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Residents on the Isle of Wight are being urged to have their say on who oversees policing in Hampshire and the Island.
The two counties go to the polls to vote for our Police and Crime Commissioner on 15 November.
Dave Stewart is Chair of the Police and Crime Panel for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. He told IW Radio: "This person will have a significant amount of influence. They will be setting the policing plan for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. They will be deciding what should be the budget to match that, that budget will then come through to the panel that I chair, and we will have to consider that budget and what that might effect on the precept, for example, and also that the policing plan is meeting the needs of the community so we can make recommendations on that as well."
And, in the face of concerns about low turnout across the UK, Mr Stewart is urging Islanders to go to the polls: "There are mixed views around as to what this is all about and whether it's better or worse than what it will replace. But there won't be a Police Authority anymore. So the voters need to remember that this is their chance to actually have their say about who should be overseeing policing and crime in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight."
Nominations for candidates have now closed and, subject to final confirmation, those who have put themselves forward are:
David Goodall - Liberal Democrat
Simon Hayes - Independent
Don Jerrard - Justice and Anti-Corruption Party
Michael Mates - Conservative
Jacqui Rayment - Labour
Stephen West - UKIP
You can find out more information about the election - and the final list of confirmed, nominated candidates from October 26 - from the official website by clicking here.
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