Star date: 23rd March 2017

SAREDA DIRIR CONFIRMED AS DEPUTY POLICE COMMISSIONER FOR CHESHIRE

Claremont Labour Party councillor, Sareda Dirir, has been confirmed as the controversial appointment to the £50,000 a year Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner for Cheshire.

Cheshire politicians had questioned both Councillor Dirir's qualifications for job and her family ties with the Police Commissioner, who she had known for twenty years. It is not known yet whether Sareda intends standing down from her council seat in light of the full time job.

Full details here...

"Do you understand how this is going to be perceived by members of the public?"  Councillor Howard Murray

Sareda Dirir, who currently holds the Claremont seat on Salford City Council for the Labour Party, has been officially confirmed as the £50,000 a year Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner for Cheshire.

Cheshire councillors had grilled the Salford councillor at an open confirmation panel meeting over both her qualifications for the role and her family's ties with David Keane, the Cheshire Police and Crime Commissioner who appointed her.

At the hearing, the councillors argued that when Keane wrote to them about the provisional appointment, he hadn't informed them that he'd known Sareda for twenty years. They also noted that Sareda's parents, Linda Dirir and Allin Dirir, are Labour councillors for the Penketh and Cuerdley ward in Warrington, which is also the ward of Crime Commissioner Keane.

"You're going to have people out there saying 'She either got the job because of the links the Commissioner had with your parents or vice versa'..." said Conservative Councillor Andrew Dawson, while panel chairman, Councillor Howard Murray added: "Do you understand how this is going to be perceived by members of the public?" 

Councillors also questioned her competence for the role, arguing that the few examples she gave - organising breakfast sessions with a chief executive of a customer service company for staff, and helping to organise a health petition to Downing Street – could not be conceived as being 'substantial experience of implementing strategic policy'...

After the panel hearing, councillors wrote to David Keane stating that Sareda Dirir only met the 'minimum standards' for job and that they were "disappointed that on a number of occasions she appeared unable to draw down from what she had learnt from her very varied career, and demonstrate how she would apply her experience

"The panel were of the view that Councillor Dirir failed to demonstrate an adequate knowledge and understanding of the operation of the police service and the criminal justice system" they added.

Defending the appointment this week, David Keane argued that "Four applicants were interviewed in January by myself, assisted by a team of independent advisors. Throughout the process Sareda showed herself to be an outstanding candidate and exceeded the criteria set.

"Sareda has worked across the private and public sector and her many years of teaching experience coupled with her passion for equality and diversity issues will be a great asset, as will her experience of working as an advocate for under-represented groups" he added "I have no doubt that Sareda is going to be a fantastic addition to my team and will support me in delivering better outcomes for our local communities in order to make Cheshire a safer place."

During the panel hearing, Sareda refused to state whether she would stand down from her Claremont Salford Council seat, which pays £10,404.84 per year, to take on the £50,000 full time job.

The Salford Star emailed Councillor Dirir last week asking about her intentions and so far she has not responded.

For a full background to this story and a link to the film of the panel hearing see previous Salford Star article – click here