HUSTINGS for the new role of Police Commissioner for Gwent were held in Abergavenny last week as part of a public meeting.

Three of the four candidates faced questions from a well-attended meeting that had been arranged by Bryn y Cwm Community Forum and Abergavenny and District Partnership against Crime.

The election on November 15 in Gwent, between politicians and former policemen for the role of Police Commissioner, was one of the hotly debated issues.

Independent candidate Ian Johnston, who spent a total of 33 years as an officer in the Gwent force, including the role of Chief Superintendent, said he wanted to keep politics out of this 'seven days a week' £70,000 a year job.

And in response to a question asking if he thought that one person could adequately represent all 560,000 people living in the Gwent area he said there was a 'train crash waiting to happen' between the new commissioner and the chief constable of Gwent but added that he would ask the tough questions needed.

He added, "The commissioner will be the best person to limit the damage for the people of Gwent, not the chief constable."

However, Hamish Sandison, Labour, an Usk-based solicitor and Nick Webb, Conservative, a former civil servant and the party's candidate for the Monmouth constituency, see decisions about how taxpayers' money is spent as inevitably political.

Aside from political differences, there was little disagreement between the three candidates at the Abergavenny hustings.

Mr Sandison said he would put a lot of emphasis on crime prevention and promised a professional survey to identify public priorities for making communities safer.

His promises to fight the budget cuts were supported by Mr Webb while Mr Sandison said he wanted 'bobbies on the beat, not manning custody suites', while Mr Johnston was concerned about over-reliance on community support officers.

Mr Webb said he wanted to raise police morale and added that while recognising the success of Gwent Police in reducing crime, he wanted more open access to data on police performance.

He added that he wanted to prioritise minor crimes and nip in the bud the small offences before they evolved into bigger more serious crimes.

A second independent ex-policeman candidate, Chris Wright, was unable to attend but he provided a statement to the meeting of his aims and ambitions.

All the candidates put emphasis on neighbourhood policing, combating anti-social behaviour, improving victim support and the need for extensive public consultation.

Mr Johnston favoured a strong stance on cannabis, use of which often leads to more serious drug use, and, like Mr Webb, he was concerned about media intrusion into police operations.

The meeting was told that the new commissioner will be scrutinised by a Police and Crime Panel with local authority and independent representation and that the Commissioner's role of translating community views into a plan for policing priorities was a very challenging one and requires a person of remarkable strength and ability.

At the end of the meeting, Bryn y Cwm Community Forum members issued an invitation to the successful candidate to return to another public meeting in a year's time to report on progress.

Each candidate agreed that, if elected, he would attend.

WHO ARE YOUR CANDIDATES?

NEXT WEEK for the first time ever, the electorate will be able to vote to elect the new Police and Crime Commissioner for Gwent.

In this new role the successful candidate will oversee the police and ensure they are prioritising what matters to you, the electorate. Their aim will be to cut crime and to ensure your police force is effective.

Once in post, the new commissioner will:

• Represent and engage with all those who live and work in the communities in their force area and identify their policing needs;

• Set priorities that meet those needs by agreeing a local strategic plan for the force;

• Hold the chief constable to account for achieving these priorities as efficiently and effectively as possible and playing a role in wider questions of community safety;

• Set Gwent Police's budget and the policing precept in council tax bills;

• Appoint - and, where necessary, remove - the chief constable.

The Gwent candidates for the election on November 15.

Ian Johnston - Independent

I was born and bred in the County of Gwent. I am a local man. I am proud to still live in the area where I was brought up. 

I completed 33 years Police Service with Gwent Police in 2004 before moving on to serve as the Vice President and President of the Police Superintendents' Association of England and Wales. I retired from this position in 2010. 

In Gwent I served in all ranks from Constable to Chief Superintendent. I have worked in all five Local Authority areas covering the Gwent Police Area. I was a Detective Officer for the majority of my career and was the Head of CID for five years between 1994 and 1999. 

I previously served at Newport as a Superintendent. I was the Divisional Commander at Pontypool covering all areas of Torfaen and Monmouthshire and finished my career in Gwent as the Divisional Commander covering the Caerphilly and Blaenau Gwent Local Authority areas. 

