AM I GOING TO PROTECT THE POLICE FRONT LINE?

The Gloucestershire Constabulary is funded in two ways - from the tax you pay to the Government and from your council tax.

If the Government makes further cuts to the police budget in Gloucestershire, I have no plans to raise local taxes to plug that gap and would only do so as a very last resort.

Yes but let’s be clear what the front line is. Our patrol cars and patrolling officers are the tip of the policing iceberg. Behind them is an organisation working for a safer Gloucestershire.

My experience tells me the political hype about police visibility is just that. My focus will be on accessibility, not just visibility, so you get the service you need when you need it.

No, there is no need. My position is based on a thorough examination of the budget, but that’s only half the story. The right place for city or town police stations is in the heart of the city or town. I am firmly opposed to moving them further out and I was the first candidate to highlight this issue.

I have pledged to retain Coleford Police station and explore developing it to make it into a ‘hub’ of services for the Forest of Dean. The proposal to replace Barton Street Police station with a police point to me is out of the question. I will review the estates strategy to make sure the needs of our smaller towns and rural communities are not overlooked.