Here we look at the candidates running in Suffolk

Jane Basham, a former chief executive of Ipswich and Suffolk Council for Racial Equality, has been selected as the Labour candidate for police commissioner. In her election statement she said: 'The election on November 15 is important. Police and crime commissioners will say how the police service is structured and how the money is spent. Suffolk needs a commissioner with the experience and insight to do the job.

'I have senior management experience with Suffolk Police. I led a civil rights charity and worked with vulnerable victims of crime as well as with offenders and ex-offenders. I have experience of working with others, of holding services to account and of business and commissioning.

'I will:

Stand up for the people of Suffolk against the 20pc cuts;

Keep the police a public service – no more privatisation;

Put victims at the heart of policing and criminal justice;

Prioritise action on: violence against women and girls; domestic violence; hate crime; unfair stop and search; road safety and crimes against those vulnerable in society – children, young and older people and those with disabilities;

Ensure victims of anti-social behaviour receive a swift response within 24 hours and that sanctions are appropriate;

Develop the role of volunteers in community safety from Special Constables to Neighbourhood Watch;

Be accessible across the county from the largest town to the smallest rural hamlet;

Be accountable – helping all communities develop an effective voice;

Build dynamic partnerships and use victim centred restorative justice opportunities to divert offenders away from crime to make Suffolk safer.'

TIM PASSMORE (Conservative)

Mr Passmore, a farming and tourism consultant and leader of Mid Suffolk Council, is the Conservative candidate for the commissioner post.

His election statement says he and his wife of 26 years, Heather, live in North Suffolk with their three boys. Born in Felixstowe, Tim moved to the village of Witnesham, near Ipswich. Suffolk is a county Tim knows well and loves.

Educated at Ipswich School, Tim went on to study agriculture at Wye College, University of London, where he majored in management, marketing and economics. He recently gained an MBA from the Open University specialising in marketing, international enterprise, strategy and financial strategy.

Tim is a self-employed agricultural and rural business consultant.

During his career Tim has been an intensive livestock producer, and has advised on pig production and genetic breeding programmes across four continents.

One of Tim's most satisfying projects involved securing a significant Defra grant of �500,000 to re-establish hop production in Suffolk following a gap of more than 100 years.

Tim has extensive experience in Suffolk's tourist economy, currently worth over �1.7bn per year. He is particularly passionate about Suffolk's food and drink sector and its considerable potential for expansion.

Tim referees rugby union at adult and junior levels, officiating at clubs across East Anglia and south east England. He also ran the 1st Eye Scout Group for 25 years. Tim is an accomplished amateur musician playing the bassoon for various orchestras and ensembles in Suffolk and Norfolk. Other hobbies include tutored tasting sessions of real ale and single malt Scotch whisky and growing English scented roses.

Tim has been leader of Mid Suffolk Council for eight years and chairs the influential Suffolk Public Sector Leaders group. He has considerable experience of handling large budgets and developing partnerships across the public, private and voluntary sector.

DAVID COCKS

(Independent)

Mr Cocks, the former chief executive of the SGR radio group, Doctors on Call and Take Care Now, is standing as an independent candidate. In his election statement he said: 'This election will see major change in how policing in Suffolk is directed and planned. Policing has a significant impact on all sections of our community, young and old alike.

'I believe that :

The people of Suffolk should have an independent commissioner who will not be 'handcuffed' to any political party;

It is crucial we all use our vote;

Having lived and worked here for the majority of my life, I understand Suffolk well. I have worked as chief executive of both broadcasting and health companies for more than 20 years, with corporate responsibility for good governance and the delivery of services scrutinised by independent monitors. As chairman of a Suffolk mental health charity, governor of a major high school and a grant board member of Help an East Coast Child in Lowestoft, I have widened my understanding of the needs of the county.

'I am committed to :

Constantly listening to the needs of individuals, groups and organisations and ensuring their priorities are reflected in the police plan, building on the work of the Suffolk Police Authority;

Ensuring that there is no hiding place in Suffolk for criminals by prioritising the number of frontline police officers;

Ensuring strong partnership working produces measurable positive outcomes across the wider criminal justice system;

An improved service for victims of crime;

Being a catalyst for innovation and reform.

'I will not make promises that I cannot implement. I will not shrink from making difficult decisions. I will make decisions for the people of Suffolk, free from political influence and pressure.'

BILL MOUNTFORD

(UKIP)

Suffolk County councillor Bill Mountford, who has worked in the hydrographic survey industry for 20 years, has been selected as the United Kingdom Independence Party candidate. In his election statement, he said: 'This is your opportunity to make a real difference by voting for a change to the way policing works in Suffolk. Cut backs to frontline policing are a false economy with large long-term costs. I am a Suffolk county councillor, but definitely not a professional politician.

'I have served my time in the real world, working for 20 years in the hydrographic survey industry, in the North Sea, and worldwide. For the last eight years I have run my own small business as a driving instructor.

'In 2009 I was a political novice, new to local government. Like many people in Suffolk I was disillusioned with the three main political parties all of whom seem to promise everything but deliver nothing. Conservative controlled Suffolk County Council decided to abolish the 'lollipop' school crossing patrols. Working closely with the crossing patrol officers, I ensured that this service was saved across the whole of Suffolk.

'The UK Independence Party is different from other parties in many ways but particularly in that it does not operate a whip system.

'This leaves me answerable only to the people of Suffolk. Our police service must never be politicised. Accountable yes. Political never.

'I believe in old fashioned high profile policing, with more bobbies on the beat.

'The people of Suffolk expect and deserve police support when they need it.

'I believe that the law applies to all, and everyone should be treated fairly and equally, without prejudice and without favour.

'I want a Suffolk of safe streets where residents, especially the elderly feel safe in their homes.

'Through increased public involvement I will deliver an efficient and effective police service.'