Who do you think should pay for the improvements?
The work – which cost £6,500 – has included putting up a fence and installing CCTV and window locks at Shaun Wright’s home.
Lib Dem Coun Shaffaq Mohammed called on Mr Wright to consider footing some of the bill himself, instead of the taxpayer paying for the improvements in full.
He said: “Given that he’s taken the full salary – and it’s a hefty salary – perhaps he should considering paying for some of the work himself.
“It doesn’t always have to be the case the taxpayer has to fund it and in the current climate, when Mr Wright is asking taxpayers to pay an extra penny on their council tax to ensure there are enough bobbies on the beat, he should consider dipping into his own pocket.”
Robert Oxley, Campaign Manager at the TaxPayers’ Alliance: “Ultimately if PCCs are worried about becoming the victims of crime, the best thing they can do is make sure their actions reduce the crime rate across the region leaving everyone that bit safer.”
Mr Wright’s spokesman Ed Moss said it was of ‘paramount importance’ to make sure the Commissioner and his family were protected and the improvements followed a risk assessment.
He added: “The assessment flagged-up many of the typical risks associated with a high-profile public figure whose personal address is available in the public domain, and while some of the recommendations were taken on board by Commissioner Wright, others were not.
“It is standard police procedure for public officials considered at risk and who do not enjoy the added security of non-disclosure of their family address, as, for example, is the case with MPs.
“There is also precautionary element involved with the increase in security to pro-actively discourage any threats to the Commissioner – threats no one working in public life should have their family exposed to.
“The nature of the funding of the Commissioner’s role sees the security recommendations and implementations in turn funded by the public purse.
“The measures are deemed fully appropriate and proportionate to the level of risk.”
Who do you think should pay for the improvements?
Email: letters@thestar.co.uk
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