GLOUCESTERSHIRE Liberal Democrats will not be standing a candidate in the upcoming Police and Crime Commissioner Elections to be held on May 5.

A party spokesman said: “Gloucestershire Liberal Democrats are in favour of the accountability of the police to the public, but believe the role should not be overtly party political and have decided at this time not to stand a candidate in this May’s Police and Crime Commissioner Elections.

“We have not been convinced that the expense of PCCs and the concentration of power in the hands of one person is the right way forward and we note the Stevens Commission has also said that the elected PCC model is ‘systemically flawed as a method of democratic governance.’"

Visit gloucestershire-pcc.gov.uk/election-2016 for more information.