Election today for new police supremo

VOTING takes place across Warrington today in the first-ever election for the new post of Police and Crime Commissioner for Cheshire.
Five candidates are standing – four representing political parties and one independent – amid concerns of a record low turn-out.
The Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) will take over the role of the Cheshire Police Authority, which will be disbanded.

He, or she, will be able to hold the Chief Constable to account – and will have the power to hire or
fire the Chief Constable.
The Government believes the new system will lead to more effective policing.
The candidates, in alphabetical order, are:

Ainsley Arnold, Liberal Democrat. A member of Cheshire Police Authority since 2009 and elected
vice chairman in 2010. A councillor for 15 years on Macclesfield Borough Council and Cheshire
East Council, he served as executive member of Cheshire East’s Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership. He says he is committed to ensuring that Cheshire Police continues to reduce not only crime statistics but also the public’s fear of crime.

Louise Bours, UK Independence Party. A former borough and town councillor, she is currently at university studying social science. She was Mayor of Congleton in 2006 and says her year in office taught her of the important connection that must exist between the police service and the local community. She believes it is important for the police to have a robust and comprehensive approach to low-level crime.
John Dwyer, Conservative. A former assistant chief constable of Cheshire, he retired 11 years ago after a 30-year police career.
He wants to reduce bureaucracy and return police officers to the streets, increase the number of special constables and would have zero tolerance for “yobbish behaviour.” He was a borough councillor at Crewe and Nantwich.
Sarah Flannery, Independent. A business owner who has lived in Cheshire for 30 years, she is a founder member of the Cheshire Independent Network, a group which believes in the importance of genuinely independent representation of the people. She sees the new post as a voice for the people, ensuring police needs are met to reduce crime and to hold the police to account for meeting those needs.
John Stockton, Labour. A member of Halton Borough Council’s executive board, he recently retired from full-time teaching after 30 years. A member of the Co-operative Party and the unions Unite and NASUWT, he says his central aim would be to protect the most vulnerable members of the communities across Cheshire by ensuring that neighbourhood policing is a priority.
Pictured: the five candidates, from the top, Ainsley Arnold, Louise Bours, John Dwyer, Sarah Flannery and John Stockton.