What do a former mayor, an ex-politician, a trained accountant and a man determined to visit England’s 1,000 greatest houses have in common?
All four are competing for your votes to become Hertfordshire’s next Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), and receive the £75,000 salary that goes with the plum role.
Hertsmere borough council has announced the candidates for next month’s county PCC elections – and no women are standing.
The list includes two councillors - St Albans district and Herts county councillor Chris White, and Hertfordshire’s first PCC David Lloyd, also a county councillor, who is keen to hold on to his job as head of police.
Kerry Pollard, former MP for St Albans, has put his hat in the ring, as has Mark Hughes, a former Mayor of Royston.
Lib Dem candidate Chris White is a chartered accountant who has been a district councillor since 2008, and was first elected to the county council in 1993.
He told the Herts Advertiser: “I have always been interested in the police.”
Chris, of St Albans, spent seven years with the previous Herts police authority, and said that his policing priorities for 2016-2020 included tackling crimes against women and children.
Kerry Pollard, standing for Labour, was a former magistrate for many years and is also a trustee of the National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders, which helps give those leaving prison a fresh start in life, including gaining employment.
The St Albans man said he “knows the criminal justice system from A-Z”.
Royston-based Mark Hughes is a trustee of Knebworth House who has refereed over 500 football matches for the Herts County FA.
He is an independent member of the PCC’s audit committee, which he said “has given me a very useful insight into policing in the county”.
Mark, the candidate for UKIP, said he would “hold the chief constable to account for the performance of the force area’s officers and staff”.
Conservative county councillor David Lloyd became Herts’ first elected commissioner in November 2012 and said that, aside from preserving local policing in the county, when it comes to relaxing he “remains determined to visit [author] Simon Jenkins’ 1,000 greatest houses and 1,000 greatest churches”.
A resident of the village of Flamstead, David said he relished elections and hoped more people would “come out to vote this time.
“This is the opportunity for people to have their say not only about how they are policed but also on the many other issues such as rights of and services for victims which PCCs have responsibility for – I urge everyone to vote.”
Hertsmere borough council is coordinating the poll administration on behalf of the whole of Herts for the election on Thursday, May 5.
The successful candidate will oversee how the county is policed, set the police budget, decide the amount of council tax charged for the police and keep residents updated on what the police are doing to keep their local area safe.
The deadline for applying to register to vote is next Monday, April 18. You can register online by visiting www.hertsmere.gov.uk/registertovote and follow the link, but you will need your National Insurance number.
For more information about the PCC elections visit www.choosemypcc.org.uk
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