Lancashire PCC to focus on being tough on crime

Andrew Snowden said he would reopen a police station front counter in every borough

Lancashire's first Conservative police and crime commissioner has said he will begin his tenure by "ripping up" the plans of his Labour predecessor.

Andrew Snowdon beat Clive Grunshaw, who has held the post since 2012 when the role was created, in the recent poll.

He said there would be "a new set of priorities", which would be "absolutely focused on being tough on crime".

He added that he also planned to reopen at least one police station front counter in every borough in the county.

Mr Snowdon said areas such as the Ribble Valley had no access to a front police desk, which he did not think was "good enough".

He said during his campaign, the biggest message he had received "on the doorsteps" was about the "blight caused by anti-social behaviour".

He said he would carry through on his campaign pledge to have more "bobbies on the beat" and would work locally and nationally to help people with mental health problems.

"We are finding that when the police are called to deal with a person suffering mental health issues, it can tie the officer up for the rest of the shift when they could be catching criminals," he added.