Third term win for police and crime commissioner
Conservative Katy Bourne has been re-elected as Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner for a third term. Voting took place on Thursday alongside the county council elections, with counting on Monday. Since no candidate polled above 50 per cent of first preference votes, it went to a run-off between the top two Mrs Bourne and Labour’s Paul Richards. After the eliminated candidates’ second preferences were counted, Ms Bourne finished comfortably in first place and was then elected. The commissioner is responsible for setting the strategic direction and priorities for Sussex Police through the Police & Crime Plan. She has a statutory duty to commission support services for victims of crime and to deliver community safety initiatives including restorative justice and crime reduction grants.
Mrs Bourne has held the position since it was first created back in 2012 to replace the old police authorities. She has pledged to continue to work with Chief Constable Jo Shiner to address the public’s priorities set out in the Police & Crime Plan: She added: “We will make sure that Sussex Police addresses the Government’s new policing measures to tackle homicide, serious violence, drug supply, neighbourhood violence and cybercrime, as well as continuing to recruit even more police officers to increase frontline policing. “Locally, I will also drive a relentless focus on tackling anti-social behaviour; on business crime and rural crime - including pet theft; on making the roads safer for residents; supporting even more victims of crime; and working with partners to reduce reoffending.
“I remain committed to delivering for all Sussex residents and making sure their concerns and ideas are heard and articulated. “The listening starts this week as my programme of consultations has launched with parishes and districts, followed by county-wide surveys and focus groups addressing specific local issues.” Full results: Jamie Bennett (Liberal Democrats) 63,271 votes. Kahina Suzanna Bouhassane (Green Party) - 60,781. Katy Elizabeth Bourne (Conservative) - 214,523 (first preference votes) 30,287 (second preference votes), 244,810 (total votes) Paul Adrian Richards (Labour and Co-operative Party) 84,736 (first preference votes), 43,523 (second preference), 128,259 (total votes). Roy Thomas Williams (Independent) - 30,408. Rejected ballots - 11,331.