Thames Valley Police & Crime commissioner candidates
The candidates for the election on 2nd May have now been confirmed
Last updated 10th Apr 2024
Five people have put themselves forward to be the next Thames Valley Police and Crime commissioner including the current PCC.
What is a PCC?
Police and crime commissioners are elected to hold your police force to account for delivering the kind of policing you want to see.
Their aim is to cut crime and to ensure your police force is effective. PCCs bring a public voice to policing and they do this by:
Engaging with the public and victims of crime to help set police and crime plans;
Ensuring the police force budget is spent where it matters most; and
Appointing, and where necessary, dismissing the chief constable.
Candidates
Matthew Barber - Conservative
I’ve been privileged to serve you as Police & Crime Commissioner since 2021. Since then I’ve appointed the new Chief Constable, delivered record numbers of police officers and we’ve seen crime at levels well below that prior to the pandemic.
But there’s more work to do and whoever you choose as your next Police & Crime Commissioner will need a clear plan and understanding of the challenges ahead. As well as being a strong voice for the public and holding the Chief Constable to account, the Police & Crime Commissioner is responsible for a record budget of over £584m.
I’ve got a clear plan for how I will work to make Thames Valley safer.
Continuing to deliver more officers than ever before
More officers in neighbourhood policing
Saving lives on our roads with better enforcement
Keeping women safe in our public places
Improving CCTV across Thames Valley
A tough approach to knife crime
Tackling shoplifting working with businesses
Preventing cybercrime and fraud
Improving 101 call times
Visible local patrols
I’m asking for your support on Thursday 2nd May to back my plan for a safer Thames Valley.
Matthew Bearder - Liberal Democrat
Tim Bearder has a wealth of experience serving the area and managing big budgets with a number of important cabinet positions on Oxfordshire County Council. He has an in-depth knowledge of the wider patch and its problems, having worked as a journalist for BBC South.
As the election date of the 2nd of May looms, it is anticipated to be a hotly contested battle between the Liberal Democrats and the Conservative Party.
Responding to his selection, Councillor Bearder highlighted his key priorities:
“Communities across the Thames Valley are yearning for substantive change. The Conservative Party has consistently fallen short on recruitment goals and made cutbacks to community policing, notably in areas like Oxford and Reading.
"This has led to increased response times and a concerning drop in convictions, particularly for offences such as domestic burglary which are close to an all-time low. Residents have lost faith in the Conservative Party’s ability to effectively manage our police force, underscoring the urgent need for an alternative approach.
The Liberal Democrats are committed to restoring community policing, providing residents the assurance that law enforcement will be present and responsive when needed.”
Russell Douglas Fowler - Independent
International senior businessman operating on boards with top companies, now leading a Bucks based security product company supplying global automotive manufacturers. Degree in geochemistry, diamond explorer, Kalahari adventurer, photographer, San (Bushmen) supporter and Police anti-corruption champion.
Taking politics out of policing. The PCC must never be compromised in executing the above remit by any considerations to the polictical stance of his supporting party, either regionally or nationally. The PCC must be seen to challenge the force and not be seen as the force’s PR department.
Driving out corruption from Thames Valley Police (TVP), driving in better police management. Corruption to highest levels, including Professional Standards Department (PSD). Officers must be tackled by the PCC, with offenders removed from the force. Chief Constable must be challenged with stretching performance targets reportable monthly and publicly.
Bobbies on the beat not on their bums. Leadership within TVP has to be strengthened with improved management skills, attitude and technology.
Better value for taxpayers from the police and PCC office. PCC’s office is large and costly. Must improve skillsets, legal knowledge and culture to independently investigate police misconduct and better challenge TVP.
Victim first policing. Obvious, but missing in TVP.
Dignity and justice for sex crime victims. Non negotiable.
Protect our communities and shops. Increase police visibility to deter crime and to investigate crime thoroughly and quickly.
Ben Holden-Crowther - More Police officers for Thames Valley
More Police Officers for Thames Valley — is an independent democratic initiative, backed by local people, with the goal of improving your police force in the Thames Valley.
