Lincolnshire PCC Alan Hardwick and Police Chief Constable Neil Rhodes. Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Lincolnshire Police Chief Constable Neil Rhodes’ suspension from the force has been quashed in court on Thursday.
Lincolnshire Police and Crime Commissioner Alan Hardwick’s decision to suspend Mr Rhodes has been described as “irrational” and “perverse” by the judge after a hearing at the Administrative Court in Manchester.
Neil Rhodes returned as Lincolnshire Police Chief Constable on Thursday evening, but the contract for his temporary role expires on March 31.
Deputy Chief Constable Alec Wood, was named Acting Chief Constable during the suspension, is set to continue in the role from Tuesday.
Neil Rhodes is contracted for another year as Deputy Chief Constable. He took on this role under Chief Constable Richard Crompton, who retired in March 2012 and appointed Neil Rhodes as Temporary Chief Constable.
As previously reported, Mr Rhodes and the first elected Lincolnshire PCC Alan Hardwick were in court this week over Chief Constable’s suspension.
The PCC suspended Mr Rhodes on February 25 over matters relating to his involvement in allegations of racial discrimination.
Alan Hardwick claimed Mr Rhodes assisted West Yorkshire Police lawyer Afzal Hussain, who was suing his former employer after he was dismissed from the force after 17 years.
The PCC claimed Neil Rhodes helped the senior Muslim lawyer to use his ethnicity to pursue damages from the force, despite knowing the claim was a “contrivance”.
Mr Rhodes denied any wrongdoing and his lawyers argued that the PCC’s decision was “near nuclear”, done either through inexperience or without the appropriate advice.
Mr Hardwick’s lawyers argued that he was “justified” in suspending the Chief Constable.
The court ordered the costs of the case, estimated to be £50,000, to be met by the PCC, which has subsequently confirmed Lincolnshire taxpayers will foot the bill.
After the suspension in February, the PCC referred the matter to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) and put Acting Chief Constable Alec Wood in charge of the force meanwhile.
The IPCC referred the matter back to the PCC and said it will not look further into the matter because it did “not amount to serious corruption or misconduct.”
Sir Peter Fahy, the Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police, has also been appointed by the PCC to carry out an independent investigation into the matter.
Different interpretation
Alan Hardwick, the first elected Lincolnshire PCC. Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Alan Hardwick said in a statement after the hearing: “Whilst I accept today’s decision, I must emphasise that the court’s interpretation of the information I received is very different to mine.
“My concern is that in future, any decision made by a Police and Crime Commissioner which could be considered contentious, is likely to be open to challenge in the courts. The investigation into the serious allegations is still ongoing under the direction of Sir Peter Fahy.”
Chief Constable resumes control
Lincolnshire Police Chief Constable Neil Rhodes. Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Chief Constable Neil Rhodes returned to Lincolnshire Police HQ on Thursday evening and issued his first statement since getting back in control of the force.
He said: “Having been reinstated as a Constable and Chief Constable, I have travelled back from the judicial review hearing at Manchester and have met with my chief officer team and have resumed control of the force.
“Over the Easter period I will be taking a long-planned period of leave and I look forward to serving the community of Lincolnshire as best I am able upon my return.
“I would very much like to thank the huge number of people in the Lincolnshire Police and ordinary members of the public for their messages of support which number several hundred. I am really grateful to them and I want to get back to work to repay their faith in me.
“The most important thing now is that all of our attention turns to policing the County of Lincolnshire,” Chief Constable Rhodes added.
‘Common sense prevailed’
Neil Rhodes also read a statement outside the court in Manchester, saying the proceedings were “entirely unnecessary” and took a toll on him and his family.
He said: “I’m very pleased with the decision of the judge today who has declared my suspension irrational and perverse and therefore unlawful.
“I will return to work now and continue to serve Lincolnshire Police with the personal and professional integrity that I believe I have displayed over the past 27 years.
“The judgement today has demonstrated this was entirely unnecessary, as the PCC’s concerns should have been resolved professionally and with proper investigation.
“I endeavour to resolve this and had hoped common sense would prevail. I maintained a dignified silence in the media throughout. Court was absolutely my final recourse.
“I now look forward to a mature and constructive discussion with the commissioner about my future working relationship.”
Reality check for PCCs
Lincoln MP Karl McCartney, who has previously written to Home Secretary Theresa May over the issue, commented: “After the decision by the IPCC not to investigate this matter, this verdict by the High Court in Manchester should be seen as a reality check for PCCs up and down our country.
“Commissioners need to think long and hard before taking the decision to suspend a chief constable, and as my initial reservations have borne out, this case just goes to show there are always two sides to every story.”
Calls for PCC resignation
Giles McNeill, Conservative Councillor for the Nettleham Ward, has called on PCC Alan Harwick to resign following the ruling.
Councillor McNeill said: “It is clear that Alan Hardwick is not up to the job of being Police and Crime Commissioner. He has bungled this suspension of the Chief Constable, Neil Rhodes.
