FOUR candidates are vying for the role of Wiltshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, with elections taking place on May 5.
Current Wiltshire PCC Conservative Angus Macpherson is seeking re-election and will stand against Labour’s Kevin Small, Liberal Democrat Brian Mathew and UKIP’s John Short.
When the post was first created four years ago, voter turnout was disappointing, with an underwhelming 15 per cent that turned out in Wiltshire, which was put down to lack of candidate information and exposure.
Mr Macpherson won the November 2012 election in comprehensive fashion, polling by more than 14,000 votes against the then Labour PCC candidate Claire Moody in the second round of voting.
The PCC, created by the coalition government in 2012, replaced the Wiltshire Policy Authority and is responsible for holding the Chief Constable and public force to account on the public’s behalf.
The Police and Crime Commissioner is tasked with overseeing how crime is tackled in Wiltshire to make sure the police are providing the public with a good service.
The role includes meeting with the public to hear their views on policing, deciding how the police budget is spent, appointing and dismissing chief constables and producing a police and crime plan setting out local policing priorities.
Former Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate, aid worker and environmentalist Mr Mathew, Labour’s 23-year-long Rodbourne councillor Kevin Small and former Swindon Borough Council deputy chief executive John Short for UKIP will contest the election.
PCC elections use the supplementary vote system, with a ballot paper giving the option of a first and second choice candidate.
If no candidate reaches more than 50 per cent on the first count, then the two candidates with the highest number of votes are retained and the other candidates are eliminated.
The second preferences on the ballot papers of the eliminated candidates are counted and any cast for the two remaining candidates are transferred.
To vote, you have to be 18 or over on polling day and a UK resident, and must be registered by Monday, April 18, which you can do by visiting gov.uk/register-to-vote
Registration for postal votes closes at 5pm on Tuesday, April 19 at http://www.stroud.gov.uk/council/elections/register-to-vote/postal-voting
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel