Police commissioner’s election expenses revealed (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Gloucestershire Police and Crime Commissioner Martin Surl’s election expenses revealed

12:04pm Tuesday 29th January 2013 in News By Ian Craig

GLOUCESTERSHIRE’S new Police and Crime Commissioner Martin Surl spent less than £7,400 on his election campaign, it has been revealed.

Independent candidate Mr Surl, who was elected to the post in November, financed his campaign entirely out of his own pocket and has revealed it cost him £7,350.34 – well below the £86,344 he could have spent under election rules.

The figures were released this week and showed his biggest single expense was advertising at £2,563.48, followed by the printing of manifestos at £1,958.04.

Mr Surl said he had publicly released the figures in the interest of transparency.

“I made a pledge from the outset that I would not accept any donations from any businesses or other outside bodies and the figures I have submitted to the returning officer show that I kept my word,” he said.

“It would have been nice to have been able to leaflet every house so that more people felt involved in the election but I could not afford that, neither I suspect could any of the other independent candidates.”