Police and crime commissioner elections: Gwent

Jeff Cuthbert

Jeff Cuthbert is a former deputy assembly minister and Labour AM for Caerphilly

Labour's Jeff Cuthbert has been elected Gwent police and crime commissioner.

Turnout: 165,794 valid votes (38.3%)

Second preference votes are only used if no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote. The top two candidates then receive the second preference votes from their eliminated opponents.

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Force profile

Gwent Police covers the local authority areas of Newport, Torfaen, Blaenau Gwent, Monmouthshire and Caerphilly councils.

It stretches across 600 sq m and has a population of more than 576,700 people.

A busy section of the M4 runs through the force area in the south, all the way to the Second Severn Crossing.

The force currently employs 1,285 officers, 835 staff and 191 community support officers. The workforce is 10% smaller than it was in 2010, according to the force.

The current chief constable is Jeff Farrar, who was appointed after former-chief constable Carmel Napier resigned in 2013 in controversial circumstances.

How much does policing Gwent cost?

Gwent Police budget for 2016/17 £130.7m. Other than Welsh and UK government funding and £5.8m in income, some £47m is expected to come from the police precept on council tax.

In 2016/17 the council tax precept was set at £220.06 for a band D property.

That compares to £207.85 for South Wales, £200.07 in Dyfed-Powys and £240.12 in North Wales Police force areas.

The PCC was planning efficiency savings in 2016/17 of £4.3m,

Crime and performance

Recorded crime in Gwent rose by 4% between September 2014 and September 2015.

There was a total of 37,306 incidents, excluding fraud.

Incidents of violence against the person rose by 26% during that period, although all but one police force recorded a rise in that category of offences. Sexual offences rose by 24%, but incidents of burglary fell by 11% and criminal damage and arson by 1%.

In the last annual inspection of police forces by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC), inspectors found the force has made considerable progress in improving quality and standards and has a good approach to investigating crime and managing offenders.

HMIC said Gwent was good at preventing crime and anti-social behaviour and had a strong relationship with a wide range of partners.

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