Andy Canning, Mayor of Dorchester and local Councillor has been chosen as the Liberal Democrat candidate to become Dorset’s first Police and Crime Commissioner.

Experience

I was trained as an economist and later worked at a senior level for a large insurance company and two major banks. This has given me the experience of managing large budgets in the private sector. I will apply my financial background to make sure that the Police achieve value for money for Council Tax payers.

Young People

As a Local Councillor I have been involved in developing a policy of working with young people, listening to their views and then acting on them. In Dorchester over the last ten years we have renovated and improved every Play Area; supported a thriving Youth Club and operated zero tolerance towards graffiti and vandalism.

These policies have had a marked effect on reducing anti-social behaviour and crime.

Working together to combat crime

By getting the Police, local authorities and young people working together, listening to each other and respecting each other’s opinions, we’ve cut crime for the whole community and given our young people plenty of other things to do.

Yes we need to catch criminals and yes we need to punish them, but I believe it’s so much better if we can stop people form ever getting into crime in the first place.

Responding to Local Communities needs

Along with other public services Dorset Police face large cuts over the coming years. Already staffing levels have been cut by 250 and a further 300 jobs have to go over the next two years.

It is essential that where cuts have to be made that back office staff go first and the absolute best is done to preserve the number of front-line Police Officers.

What must come first is putting the needs of local communities first. There can be no one-size fits all type of policing in such a varied county and one of my major tasks will be to ensure that the service provided by Dorset Police reflects the needs and priorities of all our varied communities.