Elections 2021: Mark Shelford elected as Avon and Somerset's PCC

Conservative candidate Mark Shelford has been elected as Avon and Somerset's next police and crime commissioner.

He received 34.4% of first preference votes and was elected after second preference votes were counted, beating Labour's Kerry Barker.

Mr Shelford is a former Army officer and deputy leader of Bath and North East Somerset Council.

He replaces Sue Mountstevens, who served as PCC from 2012 before standing down before the election.

Mr Shelford said: "It's very, very exciting but it's also quite humbling and there's a huge responsibility placed on my shoulders. But I am raring to go.

"The most important thing is about reassuring the public that the police are there for them. It's focusing on those crimes that the public want dealt with and making Avon and Somerset more effective and efficient and we'll do that together."

Mr Shelford said there is a "great opportunity for good communications" between his office and the government, and that is he looking forward to working with Home Secretary Priti Patel.

One of his first jobs will be to appoint a new chief constable. Andy Marsh announced in April that he will leave in July after holding the post since February 2016.

His force has had a turbulent year, facing large protests and disorder, including violence at Kill the Bill protests.

Of the appointment, Mr Shelford said: "I'm not going to do it in a rush. I want to make sure that we get the right person in the post."

Mr Shelford polled 161,319 first and second preference votes, beating Mr Barker who secured 146,293. Turnout was 30.7%, up from 26% in 2016.

Green Party candidate and former Lord Mayor of Bristol, Cleo Lake, secured 16.4% of first preference votes and came third.

The Liberal Democrats' Heather Shearer polled 13.3% and John Smith, an independent who was Ms Mountstevens' deputy, got 11.7% of first preference votes.

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