Watford Borough Council

The Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 has introduced significant changes in police governance and accountability. Police Authorities will be replaced by directly elected PCCs. On 15 November 2012, Hertfordshire will elect its first PCC, who will have responsibility for the way policing is delivered in the county.

The PCC will decide how funding related to policing and crime reduction is allocated and, in consultation with the Chief Constable, set the strategic direction and objectives of the force through its Police and Crime Plan.

Election Candidates

The four candidates who will contest the election are Ms Sherma Batson (Labour Party Candidate), Mr David Edward Lloyd (The Conservative Party Candidate), Ms Marion Ann Mason (UKIP), and Mr Christopher Townsend (Liberal Democrat). 

Alternatively, electors can telephone the Home Office on tel: 0800 1070708 to order a free paper version of the candidate information, which will be sent by the Home Office by post. The number is free from landline phones. Costs for calls made on mobile phones may vary.

The period for official nomination closed at noon on 19 October 2012

Voting at the Election
Anyone over the age of 18 who lives in Hertfordshire and is included on the Electoral Register is eligible to vote at the PCC election.

The key election dates are as follows:

31 October 2012
Last day for applications to be included on the register of electors in order to vote in the election.

31 October 2012
Last day for requests for a new postal vote or to change or cancel an existing postal vote or proxy arrangement. Requests need to be made by 5pm.

7 November 2012
Last day for new applications to vote by proxy, except for medical emergencies. Requests need to be made by 5pm.

15 November 2012
Election day - 7am to 10pm.

Further information about registering to vote and elections is available on the council’s website.

Information is also available from the Electoral Commission. The delivery of booklets by the Electoral Commission about the election to all residential properties in England and Wales commenced on Monday 22 October 2012 and was completed on Friday 2 November 2012.

When will the new PCC begin work?
The candidate elected will take responsibility for policing in Hertfordshire on 22 November 2012 and serve for a four year term.

What voting system will be used?
The supplementary vote system has been chosen for these elections. This is currently the system used to elect mayors, the closest existing role to PCCs. Under the supplementary vote system, a voter is asked to indicate first and second preferences, if no candidate has 50 per cent of the first preference votes, the two candidates with the highest number of first preference votes go forward to a second round. In the second round of counting, ballots indicating a first preference for a candidate that lost the first round are reallocated according to the second preference indicated on the ballot paper.

The Electoral Commission have produced a short YouTube video to explain how to cast a vote at the PCC election.

Hertfordshire Police and Crime Panel
The Hertfordshire Police and Crime Panel will hold the PCC to account. Its role is to scrutinise and support the PCC and to ensure transparency.

Further information about the Police and Crime Panel for Hertfordshire is available here.

The contact address for the Police Area Returning Officer (PARO) is c/o Borough of Broxbourne, Borough Offices, Churchgate, Cheshunt, Hertfordshire EN8 9XQ. Telephone 01992 785577 or email: ceo@broxbourne.gov.uk

The result of the election will be declared on Friday 16 November and published on this website.