Sir Clive Loader chosen as Conservative candidate for police commissioner in Leicestershire

Congratulations to former air chief marshal Sir Clive Loader on being chosen as the Conservative candidate for Police and Crime Commissioner in Leicestershire.

On his website, Sir Clive pointed to this experience as highly relelvant:

Experience of running a major budget: As Commander-in-Chief, I had direct experience of running (and being personally and legally accountable for) a very high-level budget of a little over £2.62 Billion.  In so doing I argued strongly for the funds needed to able to carry out my allocated tasks whilst looking after my personnel. However, in the face of ever-decreasing public finances, I was faced with making some extremely difficult decisions in order to stay within budget.  Given the known future pressures on the policing budget, I will do all that I can to achieve the appropriate funding for our tasks.  But, when the budget allocation is settled, I will take whatever actions are necessary to live within allocated funds.

He adds:

I have been faced with the need for deep organizational change during my RAF career, not least in my last appointment when I brought together 2 separate HQs (separately totaling some 3300 personnel), melding them into a single HQ of 2300 personnel without any reduction in necessary outputs.

Congratulations also to Adrian Blackshaw,  Cabinet Member for Highways on Herefordshire Council, who has been chosen as the Conservative candidate for the Police and Crime Commissioner for West Mercia. Also to Fraser Pithie, with the excellent qualification of having served as a Special Constable as well as a County councillor and Senior Operations Manager for Sever Trent Water. He has been selected as the Conservative candidate in Warwickshire.

The Top of the Cops website is required reading for those wanting full details on all the emerging contests.