Rani Mahal steps down as Rutland and Leicestershire deputy police and crime commissioner

Rutland’s deputy police and crime commissioner is leaving the post.

Police and crime commissioner Rupert Matthews (Con) made the announcement at the police and crime panel meeting this afternoon (Monday) and paid tribute to Rani Mahal, who he said was 'stepping down'.

He said Mrs Mahal, a conservative councillor on Harborough District Council and his deputy since 2022, had ‘done a huge amount of work’ and had been ‘absolutely invaluable’ in terms of advice she had given him.

He did not speak about a replacement deputy.

Presenting her last report to the panel, Mrs Mahal said it was ‘tinged with sadness’ and summarised some of her recent work, which included developing a new way for victims to provide information to the commissioner’s office, and a new parish council engagement programme.

She said: “This work has fed into the creation of a programme of activity designed to enable local communities to access funding for the crime prevention initiatives that will work in their area.”

Mr Matthews, who was re-elected for a four-year term in May, said at the meeting he would be having an internal review of his community days, in which he visits different areas to find out which crime issues they face.

The panel queried a lack of information about how many people attended the community days and how the information gathered was turned into action.

The commissioner said: “These have been going on for three years now and I think it’s about time that we had a review; see how they’re working to make sure public engagement between myself and my officer is as good as it can be. It might turn out that they’re absolutely fine and no changes are required but on the other hand, we might be able to come up with some improvements.”

The commissioner is an elected politician, who has oversight of an area’s police force. The panel, then scrutinise the decisions the commissioner makes and the programmes they set up in order to prevent crime in their area.

After the meeting the commissioner's media officer said the panel felt that a deputy was still needed and he was considering a way forward. A new deputy would require a confirmation hearing before the panel.