I would like to start my first column as Police and Crime Commissioner by thanking everyone who voted in the PCC elections back in May.

I am incredibly proud to have been elected as the first female Police and Crime Commissioner for Gwent and have been touched by the kind words of support from residents as I have been out and about visiting communities.

I want to reassure you that, whether you voted for me or not, I will work hard and do my absolute best for you throughout my term in office.

Although just a few months into the job, I must shortly deliver the two most important pieces of work that a Police and Crime Commissioner is elected to do.

I must appoint a new Chief Constable to lead Gwent Police and develop a new Police and Crime Plan. This plan will set out what I want to achieve over the next four years and will also make clear what I expect the new Chief Constable to deliver.

During my time as leader of Newport City Council I was the Welsh Local Government Association spokesperson on Community Safety, representing all 22 local authorities in Wales, and co-chair of the Wales Community Safety Board.

I have a deep understanding of many of the community safety issues affecting Gwent’s five counties and this informed the priorities that I set out during my election campaign.

There were:

Protecting the vulnerable, tackling violence against women and girls, addressing hate crime.

Focusing commissioning on early intervention and prevention, supporting initiatives aimed at preventing youth crime, supporting victims.

Supporting campaigns to protect retail and hospitality staff in the workplace.

Ensuring Gwent Police prioritise tackling serious and organised crime, cracking down on anti-social behaviour.

I know from conversations on the doorstep that these issues matter to almost everyone in our communities.

However, I now want to delve deeper and hear from you about the issues that are affecting you in your communities right now.

I want to understand what you think I should prioritise during the next four years; I want to hear about your experiences with Gwent Police, and want you to tell me where I should focus investment to support these priorities.

I also want to know what qualities you want to see in the new Chief Constable of Gwent Police.

Your feedback is important to me. It will inform the development of my Police and Crime Plan and help to guide my decision making during the Chief Constable recruitment process.

Please take a few moments of your time to complete my survey, have your say, and help me make a difference to our communities.

To have your say visit https://bit.ly/GwentPCP2024

Jane Mudd is the elected police and crime commissioner for Gwent