Live debate in battle for policing role (From Basingstoke Gazette)

Live debate in battle for policing role

12:00am Wednesday 24th October 2012 in Andover

THE elections for Hampshire’s first police and crime commissioner have stepped up a gear with a live debate.

There are now six candidates in the running for the 15 November elections, which will see the county’s first voted-in representative who will help decide on important policing matters.

And next month the candidates will take part in a live debate at the University of Winchester, chaired by BBC South political correspondent Alex Forsyth and organised by journalism students.

The candidates include the Conservatives’ Michael Mates, Labour’s Jacqui Rayment, the Liberal Democrats’ David Goodall, independent candidate Simon Hayes, the Justice and Anti- Corruption Party’s Don Jerrard and the UK Independence Party’s Stephen West.

In the weeks running up to the elections, they have all been expressing their stances on key issues such as CCTV, graffiti and drug-dealing.