New Humberside Police and Crime Commissioner sets out agenda
North Lincolnshire mayor and councillor Jonathan Evison has been elected the new police and crime commissioner (PCC) for Humberside.
North Lincolnshire mayor and councillor Jonathan Evison has been elected the new police and crime commissioner (PCC) for Humberside.
The Conservative councillor said following his victory his first priority would establishing himself in the role having recently served as chair of the Humberside Police and Crime Panel.
He added he wanted to tackle rural crime, improve the reporting of crime generally, get more police on the streets and tackle drugs and antisocial behaviour.
The new PCC will officially take office today (Thursday 14 May) following his swearing in, taking over from Labour's Keith Hunter.
The incoming PCC told LDRS:
“Although I came into the race late in the day, I’m not surprised by the result given the national picture.
“I now want to learn everything I can about the office, I already have parts of my plan in mind but I want to firm it up, work on it over the summer and aim to release it in the autumn.
“The fact the turnout was about 22 per cent was disappointing, for a role like this it should have been more like 40 per cent.
“I want the role to be more robust, there’s a number of ways we can do.”
Mayor Evison hails from the south bank and served as a councillor in North Lincolnshire for nine years before unseating Keith Hunter following elections on Thursday, May 6.
The Conservative was drafted in as the party’s candidate after predecessor Craig Ulliott dropped out amid allegations of dishonesty about his past.
Speaking to LDRS ahead of his being declared, he said his campaign had largely been conducted on social media in light of the coronavirus pandemic.
Mayor Evison has served on the Humberside Police and Crime Panel for six years, the body which holds the PCC to account, and was its chair until his victory today.
The PCC-elect, from Barton upon Humber worked in the steel industry in Scunthorpe for 40 years, spending 20 as an electrical engineer before becoming production manager.
He has also been a Barton town councillor for 16 years, has served as a school governor for eight and chair of the board for the last three years.
The new PCC is a keen biker and leads the Barton Bike Night Committee which organises the town’s yearly event which has previously attracted thousands of bikers and visitors.
He is a founding member of Barton Musical Theatre and is part of the Hessle Theatre Company.
He has also been a part of the Barton Town Band for 28 years, which he chairs and leads, with the group ranked among the top 20 in the country in 2012.
The incoming PCC has said his priorities while in officer will be tackling drugs and antisocial behaviour, getting more police on the streets, tackling rural crime and reaching countryside communities.
He added he also wanted to restore public faith in the police’s 101 non-emergency reporting system which he said was leading to crimes going unreported.