Essex Lib Dem PFCC candidate Callum Robertson revealed his shocked at victims of domestic abuse being reported to the Home Office Immigration as a result of reporting their experiences.

Earlier today, Robertson listened to workers at Essex domestic abuse charity Changing Pathways who told him that abuse victims were being detained in immigration centres after they disclosed their abuse to the Police.

Today, Callum Robertson, the Liberal Democrat Candidate for Essex Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner continued his listening tour of community organisations Essex with a virtual visit to the South Essex Citizens Advice Bureau.

Katherine, the CEO of the South Essex CAB branch, which covers Basildon, Brentwood, Thurrock, Rayleigh and Castle Point met with Callum Robertson to discuss how the Office of Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex can best support the third sector in the delivery of frontline services.

Most readers will not have been following the upcoming police (fire) and crime commissioner elections which are due to occur in May 2021. Though given the lack of publicity around the elections and historical turnout levels, this isn't terribly surprising.

Police and crime commissioners first came into being in 2012. The first set of elections had a turnout of just 15.1 per cent, with the second elections in 2016 hitting the dizzy heights of a 26.6 per cent, although turnout was higher in areas with additional elections happening at the same time. With the next set of elections due in May 2021 alongside a bumper crop of other elections, the turnout should improve dramatically.

On May 25^th, George Floyd was brutally murdered by American Police Officers, sparking protests in the USA that then spread across the world, including to here in the United Kingdom where protesters highlighted racial disparities in stop and search statistics and UK complicity in the slave trade.

In 2012, the first Police and Crime Commissioners were elected across England and Wales with responsibility for producing a crime plan, managing the police budget and most importantly, bringing a directly accountable figurehead to policing here in England and Wales. It is the latter point which makes the 2021 set of Police and Crime Commissioner elections that are being held in the shadow of the Black Lives Matter movement, so important.

Essex Liberal Democrat candidate for Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Callum Robertson set out his plan for an Essex-wide listening tour where he will be talking to local charities on the frontline of delivering criminal justice services ahead of setting out his manifesto for the May elections.

Robertson, who has worked with domestic violence victims both at the Ministry of Justice and a leading children's charity, has a track record helping victims seek legal recourse.

Casework was put on hold by Brentwood Council during the pandemic, but that did not stop councillors Karen Chilvers, Sarah Cloke, David Kendall & Dominic Naylor from working to keep their residents safe.

Over the spring and summer months, a footbridge that leads over the A12 from Spital Lane, a dangerous footpath in Honeypot Lane and the speed table in Crescent Road (at its junction with Junction Road & Milton Road) have all been made safe thanks to their actions.

In an effort to encourage social distancing, kick start the local economy and try and make a more pleasant shopping experience, Essex County Council and B

rentwood Borough Council temporarily closed the High Street to all vehicles except buses and delivery vehicles. However, in the light of strong representations made by many businesses and residents against the closure, this decision has been reversed and the High Street reopened. Many businesses felt the closure was adversely affecting their trade, particularly drop offs and pick ups. Many residents had concerns about the buses still using the High Street and no access for disabled parking (see Cllr Karen Chilvers article here). Residents were also concerned about the significant increase in the volume of traffic and vehicle emissions in affected town centre roads together with concerns about large lorries using weight limited diversion routes.

Sir Ed Davey MP is the new leader of the Liberal Democrats.

Read more here.