Kate writes a bi-weekly column for the Burton Mail. This column was originally featured in the 20th April print edition.
On May 2nd, Staffordshire will be going to the polls to vote in the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner (PFCC) election for our county. Police and Crime Commissioners (PCC) are elected by the public to ensure the policing needs of communities are met as effectively as possible and to oversee how crime is tackled in your police force area. In Staffordshire, our PCC also has as oversight of the Fire and Rescue Service, scrutinising the objectives of the services and ensuring budgets are spent where it matters most.
Since our respective elections, the current PFCC in Staffordshire, Ben Adams, and I have worked closely on a number of local issues to ensure residents’ priorities are met, tackling crime, increasing police presence locally and delivering safter streets.
Most recently, I am pleased that Staffordshire Police arrested three individuals in connection with the spate of attempted burglaries in Uttoxeter last month. Following representations I made to our local District Commander, patrols and police visibility were stepped up and this has now helped lead to these arrests.
Meeting with Ben Adams last month, Uttoxeter Councillor Cllr George Allen and I made clear to him that residents expect community policing to be visible to reassure residents and to deter criminals, something he very much agreed with. The Commissioner also confirmed that local police presence is being bolstered across the county, in part thanks to the 333 extra police officers recruited in Staffordshire by the Government.
Making our streets safer will continue to be a key priority for myself and Ben, and it is encouraging that with an 20,000 extra police officers recruited across England and Wales overall crime in the UK continues to fall.
P.s please remember that to vote at a Polling Station now, you must present ID. Accepted forms of ID include, a passport issued in UK, and certain other territories, a driving licence or a bus pass. If you don’t have any of the forms of ID on the list, you can apply for free voter ID. For more information, visit: www.electoralcommission.org.uk/voting-and-elections/voter-id
