Elections for the Sussex police and crime commissioner take place in May and Liberal Democrats candidate Jamie Bennett, a councillor on Arun District Council, is the Lib Dems’ candidate for the election. Mr Bennett said, “I want to bring back community policing, get drugs off our streets by cutting County Lines and deliver a fairer deal for Sussex.
Cllr Jamie Bennett (centre left)
“Theresa May’s failed police and crime commissioner experiment has been a disaster for Sussex policing. We have seen the police force’s share of our council tax bills rocket, yet we have nothing to show for our money but rising crime, more drugs and fewer police on our streets.
“As a Lib Dem councillor in Arun, I have seen at first hand the impact of withdrawing community policing and increasing lawlessness on our streets. These have been exacerbated by Conservative cuts to youth services, mental health and road safety at West Sussex County Council.”
It is particularly important we have a change of commissioner when we have seen ongoing above inflation council tax increases to pay for the service culminating in this year’s 7.5% increase – local residents are being left to pick up the bill of the current commissioner’s excesses.