Liberal Democrat Police and Crime Commissioner for the Thames Valley, Cllr. John Howson has called for more spending on youth justice after figures reveal that in 2019-2020 (the latest year that statistics from the government are available), spending on youth justice rose by 0.05p per capita to an average of £12.74p. That’s still £2.12p below the annual per capita expenditure in 2014-15, during the coalition government.

Liberal Democrat Cllr. John Howson, the Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner Candidate,  has criticised the Tory consultation on closing Police counters for not offering information on what will replace counter services.

Cllr. John Howson, the Thames Valley Lib Dem Police and Crime Commissioner candidate, has welcomed the news that Milton Keynes youngsters are to make films to help persuade other young people to dump knives. The project works with young people to teach them filmmaking skills and produce short films that can have serious messages designed to encourage thought and change.

Thames Valley Liberal Democrats and their Police and Crime Commissioner Candidate, Cllr John Howson have attacked local Conservative boasts about police funding as “smoke and mirrors” that dress up a potential Council Tax rise as if it were extra funding from the Government.

Lib Dem Police and Crime Commissioner candidate for the Thames Valley has backed the Met Commissioner’s call to prioritise front line staff for the Coronavirus Vaccination saying "The Chief Constable of Thames Valley Police should be the last officer to be vaccinated against the coronavirus." 

Cllr. John Howson, The Liberal Democrat Police and Crime Commissioner candidate for Thames Valley, has reacted ot the news that 150,000 records were accidentally deleted from the Police National Computer. John said: ‘This Police Blunder not acceptable: it is another Tory IT failure.’

Thames Valley Police have missed their own target to cut knife crime in our area - one of their key priorities last year.
There was an increase of 13.8% in such crimes in the first quarter of 2020, to 429, across the Thames Valley. 

“This is a serious failure on the part of the Conservative government and the Tory Police and Crime Commissioner,” said former Magistrate John Howson, who is in the running to be the next Commissioner.

John Howson will be the Lib Dem candidate for the Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) elections due to be held in May 2021. As a sitting County Councillor and a former senior Magistrate, Professor Howson is well qualified for the role.