Devon and Cornwall deputy police and crime commissioner resigns after five months in role

The deputy police and crime commissioner for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly has resigned, five months after his appointment.

Former Torbay Conservative councillor Mark Kingscote was hired by police and crime commissioner (PCC) Alison Hernandez in July to assist her while she dealt with leadership issues in the force.

The police and crime panel, which scrutinises her work, did not back Mr Kingscote’s appointment at July’s confirmation hearing.

They said he didn’t “have sufficient experience that he would be unable to work on behalf of all residents of Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly…[or] meet the minimum requirements of the post".

They recommended he shouldn’t get the £59,000-a-year job, but Ms Hernandez appointed him anyway. Just months later, he has gone.

Ms Hernandez said in a letter to panel members that Mr Kingscote had resigned "due to personal circumstances".

She did not disclose what those circumstances are - but in a letter to police and crime panel members, Ms Hernandez wrote: “I am particularly grateful for his assistance on scrutinising our estates’ plans, attending public and civic engagement events, the police museum and many other matters.”

She is not expecting to recruit another deputy in the near future.

When selecting Mr Kingscote, in the face of the strong recommendation of the police and crime panel against the appointment, Ms Hernandez claimed her deputy had “a unique set of skills” including working with people with complex mental health needs over his 30-year career in the NHS.

She said he would focus on issues such as anti-social behaviour issues in Torbay, while she concentrated on the leadership of an organisation “in dire straits”.

At the time of Mr Kingscote’s appointment, chief constable Will Kerr had been suspended over allegations of serious sexual assault in Northern Ireland, which he strenuously denies.

Deputy chief constable Jim Colwell stepped up automatically to act as chief constable, but then was himself suspended in November last year over claims he misused his work phone.

Both the permanent chief constable and the acting chief constable are now subjects of separate investigations by the Independent Office of Police Conduct.

Last month, Ms Hernandez appointed former chief of Dorset police James Vaughan as interim chief constable, saying the move would be welcomed by residents, police officers and staff.

Ms Hernandez has the power to appoint a deputy without the panel’s support but apologised to the panel after informing journalists of the appointment before notifying them.

The police and crime commissioner’s office says it will not comment about Mr Kingscote’s resignation as it is “a staff matter”.

Chair of the police and crime panel Cllr Sally Haydon (Lab, Plymouth City Council) said she is” surprised and disappointed, given all the motions we went through at the time”.

She maintained the view she expressed last July that she would rather the deputy PCC’s salary be spent on “more bobbies on the beat”.

The role was expected to run for 12 months, with the option of extending it until 2028, when elections are next held for the police and crime commissioner, which is a political appointment. Ms Hernandez, a Conservative, was elected last year for the third time.

Credit: Alison Stephenson, Local Democracy Reporting Service.