SIX aspiring police chiefs, aiming to win your vote next month, will be quizzed over their plans to tackle crime next week.

The first ever Police and Crime Commissioner elections are taking place in November.

Residents in Buckinghamshire will be able to vote for the Thames Valley boss, whose job it will be to decide on what the force's priorities should be.

The new role has come under fire from critics, who have questioned the need for a political figure head to oversee each of the UK's police forces.

This week former Metropolitan Police chief Sir Ian Blair told voters to boycott the elections.

He believes it is the wrong system for the country.

Already, predictions have been for low turn outs, with public awareness of the elections apparently low.

 

 

To combat this lack of information, Home Office leaflets on the election will be posted to 21million homes this week.

The ballot is on November 15 and next Monday the candidates for Thames Valley will set out their vision at an event in Aylesbury.

Residents will have the chance to pose questions to the would-be police chiefs, who, if elected, will earn between £65,000 and £100,000.

Police authorities have been scrapped to make way for the commissioners, who will take charge of budgets and overall strategy and can hire and fire chief constables.

They will serve for three-and-a-half years.

Councillor Martin Tett, Leader of Buckinghamshire County Council, urged the public to engage with the elections.

The Conservative said: “I’m an enthusiast for this new initiative. Police and Crime Commissioners will replace the old non-elected police authorities and make the local police forces more accountable to local communities.

“At our hustings the candidates will be invited to speak for up to five minutes, followed by fifteen minutes of questioning. The meeting will give each of them the opportunity to explain how they would undertake the role, for example explaining their spending priorities in order to improve policing. By voting on November 15 we can directly influence policing in Buckinghamshire.”

The hustings takes place at The Gateway, Gatehouse Road, Aylesbury, from 4.30pm but places must be booked in advance via the following means: Email pccevent@buckscc.gov.uk or telephone 01296 387738 by midday on Monday 29 October.

The full list of candidates for the Thames Valley Region.

 

  • Patience Tayo Awe – Independent
  • Barry Cooper - UKIP
  • Geoff Howard – Independent
  • John Orrell Howson – Liberal Democrat
  • Anthony Stansfeld – The Conservative Party
  • Tim Starkey – Labour Party