ARGUS COMMENT: Tough task for PCC election ‘winner’

11:17am Thursday 15th November 2012 in Gwent news NEW EDITOR: Kevin Ward By Kevin Ward - Editor

ARGUS COMMENT: Tough task for ‘winner’ ARGUS COMMENT: Tough task for ‘winner’

TODAY you have the opportunity to vote for Gwent’s first Police and Crime Commissioner.

How you choose to use that opportunity, or whether you use it at all, is entirely a matter of individual choice.

We have made clear our opposition to the introduction of PCCs. We think it is an ill-conceived policy with little public support.

The elections have been poorly publicised by the government with most people having little or no idea what or who they are being asked to vote for today.

Nevertheless, these £75m elections are happening and we have done our best to explain the candidates and the issues to our readers in recent weeks.

All candidates have had election statements published, we have staged an online hustings meeting, and explained today’s voting system and the powers the PCC will have.

The likelihood remains that today’s elections will deliver the lowest-ever turnout at a national poll.

When the ‘winner’ (and we hope the PCC does not have the audacity to claim a victory if turnout is as low as predicted) is declared tomorrow, he will be one of the most powerful men in Gwent.

On a salary greater than an MP, our PCC will set both the future strategy of Gwent Police and its budget, and be able to fire the chief constable.

Whether he will have a mandate to accompany these powers is doubtful.

Comments(9)

pbhj says...
11:55am Thu 15 Nov 12

http://www.southwale
sargus.co.uk/news/pc
c_elections/ might help those ratifying their final voting decision for today.

Apologies if it was already linked on the page.

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Lastpost says...
11:59am Thu 15 Nov 12

Perhaps the winner can visit Newport and open another charity shop.

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biker1 says...
1:20pm Thu 15 Nov 12

a dark cloud is forming over gwent

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rightsideup says...
1:49pm Thu 15 Nov 12

It should not take long to count the votes!.

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Dai the Milk says...
2:32pm Thu 15 Nov 12

biker1 wrote:
a dark cloud is forming over gwent
A dark cloud will form if one of them wins.............

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biker1 says...
2:33pm Thu 15 Nov 12

its worrying that one persons view will affect policing...police authority at least had a panel to debate any changes that would affect taxpayer and police.....doomed.

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ccc49 says...
7:56pm Thu 15 Nov 12

I have exercised my right to vote tonight. 'None of the above' was my choice

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Maff says...
8:38pm Thu 15 Nov 12

You could count the all on one hand from what I've seen and heard

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snafu1 says...
11:37am Fri 16 Nov 12

Will this tory gov go on about the percentage vote casts as it is extremely low 10-15%,and say just as in a union strike vote,s it is not valid as less than 50% voted,don,t hould your breath.

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