Voters to have their say at the Derbyshire Police and Crime Commissioner election

Current Conservative Derbyshire Police and Crime Commissioner Angelique Foster, who was elected in 2021, is standing again alongside three other candidates for the role including Reform UK’s Russell Winston Armstrong, Liberal Democrat David Martin Hancock, and Labour’s Nicolle Sibusiso Ndiweni.

People will be able to cast their vote on Thursday, May 2, and the count will be held at Derby Arena, off Royal Way, at Pride Park, from 2.30pm, on May 3, before the newly-elected Derbyshire Police and Crime Commissioner will be formally announced.

The role is regarded as a significant position in helping to set police priorities, responding to the needs of communities, setting the local policing budget and ensuring local and national priorities are suitably resourced while the Commissioner is also able to monitor performance.

Liberal Democrat candidate David Martin Hancock, who is a NE Derbyshire District Councillor, from Tupton near Chesterfield, stated on the Department of Levelling Up, Housing & Communities’ choosemypcc.org website that he has first-hand experience of the very different issues that affect people across Derbyshire.

He added: “Our communities are built on diversity, and that diversity is their strength. As Liberal Democrats we respect everyone; and it is our responsibility to stand up for all of you. A healthy society is built on justice for everyone, and I commit to ensuring that we have that in Derbyshire.”

Conservative Angelique Foster, who is also a Derbyshire County Councillor, stated on choosemypcc.org she has delivered on promises by: Recruiting an extra 351 police officers; Increasing police patrols; Keeping police stations open; Introducing a tougher approach to anti-social behaviour, burglaries and road safety resulting in reductions in anti-social behaviour and burglaries and the number of fatal road traffic collisions.

She added she promises to be a strong voice and to provide strong leadership by focussing resources on fighting crime, and on frontline policing by opposing police station closures and standing firm against what she called ‘woke policing’.

Labour’s Nicolle Ndiweni, who has a criminology degree and has served as a district councillor managing a Safer and Stronger Communities portfolio, stated on choosemypcc.org that she has listened to Derbyshire residents and she understands and shares their community safety and policing concerns.

She added that she aims to prevent crime and anti-social behaviour, protect residents, increase policing in neighbourhoods, prosecute more offenders, and to partner with key organisations while ensuring a police presence in communities and restoring public trust.

Reform UK candidate and entrepreneur Russell Armstrong, from Derby, stated on choosemypcc.org that he wants to restore the trust between the community and officers through hard work and real service, reduce red tape so police can be free to do their jobs while prioritising crimes solving that matter to communities, and ensuring a better use of resources and keeping communities safe.

He added: “As part of the drive for efficiency, I will slim down the PCC office, reducing costs and improving accountability while freeing up more money for local services. The police are paid by us, the taxpayers. We must find a way to ensure that they can do their job, protecting us rather than spending money on a PR office.”

The newly-elected Commissioner will be responsible for setting an annual budget, putting a five-year Police and Crime Plan together, setting the amount of council tax to be paid to the police force, setting police priorities, and providing community safety grants, publishing an annual report and ensuring value for money.

They will also be responsible for taking into account national policing challenges such as counter terrorism and cross-border policing set out in a new Strategic Policing Requirement.

Priorities, outlined by Derbyshire Constabulary and the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, include addressing domestic abuse, sexual abuse, violence against women and girls, supporting victims, addressing anti-social behaviour and serious violence, and providing safer streets and safeguarding children and youngsters.