is to be believed…
Force will pay recruits £22,000, chief and police and crime commissioner confirm.
Surrey has become the second force in the country to break ranks and declare it will offering more than Tom Winsor’s proposed starting salary of £19,000 to new recruits.
In a statement issued to PoliceOracle.com, Surrey Chief Constable Lynne Owens (pictured) confirmed that she and her force Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Kevin Hurley had agreed to stick with the current £22,000 rate of pay.
As reported on this website, the £19,000 salary suggested in the second part of Tom Winsor’s pay and conditions review was endorsed by the Police Arbitration Tribunal last year.
Having been ratified by the Home Secretary, the new remuneration arrangements come into force on April 1. But PCCs and chiefs have the discretion to take into consideration skills, experience and local recruitment needs when deciding pay rates.
CC Owens, a former Met assistant commissioner, confirmed that her force would pay enhanced rates to attract high-calibre candidates. She added: “I know the role of the constable is critical to the service we deliver.
“This is an increasingly challenging time and we need to ensure we continue to attract and retain the best calibre of people. The public deserve nothing less.”
CC Owens added that all officers had passed the Police, Law and Community Certificate before joining and the salary “recognised this commitment”.
Mike Dodds, Chairman of Surrey Police Federation, praised the chief constable and PCC for taking the decision set the pay of new recruits at a higher level.
He said that he had been “surprised and appalled” when he first learned of the proposal to cut the pay of new officers by £4,000, adding: “I am delighted that CC Owens and Mr Hurley have decided to offer the maximum amount available.”
Mr Dodds said the move would help to alleviate the financial worries of officers as well as attracting candidates with the relevant skills and expertise.
The Surrey decision comes after neighbouring force Hampshire Constabulary decided that it would offer £21,500 to its new recruits in the wake of concern voiced by the local Federation. This will increase by £500 on completion of training.
Branch board Chairman John Apter had outlined his concerns that a £19,000 starting wage would not attract the right candidates to Chief Constable Andy Marsh and PCC Simon Hayes
Mr Apter had asserted that it would be “morally wrong” for fully warranted officers to be paid less than PCSOs and highlighted the high cost of living in Hampshire.
Speaking after the Surrey announcement, Mr Apter added: “This is no surprise.
“When one chief constable puts their head above the parapet and makes the right decision, it is likely that others will follow suit and take similar action.
“I welcome the decision that the chief constable of Surrey has followed Hampshire. This is the right thing for policing and the right thing for the public.”
Surrey contributed more income tax to the Exchequer between 2009 and 2011 than anywhere apart from the City of London, the county council has said.
The authority said new figures show the county’s economy grew by 7% during that time, despite the recession, and generated more than £30bn annually.
A new group - Surrey Future – has now been launched to help boost business.
It said its initial focus would be tackling overcrowding on trains and congestion on the roads.
Surrey County Council said Surrey Future would bring business leaders, the county council and the borough and district councils together and establish investment priorities over the next 20 years.
A report to the council’s cabinet by deputy leader Peter Martin said Surrey’s economy had gone “from strength to strength” over the past two decades, with the county contributing almost £6bn a year in personal income tax, second only to London.
‘Major gateways’
There are about 600,000 jobs in Surrey, and although unemployment has risen during the recession, levels are below the national average, the report said.
“The county benefits significantly from major international gateways, particularly the airports, and from proximity to London and associated road and rail connections,” it added.
But the document said the county’s success had led to congested roads, high house prices and inadequate infrastructure.
“Surrey’s very success creates a significant challenge to its global competitiveness because of the way in which investment in critical infrastructure lags behind the need generated by strong growth,” it added.
David Hodge, leader of the council, said: “Surrey is an engine room for the national economy and a centre for innovation.
“Sustained investment is vital if we are to accelerate the recovery and lead the rest of the UK into prosperity.
“Investing in the county’s overburdened roads and rail network will be key to this because good travel links help businesses run more efficiently while making the best possible use of land will play a big part in accelerating development.”
Care Of Police Survivors (COPS)
‘Rebuilding Shattered Lives’ – Care of Police Survivors (otherwise known as COPS) is a UK registered charity dedicated to helping the families of police officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty, rebuild their lives.
