Candidates standing in the West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner 2021 election
People will head to the polls on the 6th of May.
Last updated 4th May 2021
The West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner elections take place on May 6 and we've been speaking to the candidates ahead of the day.
Locals across the West Mercia area will choose who to elect to cut crime and deliver an effective and efficient police force; as well as be the voice of the people and hold the police to account.
Below you can read the priorities for each of the four candidates standing.
Kuldip Sahota, Labour
Kuldip previously served as the leader for Telford & Wrekin Council between 2011 and 2016.
He was also the West Mercia Police Authority and was chair of the Telford and Wrekin Policing Board before becoming the leader.
He has been involved in community services in Telford before becoming a Councillor.
He helped to secure funding of £210,000 from the European Urban Grant for Telford Cultural and Leisure Centre and then helped to raise £100,000 from the local community to complete the project.
Kuldip's pledges:
- More police focusing on safer streets and tackling violence
- Ensure police are on the beat rather than behind desks
- Fight the causes of crime by ensuring the provision of preventative services
- Tougher sentences for rape and domestic violence
- A new law to ensure victims are at the heart of the criminal justice system
John Campion, Conservatives
John Campion has served as the West Mercia PCC since May 2016 and strives to continue his plan for a Safer West Mercia.
John's pledges:
- Keeping the communities of West Mercia safe by fighting crime - including recruiting record numbers of police officers and tackling domestic abuse
- Reforming how public money is spent - by keeping Council Tax increases lowest in the region
- Make sure people feel safe as well as being safe - by ensuring the community is at the heart of policing
- Putting victims first - by training more officers in victim care as one of the ways
Peter Jewell, Reform UK
Peter believes this is a non-political role and hopes to oversee the management and finances as well as being the face of the people he will serve.
Before it was sold, Peter has a Managing Consulting Company which had offices in 6 countries and operated in 15 other countries.
He says he knows how to run a budget.
Peter was a Magistrate for 18 years and a part time Tribunal Judge for 20 years.
He wants to have an efficient cost-effective force to serve all West Mercia and keep us safe.
Margaret Rowley, Liberal Democrat
Margaret has over 25 years as an elected local councillor and until recently was employed as a senior manager in the NHS.
She aims to create a police force that meets the needs of local people by listening to them and championing their views to make West Mercia Police more responsive to the priorities of local communities.
Margaret's pledges:
- Making the force more trusted by y listening to local people and making policing much more responsive to the priorities of local communities
- Making the force for effective by prioritising crime prevention and tackling issues that put people at risk of offending
- Making the force more efficient by better use of technology and partnership working
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