Police watchdog says it has decided to conduct its own investigation into the elected individual for Lancashire

The IPCC is to investigate a police and crime commissioner for the first time – following allegations made about his expense claims.

Lancashire PCC Clive Grunshaw will face the independent IPCC probe, the police watchdog announced, after allegations were referred by the force Police and Crime Panel.

“The matter was referred to the IPCC by Lancashire’s Police and Crime Panel, which scrutinises the work of the PCC – following an article in the Sunday Times newspaper,” a statement said.

“Commissioner Nicholas Long will have oversight of the investigation.”

The probe will centre around Mr Grunshaw’s alleged duplicate submission for food and travel expenses – in relation to his work for Lancashire County Council and the now wound up Lancashire Police Authority. The claims relate to a period in November, before Mr Grunshaw was elected to his new post.

Mr Grunshaw made no fresh statement regarding the news but previously said that, when the case was initially referred to the IPCC for review, he had requested a “full investigation” himself.

He added: “Every expense claim I have made has been genuinely intentioned and related to my ward and police authority duties, so far as I was aware.

“At no point have I wilfully submitted claims which I know to be untrue.”