In the second part of a Northern Echo series ahead of the Police and Crime Commissioner elections on May 5, the candidates standing in North Yorkshire set out what their priorities for the role would be.

James Blanchard (Liberal Democrat)

The Northern Echo:

MR Blanchard served as a councillor in Kirklees, West Yorkshire, between 2011 and 2015. He lives in York and has worked for a number of major regional companies and organisations in senior communications and campaigning roles.

"I want to be a different kind of Police and Crime Commissioner, listening to local people’s concerns and making sure our police force responds to our needs.

"My priorities are to ensure that we have visible, professional and evidence-led policing across North Yorkshire:

"Visible Policing; Many people rarely see police in their communities. I will protect local police stations, and ensure that the police are visible in the communities they serve and meet with residents and community organisations to listen to and address their concerns.

"Professional Policing; Crime is changing, with many criminals moving online, professional development for our police has been overlooked though. I will invest in training so that officers can continue to keep across new laws and innovative crime-fighting techniques

"Evidence-led Policing; The police must concentrate on measures which address crime and the fear of crime. Community and restorative justice initiatives will allow victims a voice and bring criminals face-to-face with the consequences of their actions."

Steve Howley (Labour)

The Northern Echo:

MR Howley is a York firefighter and leader of the Fire Brigades Union in North Yorkshire. A full-time firefighter for 18 years serving at Malton and York, he lives in Sherburn-in-Elmet with his wife and two-year-old triplets.

"I have experienced how the cuts to frontline emergency services are having a detrimental impact on the quality of service provided to the communities of North Yorkshire.

"This is not acceptable and why I’m standing for the office of Police and Crime Commissioner. I will cut crime not police.

"I pledge to:

  • Genuinely increase frontline officer numbers prioritising neighbourhood policing ensuring our rural areas are not abandoned, clamping down on crime and its causes.
  • Improve dedicated victim support, an area currently lacking.
  • Improve road safety with active policing, including working with partner agencies to reduce accident blackspots.
  • Work to reduce the costs of the Office of the PCC to invest back into frontline policing.
  • Ensure that police and fire remain independent, while exploring collaborative working to enable reinvestment into the frontline, without the need for full merger and the additional costs."

Julian Mulligan (Conservative Party)

The Northern Echo:

A FORMER district councillor, Mrs Mulligan is North Yorkshire’s current Police and Crime Commissioner. She grew up on a hill farm in North Yorkshire and has spent the majority of her career in business, including running her own company working with the public sector including the police and NHS.

She is the inaugural chair of the National Rural Crime Network, which she helped set up and is one of four PCCs to have a seat on the new National Police Reform board.

Mrs Mulligan said her priorities include:

  • Protecting vulnerable people, including children, older people and victims of abuse. She will also ring-fence £600,000 for mental health crisis care.
  • Boosting the frontline, increasing officer numbers to 1,400 and PCSOs to 200.
  • Supporting rural communities, rolling out Community Speed Watch in villages and other rural communities, supporting the new Rural Crime Task Force and increasing collaboration to tackle serious cross-border crime.
  • More collaboration. Sharing buildings, back-office administration and governance, saving money and help protecting frontline services in local communities.

Mike Pannett (Independent)

The Northern Echo:

BORN in York, Mr Pannett joined the Metropolitan Police in 1988, serving on the divisional crime squad, murder squad and riot police.

He transferred to North Yorkshire Police in 1997 and became a rural beat officer and then wildlife officer. He has a number of best-selling books detailing his experiences with North Yorkshire Police.

He now lives with his wife and their three children on the edge of the North York Moors.

“We've seen four years of government cuts to the police in North Yorkshire delivered by a political PCC with a track record of financial irresponsibility and extravagance.

"I now also see failed rural communities and a general public whose confidence in the police has been damaged.

"A PCC should be independent and unencumbered by party allegiances and obligations and should answer only to the public of North Yorkshire.

"My focus is on the genuine delivery of efficient, effective and ethical policing, rebuilding confidence and to give people a real say on how we're policed.

"It's time for a fresh approach with safe pair of hands and to above all to keep politics out of policing.”