In less than a month, on May 2nd, residents across England and Wales will have the opportunity to vote in the fourth set of Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) elections. With the support of Conservative members and activists across Surrey, I am campaigning for a second term as your Police and Crime Commissioner. I want to take this opportunity to tell you a bit more about the role and what we've achieved over the last three years.
As Conservatives, we believe in democracy and law and order. I hope we can also agree that one directly-elected Conservative is preferable to an opaque 'Police Authority'. This was the rationale behind Michael Howard's 2005, and later, David Cameron's 2010 Conservative Party manifestos. The aim is to have one person, accountable to the electorate, to ensure the Chief Constable delivers not what the Force thinks is best, but what the residents and businesses themselves know they need.
As PCC, I oversee the budget for Surrey Police, which includes raising the 'precept' or the policing element of council tax—a task that, as a Conservative, I do not relish. However, I also understand the importance of long-term financial planning and that you get what you pay for. Our opponents seem to prefer the lure of quick wins and sniping from the sidelines.
PCCs undertake many statutory and non-statutory duties, but at the heart of our role is governance and representing our community. A central duty is appointing a Chief Constable. Last year, I appointed Tim De Meyer as Chief Constable. Among a field of impressive candidates, Tim stood out as someone who shared my vision for a back-to-basics approach to policing, focusing on doing well what only the police can do: responding, detecting, and investigating crime in our county.
Thanks to the Conservative Government's Uplift programme, Surrey now has more police officers than at any previous time in its history. As announced this week, Surrey Police is now the top-performing force nationally in answering 999 calls—a significant improvement that benefits anyone experiencing crime in our county.
We have seen an increase in the detection of crime, and in arresting and charging criminals. We remain the safest county in South East England—the safest in the country for homicide and one of the safest for violent and knife crime.
I want to maintain this momentum, which is why I’m asking for your support on May 2nd. Our main opposition in Surrey is the Liberal Democrat candidate, someone who is standing for the third time and has done nothing but criticise. Without your vote, there is a risk that a party with no clear stance on law and order will take charge of the strategic direction of our police force.
Thank you to everyone who has supported my deputy Ellie Vesey-Thompson and me over the last three years. With your continued support, we can achieve a first in Surrey: two successive terms of a Conservative PCC.
