Sir,

May I say I am one of the non-voters last Thursday for the Police and Crime Commissioners posts, and not because I didn't understand what it was about or that the weather was bad or any other excuses that were given for the poor turnout on Friday morning.

Firstly, was it correct for the office of a political party to receive my application for a postal vote? Shouldn't it have been for the local authority running the election?

Now I don't blame any party for trying to get my vote, but I thought that, in selecting a person to be a commissioner, we were voting for an independent person who would do his/her best to use their knowledge to reduce crime in our area. However, it seemed that we were being asked to vote for a politician attached to a party. What has this got to do with crime prevention? And how are the elected men/women going to control the crime and anti-social behaviour - are they patrolling the streets themselves, now they have cut the police force?

The next thing, I learnt the PCC elected are being paid over £100,000 to commission police services? Plus the over 70 million to run the election, plus in Wales it cost an extra £350,000 to reprint the ballot papers in Welsh to correct to a Home Office blunder - thought we were in a recession? (All these figures given on computer), but if any of your readers can convince me I was wrong not to vote, be free to do so.

The last and most important thing, they, the elected will be responsible for appointing and dismissing the Chief Constable, who has been trained and come up the ranks the hard way. Is this PCC just another job for the boys?

Hope the MOD aren't the next, God help us.

Gill Rees,

PS. Can we the tax payers have a referendum next term, please.