VOTERS have not had enough information about who they are selecting as their Police and Crime Commissioner, an Electoral Commission report has found.

Swindon and Wiltshire PCC Angus Macpherson has backed the report’s findings and called for government-funded leaflets to be distributed to householders to advise them not only of who the candidates are but also what the role of the PCC is.

In May, there was a 25 per cent turn out in the PCC election in Swindon which saw Mr Macpherson stay on for a second term.

The elections coincided with local elections held in Swindon.

But the report has said that voters were not provided with enough information about the candidates ahead of the election and has repeated calls for the Government to allow for information leaflets to be sent to each household ahead of any future elections.

Andrew Scallan CBE, the director of electoral administration at the Electoral Commission, said: “Voters have consistently told us that they do not have the information they need ahead of these elections to make an informed decision about who to vote for.”

“This is a fundamental problem that needs to be addressed, which is why we continue to recommend that provision is made for candidate information to be sent to every household as happens at elections for local authority executive mayors.”

The commission has also highlighted the significant risk of too many elections being held on one particular day and is urging the Government to consider whether some voters would be overwhelmed by having too many candidates to consider in one sitting.

But Mr Macpherson disagreed, and instead likened having numerous elections on the same day to the weekly shop.

He said: “I broadly welcome the Electoral Commission’s findings.

“In particular I support the call for the Government to fund leaflets, both about the election candidates, and the importance of the role, to be sent to voters so they can make an informed choice.

“Commissioners hold the Chief Constable to account on behalf of voters and set the priorities for the force. Part of the job is to ensure that the public are informed about the responsibilities of the role and to make them aware that, if they are not happy with the way their area is policed, they can bring about change at the ballot box.

“I believe the public are more inclined to turn out when they can vote for several things – it’s the voting equivalent of the weekly shop – so I would not support the idea of keeping the elections separate.

“The elections were well run in this area and council staff coped very well where there were council and PCC elections on the same date.”

The turnout in Wiltshire and Swindon improved in May to 25 per cent, helped by the council elections on the same day in Swindon.