Police and Crime Commissioner elections.

[Aquagility]

According to the Electoral Commission booklet delivered today your Police and Crime Commissioner to be elected on 15 November "will be responsible for holding the Chief Constable and police force to account".

It goes on to say that citizens of the European Union will be entitled to vote in the election. Why? Is nothing sacred? Or has the EU finally taken over?

[Old_Geezer]

I'm still waiting for the leaflets to say who's standing and why each might be the better candidate. I know nothing about it so far and wonder if everyone is equally uninformed.

[McMouse]

My leaflet arrived yesterday. When I went on the appropriate wed site to find out who the candidates were in my area all I got was a notice saying the details would be published later!!!

[Old_Geezer]

Yeah, I object to any apparent need to go on the Web. Sort of means an informed democratic vote is not for the poor. (I don't see them cramming into their local library to get on line, somehow.)

[baza]

O G the poor would have to wait a long time in my local library as it only has 2 computers and one of them is steam driven.
on a thread yesterday re this election a link was posted which listed candidates, don't know any of them.
As to the EU bit I think the loonies have taken over.

[Aquagility]

To be fair, OG, you can order printed info on the phone, so no need to go online. But, by the way, it's not only the poor who can't get online, but most of the elderly too.

[Mrsspagnoli57]

Lord John (I despised the House of Lords until I stopped being an MP) Prescott is a candidate in my area. He's full of words and good intentions-well he would be wouldn't he? At least I know one candidate I'd never vote for.

[askyourgran]

I have just let my feelings known to the local newspaper. We have our voting cards but no mandates for the candidates, until yesterday we didn't know who they were or what the aim of this election is. Our local paper did an article about it yesterday. The PCC can hire or fire a chief constable, the successful candidate will be the one to set the budgets (in our case) the whole of West
Yorkshire, and set the priorities for them, and in consultation with us JOe Public put together a five year policing plan. But the Police will be able to carry on, the PCC will not interfere with operational policing, which is good of them.
Allour candidates are Politicians 2 Lib Dem 1 Tory and 1 Labour. A Political fix up interfering in Police Administration. £1000.000 per year job and I suspect an office with staff to run this venture. By all accounts the candidates are denied the right to advertise by sending out leaflets about this. How are the electorate supposed to give an informed vote when they know nothing about the candidates. I understand John Prescott is hoping to win his PCC ship in East Yorkshire.

[EDDIE51]

EU citizens who are on the electoral roll in the area will be able to vote for that areas PCC. Just as they can vote in local and General elections for their areas .Nothing new there. The same applies to UK citizens who live in other EU countries.

[Aquagility]

Nothing new, maybe, Eddie. But totally unacceptable to my generation of jingoists!

[Baldric]

^^^^ I reckon the only thing Prescotts full of is Pies! ^^^^

[Aquagility]

...and ex pies!

[FredPuli43]

There are certainly big restrictions on public funding of electoral literature, more than for a general election. The only person here who has received any, and that from only one candidate,is the clerk to the Parish Council.No doubt she is to copy it to all the rest of the village.

Don't like the idea of one person who is a politician, almost certainly, being in any kind of overall charge of the local police force.