Petition: Norfolk Deserves a Full-Time Police and Crime Commissioner

We, the undersigned, call upon Colin Sutton to resign as Police and Crime Commissioner for Norfolk.

The office of Police and Crime Commissioner carries significant statutory responsibilities and requires effective leadership, scrutiny of Norfolk Constabulary, oversight of policing priorities and expenditure, engagement with communities and partners, and accountability to the people of Norfolk. Mr Sutton is publicly funded to undertake this important role, with the official Norfolk PCC transparency information recording his salary at £76,379 per annum, in addition to the associated public costs of the office.

We are deeply concerned that Mr Sutton has a substantial pre-existing professional commitment in the form of The Makings of a Murderer, a national theatre tour scheduled to run from January until November 2027. Publicly advertised listings show approximately 127 performances, with a significant number taking place during the working week, particularly on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

We recognise Mr Sutton’s position that these performances will take place in his private time and that arrangements have been discussed with his office. However, the scale and duration of this commitment raise legitimate questions about his availability, accessibility and ability to give the PCC role the level of attention and commitment that the people of Norfolk have a right to expect. This is not an occasional outside engagement; it is a substantial professional commitment extending across almost the entire period from January to November 2027.

We are also concerned about transparency during the election campaign. The substantial professional commitment represented by this tour was not disclosed to the Norfolk electorate during the election campaign, depriving voters of the opportunity to properly assess whether Mr Sutton could give the PCC role the time, availability and attention it requires. We believe that the failure to make such a significant, pre-existing commitment clear to voters raises serious questions about transparency and whether the electorate was able to make a fully informed choice when deciding who should hold this important public office.

The issue is not simply whether individual theatre performances technically fall outside the PCC’s working hours. It is a question of public confidence, accountability, value for money and the capacity of the elected PCC to be consistently available when Norfolk needs its Police and Crime Commissioner. The PCC must be able to attend meetings, scrutinise the Chief Constable, respond to significant policing developments, engage with victims and communities, oversee policing expenditure and provide visible leadership across the county.

Norfolk taxpayers are entitled to expect that an elected official receiving £76,379 a year in public remuneration will give the office the necessary time and priority. The scale of Mr Sutton’s touring commitments inevitably raises questions about whether that expectation can be met.

Mr Sutton has indicated that his outside work will not interfere with his PCC responsibilities. However, we believe that Norfolk should not have to wait until policing performance, public engagement or democratic accountability suffers before action is taken to address a foreseeable and substantial issue of availability.

The people of Norfolk deserve a Police and Crime Commissioner whose principal professional commitment is to Norfolk, its communities and their safety.

We therefore call upon Colin Sutton to recognise that the scale of his existing professional commitments is incompatible with the expectations of this important public office, to put the interests of Norfolk first, and to resign as Police and Crime Commissioner for Norfolk.

We deserve a leader who is committed to restoring safety, transparency, and trust among the Norfolk police force and its citizens. Join me in demanding accountability and the necessary change in leadership that will prioritize the well-being and security of our community. Please sign and share this petition to make our voices heard.