CUMBRIA'S new police, fire and crime commissioner has outlined the achievements he has made during his first 100 days in office.

Labour's David Allen, who was elected in May, said the time had flown and added: "It's been busy, I don't know where the 100 days have gone, it's been quick.

"I inherited a good police force and a good fire service but there is a lot of work to do."

He said the achievements so far included:

  • The introduction of a neighbourhood policing pledge;
  • An additional £1 million to target antisocial behaviour (ASB) and serious violence hotspots;
  • Progress in finding the £16 million in savings to be made within the police budget;
  • Ensuring Cumbria has a voice on a national level
  • Providing the fire and rescue service with the resources needed to protect the public – including new equipment
  • Launching a consultation to find out the public’s priorities for and views on policing and fire services in Cumbria that will create the Police, Fire and Crime Plan.

The neighbourhood policing pledge was a key part of his manifesto and he said: "One of the things I found when I was knocking on doors pre-election was people wanted to see more police officers, a more visible presence of policing.

"This neighbourhood policing pledge that we are releasing is part of that, that commits the police force to visibility of their neighbourhood teams, they will know who their community beat officer is for in every area of the county.

"They will know who their PCSO is and they will know how to get hold of them.

"Going further the Government have pledged an additional 10,000 officers for the frontline. When that becomes available I will be making a bid for Cumbria so we have additional officers on the frontline.

"We will be putting those officers into the neighbourhood policing teams."

The commissioner said that all of the funding to tackle ASB was in place and it was already having an effect in 18 hotspots across the county. He added: "They are where you would imagine, the town centres and the areas where youths congregate.

"We have put additional patrols in those areas and we will continue to do so between now and March. Is it having an effect? Yes. If you look at Raffles in Carlisle there has been 100 per cent reduction in antisocial behaviour and serious violence in Barrow has halved and in Workington we've seen it fall by nearly half as well so yes it is working."

Mr Allen said work had started on identifying areas where savings could be made in the police budget and he said: "I inherited, or was left with, what is a deficit over the next five years of £16million so there are savings to be found.

"That is not a great place to be. So, what I am doing is working with the chief officers in both services to find those savings."

He said this would involve looking at the back-office functions and identifying where they could be combined to make savings as a result.

So far, they have managed save £1.25 million and he said: "That's not bad for 100 days. I have also pledged that I will make savings from my office and we have saved 11 percent of the budget thus far – exactly the same as the constabulary have.

"That is only right, that is the proper thing to do."

He said it was important that the region had a voice at a national level and added: "It is vital. Cumbria is an extremely high performing force. We are the best performing force in the country right now.

"If we want to stay there and improve the areas in the HMIC report where we were adequate or good, I want to get us to good and outstanding in those areas, you have got to have your feet under the national table and you have got to know what is coming down so you are ahead of the curve and you plan for it so things are in place."

Mr Allen said there had also been some major investments in the fire and rescue service and he added: "We are always looking at the kit we have got, can we improve it, is it the right stuff for now?

"One of the things that we have done in my time, the last 100 days, we have bought some new equipment which is a major investment."

Both Carlisle and Barrow have now got new high turntable appliances as a result and he said: "They are the long ladders, state-of-the-art, and £700,000 each which is a massive commitment.

"We have also got a water bowser that can basically put a house fire out because it is just enormous. That is another £700,000."

Mr Allen has also launched a public consultation to assess people's policing priorities which he said so far was proving a success.

He added: "It's just started. So, every four years this office, as part of its remit, is to go out and ask the public what they want from policing and now fire.

"What they want us to deliver, what they want the strategy to be for those services for the next four years?"

Residents have until September 5 to take part and Mr Allen said: "This is the public's opportunity to tell me what they want me to hold the chief constable and the chief fire officer to account for.

"If they decide that visible policing is the most important thing for them then that is what I will work to deliver but if they decide they want something completely different again that is what I will work to deliver. This is their chance to put their voice down."

He said that there were almost 1000 responses within two weeks and he added: "That is about twice as many as we've had previously so we are doing all right."

To find out more visit: www.cumbria-pfcc.gov.uk or the PFCC Facebook page.