Thames Valley’s police and crime commissioner has said technology prevented him from attending an important annual crime and disorder meeting, after he was accused of “not bothering to show up”.
Oxfordshire County Council had invited Matthew Barber to its annual crime and disorder meeting on Wednesday, April 26 to speak about his criminal justice plan for the county.
Topics on the agenda for the meeting included resourcing of neighbourhood policing teams, tackling violence against women and girls, as well as misogyny, racism and homophobia in policing.
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However, a councillor was quick to notice Mr Barber had failed to turn up and called him out for the no-show.
Liberal Democrat councillor Freddie van Mierlo, the party’s parliamentary candidate for Henley, wrote on Twitter: “Incredible that Tory Thames Valley police and crime commissioner, Matthew Barber, can’t be bothered to turn up to Oxfordshire County Council place scrutiny committee.
“What are we paying him for?”
Real shame @matthew_barber couldn’t be bothered to show up @TheOxfordMail
— Cllr Freddie van Mierlo 🔶 (@fivanmierlo) April 26, 2023
Mr Barber was keen to set the record straight quickly and said the suggestion he had “avoided the meeting” was “rather far-fetched”.
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He explained: "In order to attend an engagement in London with the home secretary and policing minister I arranged with the Oxfordshire County Council to attend the meeting virtually.
“As I'm sure has happened to all of us at some stage I was unable to get into the meeting.”
Not quite fair. In London for another commitment, offered to join remotely, my tech failed. Have offered to answer any questions outside of the meeting and attend a future meeting if helpful.
— Matthew Barber (@matthew_barber) April 26, 2023
Mr Barber also highlighted that if “for any reason” he had not wanted to attend the meeting then he could have sent his apologies in advance.
He added: “I meet every of the 14 councils in Thames Valley and will continue to do so as regularly as I can”.
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Ed specialises in writing political stories for the Oxford Mail and The Oxford Times.
He joined in the team in February 2023, after completing a History undergraduate degree at the University of York and studying for his NCTJ diploma in London.
Ed’s weekly politics newsletter is released every Saturday morning.
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