The election happening today in Wales, why it matters and the major change if you want to vote
In the last three years, people have been very angry with some of Wales' police and crime commissioners. The man charged with overseeing Gwent Police, Jeff Cuthbert, provoked anger and disillusionment with his response to the homophobic, racist, misgynist messages found shared between officers.
In the neighbouring force, South Wales Police, commissioner Alun Michael repeatedly took to the airwaves to defend officers in the wake of incidents that would later prove to raise serious questions. After the Mayhill riots in Swansea, a damning report would later find that the force had left the community unprotected by refusing requests to deploy, however Mr Michael had insisted at the time that he was happy with the response. After the riots in Ely, Cardiff, Mr Michael was forced to defend his comments denying there had been a police chase.
Today, voters will go to the polls able to choose who they want to be responsible for ensuring that their forces are accountable to the public. These four police and crime commissioners will not get to decide operational policing priorities. However their job will be to ensure that the voice of the public is heard at the top of the police force and that top officers have to answer to an elected official. They are paid upwards of £73,300 and serve a four-year term.
There is one big change at this year's election. Anyone wanting to vote will have to take photographic ID to their polling station.
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We've put questions to all the police and crime commissioner candidates in each area. Click on the link to find the potted biographies and answers of all the candidates for
South Wales Police North Wales Police
Gwent Police Dyfed Powys Police
These four forces are 39 police areas across England and Wales with a PCC. Each area has one commissioner.. In Wales, there will be at least two new faces as neither Mr Michael nor Mr Cuthbert are standing again.
PCCs have four roles:
Set the police budget and make sure it’s spent effectively
Appoint the chief constables of the local police forces
Engage with the public and victims of crime to help set police and crime plans and organise projects within the community
Work closely with the local council and other community organisations on these plans and projects
People attending to vote, need to take ID for the first time in a Welsh election as the law changed for elections from 2023, which means that for UK general elections and PCC elections you need to take ID with you to be able to vote. Voters will receive one ballot paper and you vote by marking a cross next to your choice. In this election, the candidate with the largest share of the votes wins.
You can find out where your local polling station and who are the candidates in your area is by entering your postcode into this search.