CONSERVATIVE David Lloyd has been elected as the new police and crime commissioner for Hertfordshire.

Mr Lloyd received a total of 65,585 votes after going head-to-head with Labour’s Sherma Batson in the second round of vote counting.

The former chairman of Herts Police Authority will take on the role until May 2016 and will have the power to hire and fire the chief constable, set the forces budget and develop a police and crime plan.

Mr Lloyd and Ms Batson received the most amount of first preference votes and progressed to the second round as no candidate had over 50 per cent of the ballots.

Ms Batson polled a total of 42,830 votes, while Lib Dem Christopher Townsend and UKIP’s Marion Mason were eliminated in the first round.

Across Hertfordshire 14.5 per cent of the electorate turned out to cast ballots in yesterday’s election. St Albans district had the third highest turnout in the county at 16.4 per cent.

Chief Constable of Herts Andy Bliss said: “The election today of David Lloyd as police and crime commissioner for Hertfordshire heralds a new era in how policing is governed, resourced and held to account.

“I believe that good policing must be fair and responsive to those whom it serves and protects; the commissioner will ensure that the work of the Constabulary and other agencies is properly focussed on what matters to the public.

“I congratulate David Lloyd on being elected to this very important role and I look forward to working closely with him as he commissions the Constabulary and other agencies to reduce crime, catch criminals and keep people safe.”