LABOUR'S candidate for Wiltshire's Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Kevin Small faces an uphill task to win over the county's conservative stronghold but is relishing the challenge.

Mr Small believes he has a strong understanding of the needs of both urban and rural Wiltshire after spending nearly three decades in local government, serving both Wiltshire County (1989-97), Swindon Borough Councils (since 1996) and the former Wiltshire Police Authority (1992-2002).

As a PCC, the 50-year-old born and bred Swindonian aims to expand neighbourhood policing teams to expand their visible presence in communities and tackle anti-social behaviour by working with agencies and community groups.

Moreover the Wiltshire FA referee wants to establish strong community links as a conduit to gain the wider public's views and provide a more cost effective police service without sacrificing its quality.

“We need to look at if we can deliver the same quality of service in a more cost effective way with local authorities and other emergency services," he said.

“I have been in local government for 27 years, I believe I know the opportunities available to us and the police to work jointly to save taxpayers money and redirect it into important services.

"A Labour government would never allow £2m to be cut from the vital service that is the police. We are focusing on community policing, making the police more accountable and balancing the ratio of police to the population.

"I believe I have a good understanding of this county's needs and I am hugely passionate about delivering a high quality service Wiltshire deserves."

Mr Small stressed the vital importance of having a neighbourhood policing team that is seen by the community.

"I want to see the police out on the beat. I believe a police force can be bolstered by having a local community bobby that people know and trust and build that sense of unity and increase local safety," he said.

"We should redirect our resources for front line policing. I will fight for every inch of funding we can get from the government but under the Conservative government I can only see more bureaucracy and less funding."

The Westbury Constituency PPC for the 1997 General Election admitted he would scrap PCC's but still revelled in the thrill of the democratic process.

"Asking one individual to represent Wiltshire, I do not feel it can be done effectively but this is democracy and we are here trying to deliver the best Wiltshire deserves," he said.

"I was told jokingly that even the cows and sheep vote Tory in Wiltshire but that is part of the challenge. It is very exciting and this campaign has reinvigorated me. There is nothing like the feeling you get on election day."

For more information about his campaign visit http://bit.ly/1r4otpP