The prosaic name for the new police chiefs is Police and Crime Commissioners. I don't like the use of the word 'commissioner' as it brings to mind people council officers who commission services and is not far removed from the hotel doorman.
Never mind, let us hope the new PCCs are not doormats for chief constables. At the very least they will be an improvement on the unelected chairs of police committees and the other unelected members of police authorities. Much rubbish has been spoken about the need for 'independent' as opposed to political party backed commissioners. Any person elected on a party label will find out soon enough that toeing a party line is the quickest way to losing credibility and support. The Mayor of London has shown independence of thought and action even though elected on a party label.
The problem in Kent is that the candidates are an insipid bunch, apart from the UKIP candidate, Piers Wauchope who is a barrister specialising in criminal law. One of the Independents, Ann Barnes, is lively but suffers from the charge of hypocrisy as she was until recently the chair of the Kent Police Authority and a leading opponent of the introduction of commissioners.
The Conservative candidate is an accountant and sounds like one. Two of the other candidates are worthy but uninspiring. One is the Labour candidate. a leading figure in union and national Labour Party circles and the other, an Independent, a former Mayor of Medway.
Finally we have the English Democrat candidate, Steve Uncles, who has featured often on this blog. 'Nuff said.
KENT COMMUNITY ACTIVIST: acerbic, carping, caustic, curmudgeonly,critical, cynical, grumpy, moaning, sardonic and plain speaking.
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