Until recently, the race for PCC in Leicestershire was limited to two people, but as of yesterday the race has heated up with the Leicester Mercury naming 6 more candidates for the post.

The rush of new candidates includes a number of Leicestershire County Councillors, so that now 2 members of the Council’s Cabinet, and a total of 3 members of the controlling Conservative group are apparently in the race. Not a good time then for tomorrow’s Council budget to include (at S82) a review of the contribution the Council makes to the cost of Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs). As the BBC explains this would reduce the number of PCSOs in Leicestershire by 20, or 1 in 6 of the force’s total PCSO complement. What will those potential candidates do?

The new line-up is :-

Labour
Leicester City Councillors Sundip Meghani and Wayne Naylor.

County Councillor Jewel Miah, leader of Charnwood Borough Council’s Labour group.

Conservative
County Councillors Nick Rushton, Joe Orson and Rosita Page

Recently retired Air Chief Marshall Sir Clive Loader, a parish councillor in Wing, Rutland, is also seeking the Conservative party nomination.

Independent
Businessman Rick Moore

The Leicester Mercury adds that “Labour candidates will be interviewed by the party’s East Midlands hierarchy and the winner will be decided by a ballot of party members, possibly by the end of May.” and that “Conservative HQ in London will quiz those members who wish to run and the winner is expected to be chosen at a meeting open to all local party members.”