Candidate statements: Gwent Police and Crime Commissioner

Donna Cushing - Plaid Cymru

I am Donna Cushing and I have been a resident in the Gwent area all my life.

One of my first priorities as Commissioner would be to review the Continued Professional Development Training that is given to police officers and highlight any gaps there may be.

I’m especially interested in disability training, physical, sensory or mental health, including dementia and individuals with learning disabilities.

These can be hidden disabilities and I would like to ensure that front line staff have the understanding to recognise them and provide the necessary approach to dealing with individuals who have these disabilities.

I worked for a disability organisation and I understand the needs of those who form this part of society.

In my own community I volunteered as a youth worker running a project on Friday evenings aiming to reduce antisocial behaviour by young people. The project was set up with the help of the police.

I have also worked part time with the council youth services.

I would like to see police frontline staff participate in youth settings without the formality of their profession so that they can see the possibilities of young people and look beyond their misbehaviour.

Jeff Cuthburt - Labour and Co-operative Party

It has been a privilege to serve as your Police and Crime Commissioner for Gwent since 2016.

A lot has been done. Since 2016 we’ve appointed about 170 additional officers and we have plans for more. With the extra 101 PCSOs funded by our Welsh Labour Government, we are building strong neighbourhood police.

I want to develop further the support that we provide for victims of crime, and especially victims of serious violence and domestic abuse. We will continue to invest in these support services.

No part of Gwent should feel isolated.

Community cohesion is an important part of my Policing and Crime Plan and will remain so.

Every part and every community of Gwent will be treated fairly and equally.

That’s true whether we’re talking about wards, urban and rural areas; or different ethnic and cultural groups.

Similarly, every citizen of Gwent must receive equal treatment under the law and be entitled to respect and personal security.

It’s important to invest in our future citizens. That’s why we created the Mini Police/Heddlu Bach. This innovative scheme encourages primary school children to take an interest in their communities and help them to be the good citizens of the future.

Paul William Harley - Independent

Many people have lost faith in politicians.

Police work should be about keeping the community safe, not pursuing political agendas.

The Police and Crime Commissioner should be non-political.

As an Independent, I will keep party politics out of policing and press the Chief Constable to deliver a strong, inclusive and accountable police service to everyone in Gwent.

The current PCC has a deputy (paid £55,692) and 17 staff (highest paid £96,657).

If elected, I will NOT have a deputy and will appoint the minimum number of staff necessary.

Savings will be re-directed to the police.

The police precept on council taxpayers has increased over the last five years by 3.99 per cent, 3.99 per cent, 6.99 per cent, 6.99 per cent, and 5.49 per cent.

I recognise these above inflation increases cause hardship, so I will hold the precept at its current level next year to carry out a full review of income and expenditure.

Burglaries, thefts etc. should be attended by a police officer, plus a forensics officer if there is a possibility of fingerprints or DNA.

Victims deserve full investigations.

Those who persist in making other people’s lives a misery by anti-social acts should be put through the criminal justice system.

Vote for a person, not a politician.

Hannah Jarvis - Conservative

I’m a hardworking, single-parent, with a military background, committed to serving the public.

I’m currently a parliamentary caseworker within Gwent, meaning I am acutely aware of the local policing and crime issues and have a thorough understanding of public feeling, as well as where significant improvements are needed.

I will have an open-door policy and be as accessible as can be.

My priorities will be:

• Road safety: It’s time to rid Gwent’s roads of those who endanger lives, by investing further into our road-safety teams.
• I will give more resources to our Rural Crime Team, to stop criminals perceiving isolated, rural areas as soft targets.
• I will invest in increased police patrols, in known areas of anti-social behaviour: I intend to ensure nobody feels intimidated in their own home.
• I will back additional anti-drugs operations in Gwent, to disrupt county lines gangs and stop them exploiting our young and vulnerable.
• I will order a review into the impact of cyber-crime in Gwent and commission a Digital Dog – to sniff out electronic devices, to gather evidence needed to prosecute those who cowardly hide in the cyber sphere.
• I will commission a review of all police station closures in Gwent.

Clayton Francis Jones - Gwlad – The Welsh Independence Party

Experience:

• Elected county councillor and school governor in 1981. No salary EVER accepted.
• Active within local police liaison and tourism.
• Born into a culturally diverse family in the mining industry; his partner’s family are all people born in England and have embraced our society.
• Started work in the local Co-Op at the age of 14, first USDAW member to withdraw from the political levy. Purchased Shamrock Coaches in 1984 and is currently the owner of licensed premises in Caerphilly.
• A non-Welsh-speaking Welshman supporting our heritage – his son and grandson have bilingual skills.

Policies:

• Policing should be by public democratic consent.
• Police priorities should reflect the values of the society that is policed, concentrating on preventing actual harm to people and animals alike, not pandering to the easily offended.
• Equity is our mission, making Wales better – no different from any other self-respecting nation.
• Making Wales a fair land of opportunity for all. Northern Ireland and Scotland administer their own laws, why does Westminster reject the same for Wales?
• Wales has four police forces, yet Scotland and the West Midlands have just one. The duplication impacts funding, with charges increasing 3.95 per cent in 2021 with three call centres. Administrative jobs should be relocated to policing.
• Making youth provision a priority, allowing tagging of low-risk offenders. Both will require investment.

John Miller - Liberal Democrats

I was raised in Croesyceiliog and have been living in Newport for 10 years.

In general, Gwent Police do a good job.

I have been involved in two incidents in the past.

I helped get a jumper down from Newport bridge and talked to a guy threatening people with a broken bottle at the bus station.

In both instances officers turned up three minutes after being called.

I believe that the relationship between the force and the public is often strained because of ineffective reactions to criticism.

Public relations is an area I would look to improve.

As a resident of Newport, I am frustrated with the state of the city centre.

Traders will struggle to survive, let alone thrive if the main thoroughfares are considered unsafe for the elderly and unsuitable for families.

Bikes being ridden dangerously and people acting in an inconsiderate manor will be the death knell of centres around the county, not just Newport.

This will be a challenging problem as we emerge from the pandemic.

On that subject, I think they have handled the emergency well in a situation where two groups want opposite outcomes (further lockdown or more freedom).

I would be proud to work alongside them.