Conservative ousts Police and Crime Commissioner
By Rob Freeman | 11th May 2021
Conservative candidate Christopher Nelson has been elected as Police and Crime Commissioner for Gloucestershire, ending Martin Surl's nine-year stay in the role.
Mr Nelson topped the votes after the first preferences were counted and secured election after a run-off with Christopher Coleman (Lib Dem) took second preferences into account.
Mr Surl, who has held the position since its inception in 2012, finished third in the count of first preferences.
Mr Nelson said he was "very humbled" by the results and he planned to secure more forces for the county force, including more "bobbies on the beat".
And he told BBC Radio Gloucestershire he would look at some of Mr Surl's spending priorities.
He said: "Spending money on the electric vehicles he's taken great pride in and spending a lot of money on electric vehicles. That's the way to go but there's lots of limitations.
"Those vehicles are expensive, they're foreign. I'd have preferred to buy British and use the money."
First preference results:
- Christopher Coleman (Lib-Dem) 37,024
- Christopher Nelson (Conservative) 79,086
- Simon O'Rourke (Labour) 31,347
- Adrian Stratton (Indpendent) 13,131
- Martin Surl (Independent) 34,286
Results of second preference votes:
- Christopher Coleman (Lib-Dem) 59,838
- Christopher Nelson (Conservative) 91,097
The turnout for the county was 40.9 per cent compared with 30.5 per cent in 2016 and under 16 per cent in the initial election in 2012.
Stroud had the highest turnout at 46.1 per cent with the Forest of Dean the lowest at 37.2 per cent.
Turnout in the Cotswolds was 42.9 per cent, Cheltenham 42.9 per cent, Tewkesbury 38.4 per cent and Gloucester 37.4 per cent.
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