Top PCC Bob Jone's withering report on own colleagues for 'failing to cut crime or build public confidence' Bob Jones says Police and Crime Commissioners are a waste of money Claims they have neither cut crime, nor boosted public confidence PCCs were brought in across England and Wales last November Scathing: Commissioner Bob Jones claims PCCs have been a £100m waste of money Elected crime tsars have been a £100million waste of money and spend their time dreaming up gimmicks and clashing with chief constables, one of them admits today. Bob Jones has confessed that in their first year in charge of police forces, Police and Crime Commissioners have neither made them run better nor made the public safer. The Labour PCC for the West Midlands said their planning was vague and that many of this new breed of politicians, who earn up to £100,000, had remained generally unknown rather than building public confidence. In a withering assessment published to coincide with the first anniversary of the PCCs" election, Mr Jones gave the flagship law and order reform "four out of ten" overall and condemned it as "£100 million spent so far on making police accountability less effective." His comments provoked anger from Policing Minister Damian Green, who said: "Across the country, Police and Crime Commissioners are driving reform and holding their forces to account. And it's the public who'll decide how well they've performed - at the ballot box. In his "school report," Mr Jones gave PCCs three out of ten for cutting crime, claiming the rate is now, at best, flat, and at worst rising again after years of decline. The lowest grade, two out of ten, came in the category of public confidence. "With record low turnout at the election, record levels of hostile publicity, record numbers of investigations into PCCs and clashes between chief constables and PCCs etc, there is not much evidence PCCs have led to more confidence in policing or the governance of policing," said Mr Jones. Bad choice: Kent PCC Ann Barnes, left, and then Youth Commissioner Paris Brown, right, who stepped down from the role after making offensive comments on Twitter He gave scores of four out of ten for drawing up budgets and plans, writing: "PCCs have had to cope with Government funding reductions. However, some have not helped the situation by introducing gimmicks and there are serious questions about the sustainability of some budgets. PCCs were brought in across England and Wales last November by the Conservatives to set budgets and decide on strategies while also holding chief constables to account. But lack of enthusiasm for the reform among Liberal Democrats meant the polls were held with little publicity, and a record low 15 per cent of voters turned out. Anger: Policing Minister Damian Green said PCCs are 'driving reform' and 'holding their forces to account' Some keen to stand were barred by strict rules and the Tories managed to convince only very few ex-military chiefs and business leaders to stand. Since the election PCCs have become embroiled in a series of scandals, including: Kent's independent crime tsar Ann Barnes appointed Paris Brown as the first "youth commissioner" without carrying out basic checks that would have revealed that the teenager had made offensive comments online. Cumbria's Tory PCC Richard Rhodes took two chauffeur-driven trips to meetings, costing taxpayers £700, and when the news was leaked to a local paper, the whistleblower was arrested. PCCs in Gwent and Lincolnshire forced out their chief constables. In each force only one person applied to take over the top job. At least a dozen PCCs handed out well-paid deputy roles to friends and allies without advertising them. Four PCCs have already been investigated by the Independent Police Complaints Commission for alleged criminal misconduct. Lancashire's Clive Grunshaw is facing charges, while Durham's Ron Hogg is still under investigation. Several PCCs have caused controversy over expenses. Just this week it emerged that Norfolk's Stephen Bett had declared his home as his place of work, allowing him to claim mileage for driving to the force HQ. He has agreed to repay £3,000.