Kent PCC's swift action over firearms licensing congratulated

The Countryside Alliance has congratulated Kent PCC Matthew Scott on swift action over firearms licensing. Newly elected Police and Crime Commissioner for Kent, Matthew Scott (pictured left), has announced a £39,000 of new funding to address the backlog in firearms licensing that built up under his predecessor, Ann Barnes.

Research undertaken by the Countryside Alliance in the run up to the Police and Crime Commissioner elections in May had highlighted Kent Police as the second worst performing firearms licensing department in England and Wales. Despite data showing enormous delays in processing firearms licence renewals, the incumbent Commissioner Ann Barnes chose to issue statements concerning her personal views on firearms licence fees rather than addressing the issue.

During his candidacy, Matthew Scott contacted the Countryside Alliance shooting campaigns team in response to its research, expressing his disappointment with Mrs Barnes' failure to address the problem and resolving to finance an efficient and effective licensing regime. Now he has been elected as PCC for Kent, the Countryside Alliance is delighted that Mr Scott has acted so quickly. £39,000 will ensure additional staff are available to clear the existing backlog of firearms licence renewals and applications, and a long term plan is in place to ensure such a delay does not build up again.

Countryside Alliance head of shooting campaigns Liam Stokes said: "Matthew Scott telephoned the Countryside Alliance shooting campaigns team personally to inform us of the new funding he was sourcing for firearms licensing, which shows how seriously he is taking this issue. During his campaign to become PCC Mr Scott was in touch to assure us that he understood the value of an efficient licensing system, and has now backed up his words with action. Efficient firearms licensing is a vital service to the shooting community, and is crucial in safeguarding the public. We at the Countryside Alliance will be following up our research to make sure all PCCs are taking seriously the responsibility to hold their licensing teams to account. They could do a lot worse than to follow Mr Scott's example."