IT is now just over 60 days until the people of Cumbria go to the polls to choose their next Police and Crime Commissioner.

I have every confidence that when the new PCC is elected on May 5 the public will select the person they think is qualified and experienced to do the job and to keep our county safe.

With 34 years-service as an army officer, having commanded large units of both military and civilian personnel I believe I am the right man for this job.

I’ve been personally accountable for multi-million pound public budgets and have worked in the Ministry of Defence, so I do understand how government works.

I’ve served around the world on operations as diverse as peacekeeping in Bosnia, to Foot and Mouth here in Cumbria and most recently commanding the military response to ebola in eight counties of Sierra Leone.

Most of all though, I am an ordinary bloke from Cumbria with great experience of listening and talking to people and can work with all sorts of folk from every background and nationality.

I do believe that for our county to flourish and our young people to grow up with strong values and standards we must maintain good law and order, to keep our county and our people safe from crime. I understand the need for security and I understand the ethos of uniformed public service, I’ve spent more than three decades at it and I will work to ensure we keep our county safe and that in Cumbria crime will not pay.

I also fundamentally believe that our public services must be directly accountable to the people who pay for them – and I will be happy for the public to poke me in the chest if I get it wrong.

I am the only candidate in the election race with actual hands on experience of running large public organisations with reducing budgets. I have recently had to manage the downsizing of my own Corps by more than 7,000 people and still deliver capability.

The same challenges are facing our police force right now, and I have the leadership, energy, and experience to manage them. And I care about getting it right!

The key to a successful term as PCC is effective communication and working collaboratively with local authorities, councils and other local organisations including schools and the education sector.

I am absolutely committed to take on this role and to engaging with the public to encourage local involvement in setting the Police and Crime Plan, controlling costs and reducing administration to support front line policing. I have the experience, personality, communication and leadership skills to achieve this.

I grew up in Cumbria and know what an amazing place it is. If selected I would ensure people across the region are looked after by our excellent force here

The army officer’s motto is “serve to lead”. I believe in it and in integrity and duty, and if selected that would be my pledge to you and the people of Cumbria.

  • Peter McCall is the Conservative candidate for Police and Crime Commissioner