Police and Crime Commissioner Elections

Surrey Police and Crime Commissioner election, 6 May 2021

On 6 May 2021, residents in the borough and across Surrey voted for the Police and Crime Commissioner for the Surrey police force area.

Results

Lisa Townsend, Conservative Party Candidate, has been elected as the Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey.

Runnymede Borough Council co-ordinated the election on behalf of the Surrey Police Area Returning Officer (PARO).

• Full results of all candidates can be accessed here PCC election results (Runnymede Borough Council website).

• Certificate of Count Totals for Reigate & Banstead area can be seen here. No single candidate achieved more than 50 per cent of the vote in the first count round so highest scoring candidates at the first round, Lisa Townsend and Paul Kennedy progressed to the second round count. Other candidates were eliminated (see Voting System details further down this page).

The overall turn out for Surrey was 38.81%

Police and Crime Commissioners are elected every four years.

Under the Coronavirus Act 2020, the election of the Police and Crime Commissioner for the Surrey Police Area that would have taken place on 7 May 2020 was postponed until 6 May 2021.

Surrey Police and Crime Commissioner

The Police and Crime Commissioner is responsible for setting the strategic objectives for policing in Surrey.

This includes setting and updating a police and crime plan, setting the force budget and precept, and appointing, and where necessary dismissing, the Chief Constable. The Police and Crime Panel will play a key role in scrutinising decisions made by the Commissioner in connection to these responsibilities.

These arrangements are designed to increase transparency of the delivery of policing services and to give the public the ability to ensure their police are accountable. As such the Chief Constable of Surrey Police is accountable to the Commissioner, and the Commissioner is accountable to the electorate.

To find out more about the role of the Police and Crime Commissioner, please visit the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner website.

For more detail about the roles and responsibilities of a PCC please visit the Home Office website.

You can find further information on the Police and Crime Commissioner candidates standing for election in the Surrey Police Area on the Choose My PCC website after 9 April 2021.

The Voting System

The PCC elections will be using Supplementary Vote (SV) system. Under SV, there are two columns on the ballot paper - one for voters to mark their first choice and one in which to mark a second choice. Voters mark 'X' in each column, although voters are not required to make a second choice if they do not wish to.

After the first choice votes are counted, and if one Candidate has a majority, that is over 50% of the votes cast, that Candidate is elected. If no Candidate receives a majority, the top two Candidates continue to a second round and all other Candidates are eliminated. The second-choice votes of everyone whose first choice has been eliminated are then counted.

Any votes for the remaining Candidates are then added to their first-round totals. Whichever Candidate has the most votes after these second-preferences have been allocated is declared the winner.

Surrey Police and Crime Panel

The role of the Surrey Police and Crime Panel is to examine the actions and decisions of Surrey's Police and Crime Commissioner and to make sure information is available for the public so that they can hold their Commissioner to account.

The Panel is a joint committee hosted by Surrey County Council, and consists of one elected councillor from each of Surrey's twelve local authorities and two co-opted independent members.