IT'S a privilege to have been given the opportunity to serve the people of North Somerset and Somerset as your newly elected Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for Avon and Somerset.

My commitment to you was to be visible and accountable to all residents of Avon and Somerset, and I intend to fulfil this commitment now I have taken up this role.

I will also be focused on the twin challenges of reducing crime and raising public confidence in our police.

I bring a wealth of experience to the role, gained from working across different sectors.

I served as a Member of the European Parliament for our area, I worked at the heart of government in No.10 Downing Street, and I was a trade union officer for over twenty years.

Prior to being elected to the PCC role, I was co-chief executive of an equality and human rights national charity. These roles have given me a good understanding of how institutions work and effective strategies for getting things done.

Weston Mercury: “My commitment to you was to be visible and accountable to all residents of Avon and Somerset.”“My commitment to you was to be visible and accountable to all residents of Avon and Somerset.” (Image: Office of the PCC)

As your PCC, I will be tireless in speaking truth to power, calling out the uncomfortable, and above all, I will work to build a safer future for everyone.

To do this, I will be working with community partners, police staff and police officers to understand and address the challenges we face – I am eager to roll up my sleeves and get to work.

In my time running up to the elections, the people of Avon and Somerset made their most pressing priorities clear to me.

I heard that people want to see a greater connection to their local neighbourhood police and for their police service to address and reduce violent crime, particularly knife crime and male violence against women and girls.

I also heard how people would like prevention of crime to be a higher priority – for the police service and for others who run services within and for communities.

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I am here to listen, and I am here to represent you. To do this, I need to truly understand how you feel and where you would like our police to prioritise their time and resources.

As I begin my term as your PCC, I will be getting out and about to hear from as many groups and individuals as I can across Avon and Somerset.

I’m also going to create a comprehensive Police and Crime Plan to address the evolving challenges in policing and to deliver lasting solutions.

I’m committed to actively listening to the concerns and priorities of residents – one way I will do this will be to run a public survey. The details for how you can take part will follow soon.

Please follow my office on our social media accounts for regular updates – you can find us on Instagram, X, Facebook and LinkedIn – search ASPCC.

I commit to being a Police and Crime Commissioner that stands for you, actively engaging with and understanding the diverse communities our police serve.

Please reach out to me and my office with any concerns or suggestions you may have.

www.avonandsomerset-pcc.gov.uk