WELSH Labour’s Jeff Cuthbert has been elected as the new Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for Gwent and has vowed to ensure that the principles of social justice and fairness become the cornerstone of policing practice in the region.?

After the poll went to a second round of votes, Mr Cuthbert secured a total of 96,030 votes overall, over 36,000 more than his closest rival. In only the second ever PCC election, voter turnout in Gwent increased to 42 per cent compared to 12.97 per cent overall in the first PCC elections in 2012. Louise Brown who was running as a candidate for the Welsh Conservatives came second with 59,931 votes and Plaid Cymru’s Darren Jones was in third place with 37,916 votes.  ?Former Welsh Government Minister, Jeff Cuthbert, is standing down as the Assembly Member for Caerphilly, a position he has held since 2003. His term of office as Commissioner will last four years and he will be responsible for representing the people of Gwent and making sure the service provided by the police is efficient and effective. ?Addressing supporters and opponents at the Wales National Velodrome in Newport, where the official count was held, Mr Cuthbert said: “I would like to thank the other candidates for the contest which was conducted in a spirit of friendship and a concentration on the broader issues around policing. I would also like to thank the incumbent Ian Johnston for the firm foundations he has laid for the role of Police and Crime Commissioner in Gwent. ?“What I hope to achieve over the next four years is to reverse the position which was found by an opinion poll only a few months ago whereby only one person in ten in the whole of Wales knew that PCCs even existed. That is something in a democracy we cannot have. I am determined to reverse that position over the next four years and ensure that people understand the real value of this post.”      ?Outgoing PCC Ian Johnston, who served as an independent candidate before deciding not to stand for re-election, congratulated his successor: “It has been a huge privilege and an honour to serve the people of Gwent as Commissioner,” said Mr Johnston.?“The decision not to stand for a second term was a difficult one for me to make but I am confident that I am leaving behind a Force which is in very good shape in the capable hands of Chief Constable Farrar. This is reflected in how the Force has been continually praised by inspectors for the improvements it has made over the last two years. I would like to wish Jeff Cuthbert all the best for the next four years.”