Lincolnshire Police and Crime Commissioner candidates: ‘Why you should vote for us’

Lincolnshire residents will elect the county’s second Police and Crime Commissioner on May 5.

The four-yearly event will find a replacement for Alan Hardwick, who is not standing for re-election.
The role of the PCC, which carries a salary of £65,000, is to be the voice of the people and hold the police to account.

Their duties include:

• secure an efficient and effective police force for their area
• appoint the Chief Constable and hold them to account for running the force
• set the police and crime objectives for their area through a police and crime plan
• set the force budget and determine the precept

The Voice asked the three candidates to express to you, our readers, their plans and why they deserve your vote next month.

VICTORIA AYLING (UKIP)

As a barrister, and having worked in blue chip and family firms, I can offer both legal and business experience. As a Lincolnshire County Councillor, I listen to the residents, but most important of all, I live among the people I hope to serve and will be answerable to.
The police should not be politicised, and I can offer all the benefits of being independent without fear or favour to an establishment heirarchy.
With UKIP, however, I have behind me a huge lobbying force to get a better financial deal for Lincolnshire policing.
It is ridiculous to claim that the gaps in funding for PCSOs and constables can be filled by volunteers.
Many volunteers do a great job but we cannot get enough of them despite many recruitment drives.
I want people to feel safer and to be safer, whether it is in their homes, on the streets or on our roads. The best way to do this is to ensure as much visible policing as possible. In addition, zero tolerance to all crime and anti-social behaviour. All crimes should be reported, and all logged to ensure each one is dealt with appropriately.
Crime is not a lifestyle option and I would ensure that this was not the case in Lincolnshire.

MARC JONES (CONSERVATIVE)

As a born and bred Lincolnshire man who is dedicated to local public service, I feel strongly that Lincolnshire deserves a competent and capable Police and Crime Commissioner.
On Thursday, May 5, I hope you will back my plan for policing and crime in Lincolnshire:

• Introduce ‘community constables’ to boost visible neighbourhood policing by recruiting local people with powers of arrest to work in our communities.
• Focus on crime prevention by spotting the warning signs of issues in our communities early to reduce the number of victims of crime and the fear of crime.
• Deal with rural crime seriously so that issues such as hare coursing, and rural theft do not damage our local economy and put local jobs at risk.
• Clean up our streets with a tough approach to street drinking, fly-tipping, litter and excess noise which are a blight on our towns and communities.
• Treat victims of crime compassionately with better support and effective aftercare. Being a victim of crime is bad enough without feeling used by the system.
• Spend taxpayers’ money wisely leaving more for front line policing. Over £165,000 was wasted on the unnecessary suspension of Lincolnshire’s Chief Constable by the outgoing Commissioner.

LUCINDA PRESTON (LABOUR)

I’m not a career politician. I’ve lived in the county all my life, working full-time in teaching for 14 years, including nine as Head of English.
If elected, my first act as PCC will be to cut my own salary. It’s the opportunity to improve policing in Lincolnshire that I care about, not a fat pay check. If you choose me I’ll accept no more than the amount I currently earn as a teacher. The money I plan to sacrifice will be used to fund community projects to engage young people at risk of offending. Good policing is about enforcement but we also need to prevent people turning to a life of crime in the first place.
I’m committed to protecting frontline policing including PCSOs. We need to cut crime, not police.
Neighbourhood policing would be a priority: we need to prevent anti-social behaviour so that people feel safe on the streets.
I’m also determined to tackle the rural crime that blights South Holland: crimes like hare coursing and the theft of farm machinery are hugely damaging.
Our force needs more resources, not fewer, so I’d be fighting for a fairer funding formula for Lincolnshire.