Labour candidate Dan Price has won the election to become Cheshire’s next Police and Crime Commissioner.
Mr Price, a former Warrington councillor, won 48.1% of the votes, polling 86,279.
That was almost 21,000 more than Conservative candidate John Dwyer, who polled 65,836 and 36.7% of the vote.
Mr Dwyer has been the PCC for the past four years.
Third candidate Paul Duffy, of the Liberal Democrats, registered 27,342 votes, 15.2%
The turnout was low at just 21.7%.
Mr Price will officially take office on Thursday 9 May.
The result is another blow for the Conservatives with many local council seats and by elections being won by Labour.
In his pre-election pitch, Mr Price said the Conservatives had “failed” in terms of the amount of crime in Cheshire.
He said: “Over the last 14 years, crime up, charges down, and prisons full. That’s the Conservatives’ record.
“Home office data shows that in 2012 there were more than 57,000 recorded crimes in Cheshire. In 2023 this surpassed 86,000, up more than 50%.
“On top of this failure, nationally the percentage of crimes recorded that lead to someone being charged has dropped to 5.5%, which meant in 2022, two million crimes went unsolved.
“All too often crimes are committed, and nothing is done.
“I’ve lived in Cheshire all of my life and I’ve spent over a decade being a local councillor, bringing new ideas and energy to public service.
“I see the challenges we face daily, and I know what we need to feel safe.”
It is very sad that John Dwyer was not re-elected . Mr Dwyer is not a petty minded politician. He thinks and behaves like a very senior executive, bringing he excellent set of skills to the role he has fulfilled.
He is a true professional. Sadly many people who have the right to vote have few analytical skills and do not identify the facts. Prejudice prevails.
Research and study pays dividends.
People vote based on emotion. The price we all pay for democracy.
The proof of the pudding will be in the eating.
Votes have very short memories.
However democracy has always been the best structure .
Winning was the easy bit. let see what the results will be in 12 months plus.
Unfortunately most people are unable to think rationally when it comes to elections and instead of separating local and Westminster issues vote in local issues based on what is going on in Westminster.
You obviously have not read the last HMIC Report that found Cheshire Constabulary to be one of only 24 forces to be rated Good and praised the genuine professional commitment among Cheshire officers and staff.
Mr Price may be correct nationally but according to the HMCI last review its key findings on Cheshire Constabulary were that the the Constabulary is only one of 24 forces found to be rated Good at investigating crime. In short it is a glowing report about Cheshire Constabulary.
To understand police work Mr. Price should study the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 Et sec. which his predecessor being an ex policeman knew well.
It is disheartening to find that like becoming an MP anyone off the streets can become a PCC without any qualifications which cannot be right.
Another few years of a total failure to have an adequate oversight of the police just like the last Labour representative to hold this role. Such a shame the turnout was so low and people don’t appreciate the impact these roles could have. Add in a Labour minority government in Westminster later this year and a recipe for disaster awaits – real alternative to two party politics is needed and that starts with people turning up to elections every single time!
Congratulations to Mr. Dan Price on becoming our new PCC but he appears to have no police experience like Mr. John Dwyer so it will be interesting to see how he will perform.
Hopefully better than the previous Labour PCC who was a complete disaster.
Fantastic result it was time for new person with fresh ideas in preference to a retired police officer.
Give the public and police officers what really want and need to reduce crime in real terms.