Most wanted: damning police report still remains at large

One month after Oldham Liberal Democrat Leader Councillor Howard Sykes MBE wrote to Andy Burnham requesting publication of a report into the management and performance of Greater Manchester Police, the Greater Manchester Labour Mayor has failed to honour his promise to make the report public.

Mayor Burnham contrived to delay publishing the report before his mayoral re-election, claiming that it would be inappropriate to do so before the new Police chief, Chief Constable Stephen Watson QPM, was sworn in. That happened over a month ago and the report has yet to see the light of day.

Commenting Councillor Sykes said: “It is unsurprising really that Mayor Burnham, who also acts as Greater Manchester’s Police and Crime Commissioner, doesn’t want to publish this report as I understand it is critical about the culture, management and performance of Greater Manchester Police.

“The previous Chief Constable and Andy Burnham presided over a force that failed to record over 80,000 reported crimes in a single year and that has spent a fortune on a new Police computer system, iOPs, that has proven to be a fiasco. At times, the past actions of the senior management team have seemed more akin to those of the Keystone Cops than a regional Police service.”

“The Oldham Liberal Democrats will continue to demand publication of this report and the new Chief Constable must now come up with a credible plan of action to bring about radical improvements at Greater Manchester Police to restore office morale and public confidence.”

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