Newcastle City Councillor Peter Andras has been chosen by Liberal Democrat members in the Northumbria Police area to be the party’s candidate for Police and Crime Commissioner.
Councillor Andras is 41 years old and lives in Newcastle with his wife and young son and daughter. He has university degrees in computer science and related fields and works as a Reader at the School of Computing Science of the University of Newcastle.
Councillor Andras stood as a Parliamentary Candidate in the constituency of Washington and Sunderland West in the 2010 general elections. He represents North Jesmond ward on Newcastle City Council and has previously been a party executive committee member in Newcastle and also in Gateshead East.
Speaking after his selection as candidate was confirmed, Councillor Andras said:
“I am committed to improve the responsiveness of the police to local
preferences, to cut the bureaucratic burden of police operations.
Working closely with the police, Liberal Democrats in Newcastle and
Northumberland have demonstrated nationally-recognised excellence in
dealing with crime and promoting community safety. This ranges from
making Newcastle one of the safest city centres in the UK to the
operation of local safe neighbourhood teams which are a model for the
involvement of local politicians and other public agencies in
intelligence sharing and targeted local action. If elected, I will
promote the defence and extension of best practice such as this.
Northumbria Police covers a large rural area, several market towns,
and an extensive metropolitan area. It is important to provide
appropriate resources for each of these, considering their specific
needs and tailoring the provision of the policing service to meet
separate and legitimate local expectations.
I am strongly committed to liberal democrat values. I consider of primary importance the defence of civil liberties and freedom rights.
My party has been concerned from the outset that Police and Crime Commissioners risk being seen as a politicisation of the police. This must not happen, and the operational independence of Chief Constables must be preserved.
However, I believe that the improvement of democratic control and transparency of the police force is a key priority. This is the great challenge and opportunity for the new Police and Crime Commissioners.
We should not let our very natural sympathy and support for the police in their battle against crime and anti-social behaviour blind us to the need for greater transparency and accountability.
I think that the local police should focus more on the prevention and elimination of petty crime and anti-social behaviour, which undermine the sense of local communities.
It is important that the actions of the police make victims of crime feel that the law and police are on their side and can effectively protect them, while also making possible the clear and appropriate punishment of those who commit crime. In an era of spending cuts, from which the police cannot be immune, I want to see the fullest possible protection of frontline services.”