CASPER
A rather unusual and rare organisation within the Police service, which carries out voluntarily Civic and Ceremonial duties on behalf of the Police service of Great Britain at numerous events in both the United Kingdom and Europe.
Centre for British Influence:
We campaign for British leadership in Europe. We are neither Europhile nor Europhobe but propose Eurorealist, practical solutions to European policies affecting the UK. We want Britain to enhance its political influence within Europe.
Help for Heroes
“It’s about our men and women of the Armed Forces. It’s about Derek, a rugby player who has lost both his legs. It’s about Richard who was handed a mobile phone as he lay on the stretcher so he could say goodbye to his wife. They are our heroes”
International Police Association.
The International Police Association (IPA) is a worldwide membership organisation for serving and retired police officers.
N.A.R.P.O.
National organisation for retired police officers
PC David Rathband's Blue Lamp Foundation.
PC David Rathband’s Blue Lamp Foundation provides immediate financial support to personnel of the Emergency Services who have been injured in the line of duty as a result of a criminal act.
Pensioners Debout! Stand up!
A Blog that discusses the problems of the British expatriate pensioner in France & Europe.
Police Survivors Support Scheme
The Home Office has established a special discretionary grant scheme for the purpose of providing financial assistance to eligible Police Survivors in England & Wales, who are in financial need as a result of losing their Special or Augmented pension.
SOUTHERN ENGINEMEN REMEMBER 4
Memoirs of a working life before joining the Surry Constabulary. This site is a mine of information for anybody who has an interest in the railway industry and specifically steam hauled trains. An excellent anecdotal historical railway website.
Surrey Constabulary History Society
The purpose of this site is to encourage interest in the policing of Surrey in what was to become the area outside the Metropolitan Police District. It covers the period before the new police and after the formation of the Surrey Constabulary in 1851 thro
Surrey Constabulary Motor Cycle Club
The Motor Cycle Club founded by ‘Sooty’ Bridgman & Chris Kay that upset Chief Constable, Sir Peter Matthews!
The Thin Blue Line
Our aim is to raise public awareness about the true picture of policing and crime, through in depth analysis of trends & public domain statistics & the challenges of policing in the UK.
The University Of The Third Age
U3As are self-help, self-managed lifelong learning co-operatives for older people no longer in full time work, providing opportunities for their members to share learning experiences and to pursue learning not for qualifications, but for fun.
Your Right to Know – Freedom of Information
Everyone has the right to request information held by public sector organisations under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act. Find out how FOI works, how to make an information request and what to do if your request is refused.
The working life of the Surrey Constabulary 1851-1992
Click on the below Surrey Constabulary helmet badge to read about the history of The Surrey Constabulary 1851-1992.
The Surrey Police Role of Honour.
Click on the below Surrey Police crest to read the role of honour for those lost whilst serving in The Surrey Constabulary and The Surrey Police Service.
The National Police Memorial
Click the below picture to go to the National Police Memorial website.
The Surrey Weather Forecast
Supporting Cancer Charities
Click any button above to take you to the cancer charity site of your choice
Current UK National Debt: Updated In Real Time.
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The state has been wasting our money for decades. Weak politicians have bribed voters with endless amounts of borrowed cash. As a result, in 2012 the interest on the national debt will cost £44.8 billion a year. That's more than we spend on defence, and not much less than the entire education budget.
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Jon Danzig is an award winning medical journalist and formerly an investigative journalist at the BBC. He has many years experience in the world of writing, broadcasting, magazine editing, photography and film making. (Click on any link to read full article.)
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Blog: Jon Danzig’s World
What Nigel Farage told British expats in Spain - 19/05/2013 Nigel Farage on Talk Radio Europe - click to hear About two million Brits live, work, study or are retired in other EU countries. Over 800,000 of them are estimated to reside in Spain alone; over one million if you include those who sojourn there for just part of each year. The numbers might now be higher, as the latest estimates * were published in 2010. In addition, many tens of thousands of British own second homes right across the European Union [...]