As the first ever full-time Welsh President of the Police Superintendents' Association of England and Wales I worked at a national level. I regularly attended meetings with H.M Government, the Opposition and senior civil servants. I sat on various Home Office Committees. I was fully involved dealing with issues concerning Funding; Use of Resources; Accountability; Governance and Public Confidence in the Police.

Election statement:

I am standing as an Independent candidate because I know the County of Gwent and I believe we must 'Keep Politics out of Policing'. 

As an independent I am only answerable to the electorate and nobody else. I will work with elected politicians but for the people of Gwent without political interference or influence.

More information visit ianjohnston4pcc.com.

Hamish Sandison – Labour

I am a solicitor by profession and have lived near Usk for nearly 25 years. I've fought the Monmouth constituency for Labour in the 2010 General Election, and have held senior positions in the Labour Party, including six years as a member of Labour's Crime & Justice Policy Commission.

I am described by Paul Murphy MP as having 'the legal skills, the political experience, the business acumen, and the personal gravitas to make a very formidable Police and Crime Commissioner for Gwent'.  

As Labour's candidate, I am campaigning against the Tory-led Coalition Government's 20 percent cuts in police budgets, which I believe are putting community safety at risk by taking police officers off the streets.  

Election statement:

If elected I am committed to ensuring that Gwent Police delivers our local priorities: neighbourhood policing; visible policing; bearing down on the perpetrators of crime and anti-social behaviour; tackling the scourge of drug and alcohol misuse; putting the victims of crime first, especially the victims of domestic violence and hate crime; and acting to secure greater peace of mind for our older people.  

As Gwent's Commissioner, I will be a powerful advocate of the people's priorities and that there will be no major changes to local policing without proper public consultation. I have signed a pledge to protect the police from political interference.

More information visit hamish4gwentpcc.co.uk

Nick Webb – Conservative

I've had experience of being a victim of crime when I stood up to anti-social behaviour and said that it's not acceptable in the area. I am 32-years of age and live in Newport and work for a Bath public relations firm and I have already served as a community councillor. I also stood as a candidate in the Welsh Assembly election of 2011.

Election statement:

My priorities are to ensure that every resident of the Gwent force area is aware of a recognisable and approachable police officer who is regularly seen in their community. A well-trained force which can spot potential repeat offenders early on, and stop them in their tracks.

I believe that more police should be on the beat, with fewer officers held back from doing their job by bureaucracy; A panel to scrutinise care for victims of crime; A police force which is sensitive to people's values and diversity, without allowing this to blind them from distinguishing between what is right and what is wrong.

I feel that as much crime and financial data should be released as possible, so that everyone has the power to audit the Police and Crime Commissioner's work. I would like to see a better career path for Police Community Support Officers.

There should be a credible management of a tight budget, which balances the community's needs with responsibility to spend within our means and a commitment to keep the police precept down.

I believe we can build on the recent progress made by Gwent Police to provide an even better service, which allows people to follow their aspirations without fear of crime.

For more information visit votenickwebb.com.

Christopher Wright – Independent

I retired after thirty years of policing; always in uniform and committed to direct community policing and specialising in planning police operations and community safety plans.

My real, recent and relevant knowledge of community and specialised, front-line and support to policing makes me the perfect person to analyse the whole of Gwent Constabulary.

I am not a political candidate. I have not sought political support.

I want to assure everyone that my full-time goal is to continue the community policing and crime reductions Gwent Police have shown recently even after the Government's funding cuts.

Election statement:

I am a true Independent candidate because to politicise policing is simply wrong and as the commissioner I would decide whether Gwent Police's policies, direction and strategies will work, and whether these are right for the communities of Gwent.

I will then be able to cut crime and deliver an effective and efficient police within our force area; be responsible for consulting with the public of Gwent to set local policing priorities; personally ensure these priorities are suitably funded by setting the budget; ensure your community's needs are met as effectively as possible, and hold the Chief Constable to account for the performance of Gwent Police.

As your Police and Crime Commissioner I will start the full dialogue with partners, like Victim Support and your Council to ensure that once a victim is identified or an offender is brought to justice then a whole gambit of actions will take place to support or reassure the victim and drive home the repulsion our communities feel about criminals and their actions.