Ipswich Borough and Suffolk PCC elections: Polls close

Ipswich Borough Council had 16 seats up for election

Polls have closed in elections for new borough councillors and Suffolk's police and crime commissioner (PCC).

The elections will decide who sits on Ipswich Borough Council - which has 16 seats on the ballot - and who will become the PCC.

Polling stations opened at 07:00 BST and closed at 22:00, with the results expected to be declared in the early hours of Friday.

Constituents needed photo ID to vote.

The resignation of a councillor from Mid Suffolk District Council's Stowmarket ward of Chilton also triggered a by-election.

For the Suffolk PCC role, there are four candidates standing: current commissioner Tim Passmore (Conservative), James Sandbach (Liberal Democrat), Rachel Smith-Lyte (Greens) and Sir Robin Wales (Labour).

The winner of the new four-year term will be announced on Friday in Bury St Edmunds.

PCCs are elected officials whose job is to help ensure police forces function effectively, but not to run those forces themselves.

They hold police forces to account and scrutinise their performances on behalf of the public.

Chief constables are appointed by them and they can dismiss them, if required.

It is also their job to set the annual budget for their force and decide the level of the slice of council tax dedicated to police funding, known as the police precept.

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