Jon Danzig's New Blog: 'EU ROPE' - 02/05/2013 I have a new blog about Britain's ties with the European Union. It's called 'EU ROPE' and appears on the website of the ‘Academic Association for Contemporary European Studies’ - UACES. My first posting is about Daily Telegraph readers calling me me 'a moron' because I commented in support of the European Union. Click to read: Jon Danzig's new blog: 'EU ROPE'
Lost in Las Vegas - 21/04/2013 Jon Danzig is bewildered by the city of sin Jon Danzig gets lost in Las Vegas I HAVE JUST ARRIVED IN HELL. Well, if it isn't, it's a bloody good imitation. This is the place where everything and everyone screams for your money. Signs shout buy me, try me, tip me, win me, play me, rent me, ride me, f**k me. There isn't another place on the planet that has found more ways to take your money. But in this mob run desert strip, everything is a mirage, from the [...]
The Brotherhood of Europe - 30/03/2013 On October 8th 1938, Britain's 'Children's Newspaper' ran a visionary pre-war editorial extolling the virtues of Europe as 'one Brotherhood' with a 'common interest which binds its people together'. One year later, a vicious world war ripped Europe apart, from which it took over 60 years to recover. If there's a lesson from history about this, it’s surely that ‘The Brotherhood of Europe’ should never be broken again. &nb [...]
End of the National Health Service? - 28/03/2013 Jon Danzig asks about the original aims of the NHS Britain's cherished National Health Service, 'The NHS', was born in 1948 and pioneered by the UK's post-war Health Minister, Aneurin Bevan. Next Monday, 1st April 2013, the NHS in England will undergo enormous changes to the way it's managed and funded. Some claim it will be 'the end of the NHS as we know it.' This week, at the Royal Society of Arts, LBC Radio broadcast a live debate about the futu [...]
Jon Danzig Blog: EU Rope
Brits should recognise the value in being ‘citizens of Europe’ - 21/05/2013 Jon Danzig promotes the virtures of being a citizen of Europe If you are a UK citizen confused about the value of EU membership, due to the ‘untruths’ coming from UKIP and the national press, then just follow the evidence – says former BBC journalist, Jon Danzig, in the journal ‘Public Service Europe’. Click to [...]
Europe: foreign criminals and human rights - 05/05/2013 Today The Telegraph published a story about two foreign criminals, jailed for their part in the English riots, who successfully appealed against deportation because of their ‘right to family life’ under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights. In response, I posted this comment: Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights [...]
Telegraph readers call me ‘a moron’ - 01/05/2013 Today I posted pro-EU arguments under a Daily Telegraph article about the number of Romanians and Bulgarians coming to the UK. Clearly, my comments were unwelcome by DT readers. They called me ‘a moron’, an ‘utter idiot’ and told me ‘to get medical help.’ So much for elevated debate. This was my comment: All UK [...]
Hello Europe! - 09/04/2013 Welcome to EU ROPE, where the links between the UK and Europe will be explored and discussed. New stories coming soon. Regards, Jon Danzig
Woolwich attack: Killed man 'was soldier' - BBC News - 23/05/2013 at 08:53 BBC News Woolwich attack: Killed man 'was soldier' BBC News A soldier killed in a suspected terror attack in south-east London is expected to be named later, while two men remain under arrest in hospital. The soldier's family have bee [...]
Nikkei plunge sparks global market retreat - Financial Times - 23/05/2013 at 08:35 Moneycontrol.com Nikkei plunge sparks global market retreat Financial Times Thursday 09.10 BST. Global stocks are in sharp retreat, led by a savage plunge in Tokyo, as traders are spooked by the prospect of reduced central bank support and a slowing [...]
Woolwich: EDL Protests As Mosques Targeted - Sky News - 23/05/2013 at 08:16 BBC News Woolwich: EDL Protests As Mosques Targeted Sky News Riot police contain an English Defence League protest as two men are arrested over separate attacks on mosques. 9:18am UK, Thursday 23 May 2013. BRITAIN-UNREST-MILITARY-MURDER-EDL. A group [...]
Council leader David Hodge has defended his decision to agree to the six-figure payment to Mr McNulty – whose total pay in 2012 including allowances and pension contributions totalled £245,133 – saying it will be linked to very strict performance criteria.
Surrey Police has appointed Stuart Cundy as a new Assistant Chief Constable with responsibility for operational performance.
FIXING Surrey’s pothole-ridden roads would take 15 years at a one-off cost of £200million, it has been revealed.
Surrey Police constable Roger Toms, 41, was charged following an alleged shoplifting incident at the Tesco store in Crawley, West Sussex, on April 16.
information to newspapers.
Euro Converter