More police officers for YOUR LOCAL AREA
We simply do not have enough police officers in the Thames Valley, meaning that relatively serious crimes such as shoplifting and burglary are being routinely overlooked. Money being wasted in other areas needs to be urgently directed towards strong local policing for your area.
Stop wasting YOUR TAXES
The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner spends almost £2 million annually on around 40 members of staff. We will ensure financial prudence and greatly reduce wasteful office expenditure (including the £18,000 recently spent on a pointless website rebranding).
Keep POLITICS out of OUR POLICE
Considering the current state of our police force, it’s clear that short-term focused political parties should not be tasked with setting the policing priorities for our local area. Your vote for our independent local candidate will help us wrestle back control of policing from inept and uninspiring politicians.
Don’t throw away YOUR VOTE
In the last election for Police and Crime Commissioner, the turnout in the Thames Valley was just 35.8%, meaning that 1,173,265 people in our area lost their opportunity to vote at this really important election. By voting for More Police Officers for Thames Valley, you can show that you care about making our local area a safer place to live.
Tim Starkey - Labour
For 22 years Tim has worked with police as a prosecution barrister in cases ranging from child sex abuse to drug dealing. He has seen first hand how the system fails people, and what needs to change. Tim says: “Despite the dedication of its hard working officers, TVP is under performing. Recently inspected, it ranked “inadequate” for protecting vulnerable people and “requiring improvement” for investigating crime, responding to the public, managing offenders and leadership.
My priorities:
Rebuilding trust in police by a) strengthening neighbourhood policing, restoring the link between police and the communities they serve, b) overhauling vetting and misconduct procedures.
Cutting knife crime – not youth services. Working with schools and targeted interventions, including 1:1 mentoring to divert young people away from gangs and county lines, and provide positive role models.
Stopping the surge in shoplifting, working with local businesses to identify repeat offenders and ban them from crime hotspots.
Protecting women and girls from violence. Rape cases often take 5 years from being reported to coming to trial, causing many victims to drop out. Fast track sexual and domestic abuse cases, improve the sharing of information with women at risk from a violent partner (highlighted in the recent inspection) and work to change the behaviour of perpetrators.
Keeping us safe online. Online grooming has quadrupled since 2016, whilst AI drives ever more sophisticated scams. Use innovative ways of working with our thriving local tech industry to prevent fraud and keep kids safe.
Keeping all road users safe. TVP was one of only two forces to see a rise in road traffic incidents last year. Through better enforcement and use of third party reporting, TVP can play its part in ending deaths and serious injuries on our roads.
How do I vote?
Polls open at 7am on Thursday, May 2, and close at 10pm. Voters must take a suitable form of photo ID with them in order to cast their ballot in person (see ‘What do I need to vote?’ section below).
Residents must be on the electoral roll to vote. Register to vote online – the deadline is 11.59pm on Tuesday, April 16.
Voting by post is also an option. Applications for a postal vote must be received by 5pm on Wednesday, April 17.
Proxy votes can also be obtained in some circumstances – meaning someone else can vote on a resident’s behalf if they cannot make it to a polling station for a limited number of reasons. Applications for a proxy vote must be received by 5pm on Tuesday, April 24.
Applications can be made for an emergency proxy vote if, after the deadline has passed, a resident discovers they will not be able to vote in person, including for medical or employment reasons. In such instances, residents can apply for a proxy vote until 5pm on election day itself.
What do I need to vote in person?
To vote in person at a polling station, residents will need one of the following forms of photo identification (the ID is permitted to be out of date, but must still be a good likeness ):
UK or Northern Ireland photocard driving licence (full or provisional) or driving licence issued by European Economic Area (EEA) country, the Isle of Man or any of the Channel Islands
UK passport or passport issued by EEA or Commonwealth country
blue badge
older person’s bus pass
disabled person’s bus pass
Oyster 60+ Card
Freedom Pass
identity card bearing the Proof of Age Standards Scheme hologram (a PASS card)
biometric residence permit
Ministry of Defence Form 90 (Defence Identity Card)
national identity card issued by an EEA state
Where do I vote?
The polling card sent to voters ahead of the election will tell them at which polling station they must cast their vote on May 2 if they are voting in person.
For more information about your vote visit https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/voting-and-elections