Voters go to the polls on Thursday, May 5, where they will decide who becomes their Assembly Members as well as their local Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC).

As the Gwent force area gears up to elect its new PCC, we take a closer look at their duties and responsibilities in order to highlight exactly what you will be voting for.

What exactly does the role of the PCC entail and why should you vote? In a nutshell, a Commissioner is elected every four years to hold the police to account for delivering the kind of policing you want to see locally. First elected in England and Wales in 2012, PCCs are responsible for ensuring the policing needs of the public are met as effectively and efficiently as possible and to oversee how crime is tackled by the police.

This is done by:
Holding the Chief Constable to account for the delivery of local policing and making police forces answerable to the communities they serve;
Setting the police and crime priorities for their area by developing a police and crime plan;
Regularly engaging with the public and communities.
The Commissioner has a number of specific duties and responsibilities, including:
Working with partners from the sphere of community safety, crime, drugs, health or criminal justice locally to prevent and tackle crime and re-offending;
Setting the Police Force budget;
Setting the annual precept (the proportion of the cost of policing paid from your council tax);
Appointing, and where necessary, dismissing the Chief Constable;
Contributing to the national and international policing capabilities set out by the Home Secretary;
Engaging with victims of crime and providing services to help and support victims;
Commissioning services and awarding grants to organisations or bodies to assist them in delivering the priorities in their police and crime plan;
Managing the police estate (police stations, land and assets).

PCCs track the performance of the Police force against their police and crime priorities and report annually on what they have achieved to the local Police and Crime Panel.

The panel is responsible for challenging and scrutinising the impact of the Commissioner and what they do and also to support them to exercise their functions effectively.

PCCs are required to swear an oath when they are elected to office which is designed so that they can set out publicly their commitment to tackling their new role with integrity.

It reflects the commitment police officers make to serve every member of the public.

Gwent’s first PCC, Ian Johnston, has decided not to stand for re-election, and there are three candidates vying for people’s votes. Their official statements are printed below.

	Louise Brown

MY BACKGROUND:

• I have considerable experience in policing, law and public service as a former Councillor, Solicitor and Police Advisor, with the necessary skills to make me an effective PCC.

• I have a doctorate in Police Training from the University of Wales Cardiff. I have been a member of the Cheshire police and crime panel, Borough Councillor and Deputy Cabinet Member.

• I love living in South Wales, my family first moved here in 1999 and pleased to move back home after being in Cheshire. I am a local preacher for the Newport and Lower Wye area and committed Christian.

MY AIMS:

• Ensure Gwent is a safer place to live and work.
• Care about the community and be a strong voice for the public to ensure that public concerns are acted upon to meet local policing need in both urban and rural areas.
• Champion local community policing with a strong visible presence on the streets by increasing the numbers of Special Constables.
• Enhance the most important relationship- between the police and public.
• Put the needs of victims at the heart of the system, including vulnerable people and encourage restorative justice.
• Ensure Gwent Police provides a high quality, value for money, efficient, effective and accountable service for the public.
• Advocate innovation, early intervention and best practice solutions to cut crime and reoffending.
• Work with the police in partnership with local residents, other agencies (both statutory and faith/voluntary) to prevent crime and re-offending, to tackle anti-social behaviour, drugs and alcohol abuse, so that you feel and are safer on the streets and in your homes.

This form has been prepared by Hayward Burt (Election Agent) of CCHQ Wales, Ground Floor, Rhymney House, 1-2 Copse Walk, Cardiff Gate Business Park, Cardiff, CF23 8RB.

Twitter at: @LouiseBrown4PCC

Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/Louise-Brown-988218697912994/?ref=bookmarks

http://www.policeandcrimecommissioners.info/person/gwent-louise-brown

Email: clouisebrown82@gmail.com

	Jeff Cuthbert

For the last 13 years I’ve been the Assembly Member for Caerphilly. My time at the National Assembly includes over three years as a member of the Welsh Government. First as the Deputy Minister for Skills and Technology and then as the Minister for Communities and Tackling Poverty.

Policing must be viewed as a public service based on our key principles of fairness and social justice. My priorities for policing in Gwent are:

• A visible presence on our streets and communities. I know that the type of crime that blights our communities more than any other is anti-social behaviour in all its forms.
• Ensuring that crimes such as domestic abuse, hate crime, child exploitation, and modern slavery are given the attention that they deserve.
• Developing and maintaining good community cohesion. This is especially important for vulnerable sections of our communities.
• Working with the Voluntary Sector so that their expertise in a range of areas (e.g. mental health and homelessness) can help inform on-going policies and practices.
• Working with the Chief Constable so that our principles of social justice become the cornerstone of police practice.
• Working with the Welsh Government and the devolved public services and on practical issues of support such as the provision of the additional Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) for Gwent.
• Playing its part in counter terrorism activities.

All of this must be worked for in the face of cuts to the police budget, by the Tory UK Government, over the last five years.

This will demand strong partnerships with Education, Social Services, the NHS, and other key providers of public services.

I believe that I have the experience and commitment to make policing reflect our values of social justice.

Prepared by Joanna McIntyre on behalf of Jeff Cuthbert both at 61 Llanthewy Road, Newport, NP20 4JZ’

www.welshlabour.wales

	Darren Jones

I have worked within some of the most deprived communities of South Wales for thirteen years, helping local people tackle social isolation, reducing fear of crime, gaining new skills and helping 600+ people back into work.

As Police and Crime Commissioner for Gwent, my single priority will be:

Improving Gwent Police’s ability to RESPOND to crime and to PREVENT crime.

I will achieve this by:

Improved use of police time towards ‘front-line duties’:

I will review the Chief Constable’s Force Delivery Plan and publish a new Gwent Police & Crime Plan.

Implementing a new Gwent Victim’s Charter:

I will place victims of crime at the heart of its development.

Increasing public confidence in Gwent Police:

• Explore innovative ways to share community buildings
• Develop a new Volunteer Custody Visit scheme
• Annual Merit Awards for serving officers/staffTackling offending/re-offending:
• I will establish Employability Support Programmes that:

• Support young people at risk of engaging/re-engaging in criminal activity through sport, creative Industries and 121 employment mentoring
• Engage ages 25+ who following prison re-settle within Gwent via meaningful 121 employment mentoring programmes

Closure of Courts

As Commissioner I will hold those responsible to account for this deplorable policy, which places an unforgivable burden on our communities.

Community Engagement

I will create a Gwent Community Engagement Unit engaging you in strengthening ‘our’ Police & Crime Plan.

If you would like to see a vibrant, challenging Commissioner with an innovative approach to tackling crime, then I respectfully request your support on May 5^th.

Thank you

Darren Jones

This form has been prepared by Gillian Jones, 20 Heol Brychan Bargoed CF81 8QA, Election Agent to Darren Jones.

https://www.facebook.com/Darren4Gwent/