ELECTIONS 2016: Who will become West Mercia's next police and crime commissioner?

Our election coverage continues with a look at the police and crime commissioner count.

IT was November 2012 when voters across the West Mercia police force region were asked to elect Britain's first ever commissioners - with the outcome an almighty shock.

Despite this huge force area having 927,649 electors just 14 per cent bothered to turn out, a dismal rejection of the controversial Government shake-up which saw the old police authorities dismantled.

An apparent rejection of political parties saw an independent, Bill Longmore, become the surprise winner of the £75,000-a-year role when a Tory victory seemed odds on.

A similar pattern had been repeated elsewhere around the UK, with 41 newly-elected PCCs taking office including 16 Conservative, 13 Labour and 12 independents grabbing the roles.

The powers of a commissioner are huge - they get to hire and fire chief constables, set a force budget, create a crime strategy and be that link between the police and the public.

They also provide that connection between the force and the Home Secretary, currently Theresa May, and are expected to lobby her on issues like police funding and crime priorities.

Few of the region's political parties dare make any predictions this time around given what happened in 2012, but the fierce campaigning being waged across West Mercia in recent months illustrates perfectly exactly what is at stake.

There are six hopefuls up this year, with the most anticipated battle that between independent Barrie Sheldon, who was Mr Longmore's deputy PCC, and Conservative John Campion, part of the leadership at Worcestershire County Council.

Mr Sheldon has been campaigning on a "keep politics out of policing" ticket, with Councillor Campion returning fire by accusing him of being part of a "failed" commissioner team.

But with voters in Herefordshire, Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and Worcestershire all able to have their say all the other parties are sure to impact on the final result too.

The rest of the list includes no less than three former county parliamentary candidates, including Labour's Dan Walton who stood in West Worcestershire, Lib Dem Councillor Margaret Rowley who has contested Mid-Worcestershire and UKIP's Peter Jewell, who stood in Redditch.

The wide range of choice also includes Malvern Green Councillor John Raine, a criminal justice expert for the past 35 years at the University of Birmingham.

A far higher turnout is expected this time around, with the vote taking place on the same day of the council elections on Thursday, May 5.

The question is whether that kills off any chances of another shock - or will that unlikely slice of history repeat itself?

JOHN CAMPION (CONSERVATIVE)

MY vision is:

A secure West Mercia; keeping us safe, criminals brought to justice quickly and being on the side of victims.

A reformed West Mercia; ensuring your money is spent efficiently before I ever ask you to pay more. I will be transparent in how decisions are made to restore the trust of our community.

A reassured West Mercia; I will work hard to ensure people feel safe where they live as for too long some communities feel forgotten.

Our police service is made up of hard working officers and staff but they need a strong commissioner. I will be that strong commissioner as I have a track record of standing up for my local community.

With your support we can start to build a safer West Mercia.

* To see Councillor Campion's manifesto and personal website go HERE.

PETER JEWELL (UKIP)

CRIME is increasing across the country whilst resources are ever under assault and it is crucial that West Mercia is operated as efficiently as possible to obtain best value and provide optimum policing for residents.

My considerable business experience, together with long service as a magistrate in both adult and youth courts, have provided me with the type of complementary skill-sets which are essential in leading and supporting the force.

The nature of crime can and does vary between and within police areas and the huge area which West Mercia covers, provides additional challenges for resource allocation which must also be acknowledged.

I believe that increased use of new technology would provide opportunities to deliver cost savings, resulting in improved deployment of personnel at community level.

* To see Mr Jewell's manifesto and personal website go HERE.

JOHN RAINE (GREEN)

I LIVE in West Malvern and am a professor at Birmingham University specialising in policing and criminal justice so I know the issues and challenges for PCCs well.

I am also a district and county councillor so am used to addressing individual and community problems and overseeing public services.

Local democratic control of policing is vital.

As PCC, my goal is to make people safer, and feel safer.

I want more speed enforcement on our roads and more police visible on our streets.

I also wish to encourage more reporting of crime, particularly domestic violence, sexual abuse and other under-reported violations, and I am keen to invest more in constructive activities for young people, so addressing issues that often lead to anti-social behaviour and crime.

* To see Councillor Raine's manifesto and website go HERE.

MARGARET ROWLEY (LIB DEM)

AS your next police and crime commissioner I will demand immediate improvements to cut crime and prevent re-offending while ensuring that the police work more closely with local communities, meeting local needs and tackling local priorities.

I will use technology and partnership working to keep costs down.

My 20 years as a local councillor mean that I am able to work with local communities, and together with my work as a senior manager in the NHS I have built up a wealth of experience of service management in the public sector.

It is time for us to have a commissioner who will listen to local residents and act to keep them safe.

With your support on May 5th that’s exactly what I will do.

* To see Councillor Rowley's manifesto and website go HERE.

BARRIE SHELDON (INDEPENDENT)

Do you want a politician telling your police how to do their job?

With a party political agenda that could damage the front line policing we all rely on and need to trust?

I stand as the only independent candidate, one who has been the deputy police and crime commissioner since 2012 with a proven track record.

I have helped boost police numbers in West Mercia while nationally they have fallen. Your police are also in a sound financial position through good management, but, no doubt there will be fresh challenges needing solid independent judgement.

I remain committed to strengthening our police services.

To get the best deal for victims of crime. Putting people and communities first while using intervention and education to reduce offending.

* To see Mr Sheldon's manifesto and personal website go HERE.

DAN WALTON (LABOUR)

Our local police service as seen its budget fall year on year with £44 million in cuts over the last six years. With this we've seen rising crime across Worcestershire, less police on the beat, less PCSOs in communities and no real ambition to prevent and educate against online crime.

As your PCC I would work for an increased budget, aiming to prevent crime and encouraging victims to come forward, as opposed to being completely centred on saving pennies at their expense.

We need a more visible police service, PCSOs back in communities, a fight against increased domestic and sexual violence, to combat cyber and hate crime and the police service working alongside other services in the community.

Not preventing crime is costing us more.

As a local business owner, a criminologist and a campaigner for social justice it’s time we had a PCC working with the police and our communities across Worcestershire.

* To see Mr Walton's manifesto and website go HERE.