People in Wokingham Borough will be going to the polls next week to cast their vote for the next Thames Valley Area Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC).
PCC elections have taken place every four years since 2012, apart from in 2020 when they were delayed by the pandemic.
It’s an important election, as the job of the PCC is to ensure the policing needs of communities are met effectively, and to oversee how crime is tackled in the Thames Valley.
Nigel Lynn, police area returning officer for the Thames Valley, and chief executive of West Berkshire Council, said: “It’s time to start thinking about who you want as your next PCC.
“They are elected by you and answerable to you, so you have an important role to play in selecting the right person.”
The vote will take place on Thursday, May 2.
The candidates:
Matthew Barber, Conservative candidate.
Matthew said: “I’ve been privileged to serve you as PCC since 2021. Since then I’ve appointed the new Chief Constable, delivered record numbers of police officers and we’ve seen crime at levels well below that prior to the pandemic.
Tim Bearder, Liberal Democrat candidate.
Tim has a wealth of experience serving the area and managing big budgets with a number of important cabinet positions on Oxfordshire County Council. He also has an in-depth knowledge of the wider patch and its problems, having worked as a journalist for BBC South.
Tim Starkey, Labour candidate.
For 22 years Tim has worked with police as a prosecution barrister in cases ranging from child sex abuse to drug dealing.
Tim said: “Despite the dedication of its hard working officers, TVP is under performing. Recently inspected, it ranked “inadequate” for protecting vulnerable people and “requiring improvement” for investigating crime, responding to the public, managing offenders and leadership.
Russell Douglas Fowler, Independent candidate.
Russell aims to take politics out of policing.
He said: “The PCC must never be compromised in executing the above remit by any considerations to the polictical stance of his supporting party, either regionally or nationally.
“The PCC must be seen to challenge the force and not be seen as the force’s PR department.”
Ben Holden-Crowther, More Police officers for Thames Valley.
More Police Officers for Thames Valley is an independent democratic initiative, backed by local people, with the goal of improving the police force in the Thames Valley.
He said: “We simply do not have enough police officers in the Thames Valley, meaning that relatively serious crimes such as shoplifting and burglary are being routinely overlooked.”
The result of the election will be announced on Saturday, May 4, at Newbury Racecourse.
More details of the candidates and their manifestos are available at www.choosemypcc.org.uk
Labour candidate Tim Starkey was in Wokingham on Tuesday, talking to shoppers and understanding key concerns.
He told Wokingham Today: “For me, it’s not just about more police.”
Citing his intention to reduce knife crime by working with schools and targeted interventions to divert young people away from gangs and county lines, he said: “The PCC role goes wider than just the police.
“It’s also about crime prevention and victim services, and I see it in some ways as a bridge between the police and the public.”
On the subject of shoplifting which is a key concern for many business in the town, he said: “It’s an important issue, and I believe it’s about getting intelligence and getting businesses to report.
“I think it’s been under-reported for a long time, and very often it’s the same offenders that target the same shops.
“With that intelligence we can look to ban repeat offenders from prime hotspots.”
