Ben Adams re-elected as Staffordshire Commissioner

Conservative candidate Ben Adams has been re-elected as the Staffordshire Commissioner for Police, Fire & Rescue and Crime, after beating Labour candidate Alastair Watson and the Liberal Democrat candidate Alec Sandiford.

The result has just been announced at the count in Burton-on-Trent, with Mr Adams receiving 73,500 votes, with an overall turnout of 19.23%.

Mr Adams became Staffordshire Commissioner in 2021, having previously served as a district councillor in Lichfield, county councillor in Tamworth as well as standing as a parliamentary candidate in Stoke-on-Trent.

He said: “I am delighted that residents have backed me again to do what I can to support Staffordshire Police and Staffordshire Fire & Rescue as they continue on their journey to becoming excellent services.

“I have a terrific working relationship with all the officers, fire-fighters, staff and volunteers in the two organisations. I hope they will continue to be as open and frank with me as they have so far. My commissioning team is lean, professional and very effective, allowing us to support thousands of victims and to work with local councils and criminal justice agencies to prevent and reduce crime and anti-social behaviour. Addressing many of residents’ primary concerns requires a strong partnership between Police, Fire & Rescue and these community safety partners. I intend to strengthen these relationships and deal with more issues quickly, before they become serious and require a response from the emergency services.

“There has been considerable uncertainty and global instability since Covid. We have seen our health services, particularly ambulance, stretched and increases in vehicle rural and retail crime which have left communities feeling vulnerable. I will continue to back Staffordshire Fire & Rescue as they support the NHS, doing whatever we all can to protect the vulnerable. I will also be helping Staffordshire Police to get closer to the communities they serve, to engage even more closely and to keep them better informed about the work they are doing to keep them safe.

“It is a unique privilege to be an elected Police, Fire & Crime Commissioner. The role is constantly challenging, always hard work, sometimes upsetting but very rewarding. I thank the residents of Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire for putting their trust in me again. I won’t let them down.”

Mr Adams will officially resume the role next week and sign an oath to both services on 10 May.

The role of the Staffordshire Commissioner is to be the voice of the people and hold our police and fire and rescue services to account. They are responsible for commissioning effective support services for victims of crime and working with councils, health services, criminal justice and other authorities to help prevent crime, fires and accidents.

Of the Police and Crime Commissioners across England and Wales, only five, including the Staffordshire Commissioner, are also Fire Commissioners.

Key functions and responsibilities include:

• Engaging with the public and victims of crime to help set the Policing priorities for the area and consulting on the local Police & Crime Plan
• Setting the Fire and Rescue objectives for their area through a local Fire & Rescue Plan
• Ensuring the Police and Fire & Rescue service budgets are spent where it matters most
• Appointing the Chief Constable and Chief Fire Officer, holding them to account for delivery of their objectives and if necessary, dismissing them

The Chief Constable and Chief Fire Officer are responsible for the day-to-day operations, but are accountable to the public via the Commissioner.