“It was clear that something was amiss when, having referred the matter to the Independent Police Complaints Commission, they decided that the matter was not sufficient for their investigation.
“The time has come for Commissioner Hardwick to do the honourable thing and resign,” Giles McNeill added.
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A Lincoln man has helped save lives during the 2,000 medical emergencies he has attended in 10 years of working as a Community First Responder for the charity LIVES.
Bill Barber is a dedicated volunteer who has progressed to now being at Level 4. This means he can attend some of the most serious medical emergencies, including those involving children and infants.
The 60-year-old has always been interested in the medical world and, after his friend had two mini strokes on the same day in October 2010, it prompted him to start his career with LIVES. He qualified as a Community First Responder in January 2011.
It can be difficult for an ambulance to reach a patient quickly when they live in rural areas, like many Lincolnshire villages, which is why Bill continues to be part of LIVES.
He said: “To do 2,000 jobs for LIVES is a great honour and achievement. It is a great feeling to have had the opportunity to meet all of these people in their time of need.
“Along this journey, I have met so many fantastic pre-hospital colleagues, including our own LIVES medics and Community First Responders.
“I think the most rewarding aspect of being a responder is making a difference and being there for the people in your community in their time of need.
“Living in a more rural area, where ambulances can take longer to get to patients, a fast response by LIVES is vital. Minutes really do matter.”
Bill with his wife Jeni and granddaughter Brooke. | Photo: LIVES
Nikki Cooke, CEO at LIVES, said: “Bill is the ultimate LIVES responder. He’s someone who’s always there to help. We’ve received so many messages of praise and thanks for Bill from patients, families and colleagues that we’ve lost count!
“Bill has been there for so many people over the years and it is only right that we recognise this and the incredible achievement of attending 2,000 emergencies on behalf of LIVES. Thank you, Bill. We hope you’ll be responding for many more years.”
Bill receiving his Responder of the Year award from LIVES Medical Director, Dr Simon Topham, at the LIVES AGM in 2019.
LIVES turned 50 last year and continues to support its communities in Lincolnshire by responding to medical emergencies when a 999 call is made.
The charity relies on the support and generosity of the public and each year it needs to raise £1.4 million to ensure the Community First Responders and Medic Responders have the lifesaving training and equipment they need. They are taking donations online here.
Lincoln City’s LNER Stadium will be back open as a public space for anyone to come and ‘Take A Break’ later this month.
The League One club first launched ‘Take A Break’ last summer and due to popular demand it is returning after the latest lifting of lockdown restrictions, which allows people to meet in a group of up to six people.
The first Take A Break session will be held on Friday, April 23 between 11am-12.30pm at ten-minute intervals, with further dates to be announced in due course – book a free ticket here.
Tickets must be booked in advance and admittance will only be via allocated time slots, which can be selected at the time of people. The club said that one booking allows a maximum of six people from two households.
Entry is free, but you can donate to Lincoln City Foundation via a bucket collection should you wish to do so.
You can bring food, drink and other provisions into the stadium with you, but there will be no indoor facilities or toilets available.
Movement from seat to seat will not be permitted and social distancing rules and government guidelines must be followed.
The club said: “Of course, we want to make it as safe and easy as possible for you to book and enjoy your visit.
“The ‘Take A Break’ project will be strictly conducted under guidance set out to allow for time to be spent outdoors for recreation.”
South Kesteven District Council will give an alternative Margaret Thatcher statue back to the artist who created it, after storing it for a police investigation.
The statue was created by Mark Robla, a 34-year-old sculpture and street artist from Grantham, who said he was “saving the council £400,000” by making it.
Mark’s alternative piece depicts former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher with her head, made of plaster, stuck on a spike made of office chairs, and her iconic handbag at the bottom.
The homemade statue standing on the 10ft plinth designed for the council’s unveiling. | Photo: MarkRobla
In February 2021, he created the 5ft design and stuck it on the 10ft plinth at St. Peter’s Hill in Grantham town centre, designed for the £300,000 bronze statue of the Iron Lady, though his cost just £100 to make.
His statue was only on the plinth a matter of days, however, as the council took down the art installation and kept it in storage while police investigations took place.
Mark’s design is made up completely of office chairs and plaster. | Photo: MarkRobla
These investigations will be over shortly and Mark will soon be given his statue back, according to the council.
A spokesperson for South Kesteven District Council said: “This item has been held in safe storage since the incident to allow completion of both the police and our own investigations into what happened.
“We will shortly be contacting Mr Roberts to arrange for it to be collected.”
It was a long journey for Mark to get his statue back, as he told The Lincolnite that multiple calls and emails were ignored by SKDC.
The statue of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher that will be placed in Grantham, her birth town.
It was one of just many forms of opposition aimed at the proposal for the statue since it was announced in 2019, with over 14,000 people on Facebook also registering interest in an egg-throwing contest at the statue’s unveiling.
The unveiling event of the statue was originally due to cost £100,000, but South Kesteven District Council U-turned and decided to underwrite the event rather than fund it.
Sculptor Douglas Jennings applying the finishing touches to the stature when it was created.
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