Conservative candidate John Dwyer has been announced the winner of the Police crime and commissioner election.
The Conservative candidate beat Labour candidate John Stockton in the second round of voting to become Cheshire's first Police and Crime Commissioner.
For the first time in our area the supplementary voting system was used. As no candidate got more that 50% of the first choice votes, the two candidates with the most first choice votes remained in the election and all other candidates were eliminated.
The second choice votes for the eliminated candidates were then counted – and any votes for the two remaining candidates were added to their first round totals.
John Dwyer won by 48,591 votes to 37,350 votes for John Stockton.
He retired 11 years ago as Assistant Chief Constable of Cheshire Constabulary, after a 30-year career in the police. Since retirement he has run several of his own businesses including a corporate security consultancy and investigation company.
John Dwyer was a councillor on Crewe and Nantwich Borough Council before its move into the Cheshire East authority.
The turnout at the PCC election in Cheshire was 14.08% with 16.68% turnout for Cheshire East.
The results of the first round of voting were:
• Ainsley Arnold (Liberal Democrat) - 10,653
• Louise Bours (UKIP) - 8,557
• John Dwyer (Conservative) - 40,122
• Sarah Flannery (Independent) - 18,596
• John Stockton (Labour) - 30,974
Did you vote in the Police crime and commissioner election? If not why? Share your views via the comment box below.
Comments
Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.
Why have just one person when we had 11 or 12 Police Committee Members ?
The old system seemed to work very well, in my opinion.
However, it seems the best candidate has won as he has vast experience, firstly as a Senior Police Officer and, secondly, he has experience as a Councillor.
(Hope he'll remember me if I ever have to "help the Police with their enquiries") Ha Ha !
I voted for the Independent candidate Sarah Flannery. Am happy enough with the result if it makes a difference.
My natural inclination would have been to vote for the Conservative candidate - but I have heard John speak and was singularly unimpressed. He previously held the rank of Assistant Chief Constable - which for me begs the question - if he is so full of good ideas now - how come he did not have them as ACC ? Furthermore, he is so indoctrinated with Police thinking, I totally lack any confidence that he will be able to think outside the box now .....
None of the other candidates gave me any confidence either - so in the absence of a decent candidate or a 'none of the above' box on the voting slip - i simply stayed away.
Marc, I attended a meeting where John Dwyer spoke and I was much impressed; you pays your money and you takes your choice!
Brian & Vince, the reason why candidates stand as a member of one political party or the other is I guess a mix of money and organisation; Independents would have to be fairly wealthy to compete; that may not be to everyone's liking but that's life I guess? But at the meeting I attended, John Dwyer emphasised that he would be non-political. One good idea (well I thought it was good) was that he wished to hire 500 special constables; they have pretty much full police powers but are much, much less costly. That may not be your ideal, but in these straightened times it may be the best we can hope for?
I wonder whether this means job losses and privatisation? Time will tell.