New police and fire commissioner 'to build trust'

Danielle Stone has started work as Northamptonshire's new police, fire and crime commissioner

A newly elected police, fire and crime commissioner (PFCC) says she wants to "build trust".

Labour's Danielle Stone was elected to the role in Northamptonshire last week to replace her Conservative predecessor Stephen Mold.

Mr Mold decided not to to stand after making misogynistic comments about his newly recruited chief fire officer Nikki Watson.

Ms Stone said she accepted the appointment of Ms Watson even though she had been under investigation at the time.

Danielle Stone was elected last week as the new commissioner

Now that the cheers from her supporters have died down, Ms Stone has had time to assess the enormity of the task ahead of her.

Both the police and the fire service in the county have had a turbulent year.

Nick Adderley, the chief constable, is suspended while an investigation takes place into allegations that he misrepresented his military service.

Nikki Watson, the new chief fire officer, turned out to be under investigation when she was appointed but she has since been told she has no case to answer.

Both had been appointed by Mr Mold.

Stephen Mold decided not to stand for re-election to the post of commissioner

Ms Stone told the BBC she was "content with" the appointment of Ms Watson: "I'm not happy about everything that preceded that; I've accepted the fact that the process she went through to become appointed was a fair and rigorous process.

"I would have done it all completely differently if it had been my choice and I think I would have listened to the firefighters about the kind of person and the kind of experience they wanted."

She added that the new commissioner needed to be given "a fair go".

Nikki Watson was appointed to the role of Northants chief fire officer after being deputy chief constable of Avon and Somerset Police.

Ms Stone said the interim chief officers of both the police and fire services had done a "most extraordinary job - they have kept morale in a very difficult situation".

"But we need stability at the top," she said.

"I want to reshape our relationships so that we build trust."

Danielle Stone wants to rebuild trust within the fire service

Ms Stone said she would make sure everyone who visited her office in Wellingborough would be aware of the standards expected of public servants.

She said: "I've asked for the Nolan principles to be blown up on a big piece of paper and put on the wall."

The Nolan principles, or the Seven Principles of Public Life, are a set of ethical standards people in public office are expected to adhere to, as set out by Parliament's Committee on Standards in Public Life.

They are selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership.