Voters go to polls to choose Police and Crime Commissioner

POLLING  was under way today in South Yorkshire’s first Crime and Police Commissioner elections.

Five candidates are standing for the role in South Yorkshire and the winner will take office on November 22.

The new Commissioner will be one of 37 throughout the country who will have to set the policing agenda for their regions.

But there are fears that the poll could suffer from a low turn-out and confusion in the voting booths due to a rarely used supplementary vote system in which voters are asked to mark their first and second choice candidates. (For more information on the voting system, click here.)

The PCC elections are the biggest change in policing for years and the successful candidate will oversee the police and make sure they prioritise what matters to the public.

For more information about the PCC elections, how to vote, and the candidates in the running, visit www.southyorks.gov.uk/thinkpcc.

The South Yorkshire candidates are:

DAVID ALLEN

David Allen joined the English Democrats after helping to support them in the general election of 2010.

Once an apprentice to a Doncaster agricultural manufacturer, he trained as a foundry engineer and subsequently became a sales engineer and sales manager for a large industrial minerals company.

David said: “The policing budget should not be cut and the public would prefer the traditional presence of warranted officers patrolling beats, rather than them being removed entirely.”

In a campaign statement he stated: “It is important to remember that this office exempts the constable from political interference in the execution of this duty and demands that the law be applied without fear or favour in any community, thus helping to restore the respect and trust they require and deserve in the execution of a difficult and dangerous duty.”

JONATHAN ARNOTT

The grandson of a policeman and son of a policeman, Jonathan Arnott states that he “grew up with a passion for keeping our streets safe and protecting people’s right to peacefully enjoy their daily lives.”

He added: “I believe that the criminal justice system should be tough enough to protect local people and deter criminals from offending.

“As a teacher who has chaired a charity working with disadvantaged children and young people in Sheffield, I also understand the other side of the coin — the need to work hard to prevent crime in the first place.

“Also as a Master of Mathematics I can use my experience to effectively scrutinise police budgets — though I don’t think that a Police Commissioner’s role should be about politics at all.”

NIGEL BONSON

Nigel Bonson is a Sheffield City councillor with roots in policing and criminal justice.

He believes that, despite his own endorsement by the Conservative Party, the position of PCC role is not a party political role.

He said: “We must not play politics with public safety. I’ve spent my entire working life within the criminal justice system.

“I’m currently an independent member of the Parole Board ensuring public safety is a priority when making decisions regarding a prisoner’s release. I was a police officer in Greater Manchester for 30 years, attaining the rank of Chief Inspector, and latterly responsible for Criminal Justice Partnerships in Salford. I have the skills and experience to work with the public, the police and their partners to identify and prioritise exactly where resources are needed.

“I have the courage to take decisions to make sure they get there.”

ROBERT TEAL

Robert Teal is a businessman from Barnsley, who has lived and worked across all of South Yorkshire.

He has served the people of South Yorkshire for over 25 years, representing businesses as an active member of the Chamber of Commerce Council and in his role as a magistrate.

Robert has owned his own retail businesses since 1985 and has also worked as a professional training manager.

He said: “I know about the importance of local policing because of my background as a retailer and small businessman.

“Every day I see how customers react to stories in local and national papers.

“Every day they tell me how they’ve had their property burgled or their cars broken into. I want to deliver the service that local people deserve.”

SHAUN WRIGHT

Shaun Wright is Vice Chairman of South Yorkshire Police Authority, a Labour councillor on Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council for Rawmarsh and a Trustee of the Coalfields Regeneration Trust.

The father-of-two is also a school governor and a magistrate.

Cllr Wright said: “I’ve worked alongside local people all my life.

“I know what makes this corner of Yorkshire tick — from your hopes of more jobs, better living standards and crime-free communities to your worst fears of less spending on schools, healthcare, childcare and policing.

“And now, as we enter a new way of making sure voices are heard on local policing and crime issues, it’s my ambition to serve you as South Yorkshire’s first Police and Crime Commissioner.”