Fears for low turnout at Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner elections

10:37am Thursday 15th November 2012 in News

Fears for low turnout at Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner elections Fears for low turnout at Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner elections

MORE than two thirds of people who responded to an online Star poll say they do not plan on voting in today’s Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner elections.

Sixty nine per cent said they do not intend to go to the polls, underlining fears there will be a low turnout.

The election campaign for who will become the commissioner has been markedly low-key in St Helens, where one of six command units makes up the Merseyside force.

Voters will be asked to choose a commissioner for the region.

Commissioners will be tasked with scrutinising their force and holding it to account.

They will also have powers to appoint and dismiss the chief constable and set the force's budget.

They will be paid and the Conservative-led policy is aimed at empowering local people into having a say on how crime is tackled in their communities.

The six candidates are: Geoff Gubb (Conservative), Hilary Jones (UKIP), Paula Keaveney (Liberal Democrat), Jane Kennedy (Labour), Kiron Reid (Independent) and Paul Rimmer (English Democrats).

Comments(6)

Torianne says...
12:34pm Thu 15 Nov 12

maybe if we had information through the post or seen a candidate - uptake may have been better!!!

is fine if you have a computer and can look on line - what about those that don't?

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pitbullboxing says...
12:57pm Thu 15 Nov 12

I did look online , guess what , The Labour candidate was already moaning about cuts , so clearly he is not the one for the job. But you raise a very good point about those who do not have a computer or access to one!

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keepitreel says...
3:23pm Thu 15 Nov 12

if these elections were supposed to be on a non party lines agenda,could someone please tell me why the LABOUR party has vans going round pleading with households to vote for YOUR LABOUR REPRESENTATIVE,this is why it is a waste of time voting for anyone else in this town,the Shepard shouts and the sheep follow.

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the dr who says...
6:46pm Thu 15 Nov 12

its a farce and no one cares, wait until the morning we will see it was a complete disaster

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anthonywilson says...
8:36pm Thu 15 Nov 12

Torianne wrote:
maybe if we had information through the post or seen a candidate - uptake may have been better!!!

is fine if you have a computer and can look on line - what about those that don't?
Quite right.

Absolutely no information has been posted through the doors so how can anyone possibly make a judgement about who might be the best person for the role of Police Crime Commissioner for the Merseyside Police area unless you spend time searching for the information on line and even then the information is very limited. I don't care what political colour or rosette they are wearing, I want to know what their personal credentials, proposals and ideas for Policing are and with little or no information its impossible for anyone to make a proper informed decision. It's no different in other areas of the country as well. The Police should not be Politicised anyway and certainly not in this way in my opinion and its wrong if people have in fact voted in my view based on tribal affinity to a political party. Some parties have opposed the idea of Police Commissioner so why have they even got candidates standing? Its also a warped and non-inclusive idea of democracy when the candidates have to find a £5,000 deposit. Most people have in fact voted with their feet.......for non of the above.

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Bill Bradbury says...
2:22pm Fri 16 Nov 12

Torianne/Anthony mea culpa. I could have blitzed Billinge with the Labour party candidate's address plus electorial ballot paper but as I am totally opposed to Commissioners, that they are party hacks and as you rightly say being unable to read every other candidate's profile to make an informed judgement (if they had any expertise in this farce at all!) no wonder its a low turn out. I spoilt my vote with "none of these" for some of the reasons you mentioned.

So we should now see a vast improvement in policing as well as the salary of the successful Labour candidate!!?? As I wrote before on this my Labour friend in the Gtr. Manchester area was voting Labour because he was oposed to commissioners work that logic out if you can.

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