Give us control of 1% of the police budget

Email your PCC candidates or the person already responsible

For the first time on 15 November 2012, some people will be electing their Police and Crime Commissioner. Whilst this election isn't being run in Scotland or London, this is an excellent opportunity for all of us to ask questions about how local people are included in budget setting. Please take a couple of minutes to send either your local candidates, or the person already responsible, an email. (We'll work it out from your postcode in the form below).

PCC’s are part of the government’s plans to make the police more democratic and accountable. The idea is that by making the heads of local police forces elected, they will respond better to what the public wants. They will soon be in charge of local policing plans and priorities.

Participatory budgeting has a track record of involving residents to make difficult decisions about crime and community safety budgets. It helps to change the relationship of how citizens relate to the public bodies we fund with our taxes. It helps tackle the Power Gap by giving us a Fair Say. People in poverty often know what needs to happen to improve their communities, and this is one way to let them.

The Government’s “Champion for Active, Safer Communities”, Baroness Helen Newlove has said Police & Crime Commissioners should “commit at least 1% of their budget to grassroots community groups to use or have a say on” (Building Active Safer Communities, February 2012). Let's make sure that they do it!

Please fill in the form below, so that we can identify your local candidates. All fields marked with a star are essential.