'A Vote on Competence': Cross-Party Panel Vetoes Reform Police Crime Commissioner’s Budget
By Local Democracy Reporter
In an unprecedented move that has sent shockwaves through Leicestershire and Rutland’s political landscape, the Police and Crime Panel has unanimously voted to veto the budget proposals of Rupert Matthews, the country’s only Reform UK Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC).
The decision, which took place during a high-stakes meeting on Wednesday, marks the first time in history that the cross-party panel has exercised its power to block a PCC’s financial plan. While the debate centered on council tax figures, the fallout has been characterised as a damning indictment of Mr. Matthews’ leadership.
The meeting laid bare a significant divide between the PCC and his top officer. Mr. Matthews had proposed raising the police’s share of council tax by £11 for the 2026/27 financial year. However, temporary Chief Constable David Sandall took the extraordinary step of publicly opposing his boss, arguing that anything less than the maximum allowable £15 increase would leave the force in a state of crisis.
Chief Constable Sandall warned the panel that the £4 difference represented a £4.7m shortfall in the coming year, a figure that would balloon in the future. "The position today is there is £4.7m less than is required to sustain the current level of service to the public," Sandall told the panel.
He warned that the lower precept would be the equivalent of losing 30 new officers immediately, and up to 350 officers over four years. He further cautioned that 999 response times and the investigation of complex crimes would be "at risk" under the PCC's plan.
The scrutiny panel comprising representatives from the Conservatives, Labour, Liberal Democrats, Greens, and Independents found common ground in their concern for public safety.
The mood turned particularly sour for the PCC when his own political allies turned against him. Reform UK Leicestershire County Council leader Dan Harrison seconded the veto, stating the budget proposals made him "angry" and accusing Mr. Matthews of behaving in a "most unworthy way."
After the meeting Conservative Councillor Craig Smith summarised the gravity of the decision, noting that the unanimity of the vote transcended party lines.
"This is not party political, but rather a vote on the competence of the Police and Crime Commissioner, who totally ignored the advice of senior officers and execs," Cllr Smith said.
Following the veto, a defiant Mr. Matthews hit back at the panel, calling the decision "ironic." He argued that his proposal still represented a £13.5m increase in funding compared to last year and maintained that the force could manage the deficit.
"I will not just take the highest amount simply because I can," Matthews said. "There is already enough pressure on households up and down the country. We need to reset the approach to taxation."
He dismissed the concerns over the deficit, suggesting it represented a small fraction of a nearly £300m budget and expressed "every confidence" that the force could achieve his targets without "undue challenge."
The veto forces the PCC back to the drawing board. Under statutory rules, Mr. Matthews must now reconsider his proposals, taking into account the panel’s concerns regarding the force’s ability to keep the public safe.
He is expected to present a revised budget to the panel on 12 February.
