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Kent's new crime commissioner is Conservative Matthew Scott

Kent's new police and crime commissioner has vowed not to take his full salary.

The Tory candidate beat close competition from Ukip's Henry Bolton to take the £85,000-a-year role on Friday.

But he has said he will not take all his pay - instead opting for a lower £75,000 salary.

Matthew Scott, Kent's police and crime commissioner
Matthew Scott, Kent's police and crime commissioner

Mr Scott, from Swanley, said he was delighted and honoured to have been elected and vowed that he would make more visible policing a priority.

"My priorities are to increase police presence in the street to make sure people are able they are able to report crime quicker and and feel safer.

"I also want to make sure people see their crime commissioner, so I will be setting up a programme of street stalls and surgeries so I am available to the public."

On the financial pressures facing the force, he rejected the suggestion that it would be more difficult to increase the number of police in towns and villages.

"We do have an element of protection with the police budgets and they are not going to be cut in the same way as before.

"But we need to do more with what we have got, we need to make sure we use resources effectively. That includes increasing the use of technology so that we can cut the amount of time police spend at their desks when they could be out on the streets."

He also vowed to tackle the issue of police having to deal with mentally ill people.

"A quarter of police time is spent on mental health. We need to free them up so they [officers] can get out on to the streets."

He said he would oppose privatisation of elements of the force as had his predecessor Ann Barnes.


Paul's blog: The five things the result of the crime commissioner election has told us


On Friday, several hours into the count, it became apparent the race to become the next commissioner was a two-horse fight.

Scroll down for results from each area

The first round of counting revealed Ukip had achieved 73,299 votes, and Tories got 88,398 - both comfortably ahead of the other four candidates.

Mr Scott won Dover, Ashford, Canterbury, Maidstone, Dartford, Gravesham, Sevenoaks, Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge and Malling with Mr Bolton winning in the Medway, Swale, Thanet and Shepway districts.

Because there was no clear winner on the first round of votes, the ballot moved to a second round with second preference votes for the top two candidates allocated to determine the outcome.

Mr Scott was then announced the overall winner.

Henry Bolton, Ukip candidate Kent crime commissioner election candidate 2016
Henry Bolton, Ukip candidate Kent crime commissioner election candidate 2016

The voter turnout for Kent was 21.5% compared to 16.3% in the last PCC election in 2012.

The highest turnout was in Maidstone - where local elections were also taking place - with 32.1%. It was lowest in Thanet, with 17.6%.

The final tally of votes for each candidate was as follows:

Matthew Scott (Con): 104,558

Henry Bolton (UKIP): 87,978

Tris Osborne (Lab): 50,978

David Naghi (Lib Dem): 19,601

Gurvinder Sandher: (Ind): 26,221

Steve Uncles (English Democrats): 8,311

Mr Scott takes over from Ann Barnes, who decided not to stand for re-election.

He is now in charge of the force budget and are required to set the police council tax and have the power to appoint and dismiss the Chief Constable.

As commissioner, he must secure an effective and essential police force, hold the Chief Constable to account and set out an annual police plan.

Day-to-day operational responsibilities for policing rest with the Chief Constable.

First round results

Ashford
Henry Bolton (Ukip) 5,113
David Naghi (Liberal Democrat) 978
Tristan Osborne (Labour) 2,890
Gurvinder Singh (Independent) 1,850
Matthew Scott (Conservative) 6,175
Steve Uncles (Eng Democrats) 620
Turnout 20.0%

Canterbury
Henry Bolton (Ukip) 5,059
David Naghi (Liberal Democrat) 1,644
Tristan Osborne (Labour) 4,421
Gurvinder Singh (Independent) 2,410
Matthew Scott (Conservative) 6,296
Steve Uncles (Eng Democrats) 626
Turnout 19.4%

Dartford
Henry Bolton (Ukip) 3,906
David Naghi (Liberal Democrat) 429
Tristan Osborne (Labour) 3,525
Gurvinder Singh (Independent) 1,391
Matthew Scott (Conservative) 4,077
Steve Uncles (Eng Democrats) 484
Turnout 18.9%

Dover
Henry Bolton (Ukip) 5,032
David Naghi (Liberal Democrat) 813
Tristan Osborne (Labour) 4,717
Gurvinder Singh (Independent) 1,414
Matthew Scott (Conservative) 5,773
Steve Uncles (Eng Democrats) 606
Turnout 22.2%

Gravesham
Henry Bolton (Ukip) 3,140
David Naghi (Liberal Democrat) 464
Tristan Osborne (Labour) 3,170
Gurvinder Singh (Independent) 2,765
Matthew Scott (Conservative) 3,788
Steve Uncles (Eng Democrats) 466
Turnout 19.0%

Maidstone
Henry Bolton (Ukip) 9,079
David Naghi (Liberal Democrat) 6,228
Tristan Osborne (Labour) 4,753
Gurvinder Singh (Independent) 2,955
Matthew Scott (Conservative) 11,309
Steve Uncles (Eng Democrats) 997
Turnout 32.1%

Medway
Henry Bolton (Ukip) 10,289
David Naghi (Liberal Democrat) 1,335
Tristan Osborne (Labour) 8,419
Gurvinder Singh (Independent) 3,203
Matthew Scott (Conservative) 9,968
Steve Uncles (Eng Democrats) 1,200
Turnout 18.3%

Sevenoaks
Henry Bolton (Ukip) 4,530
David Naghi (Liberal Democrat) 1,125
Tristan Osborne (Labour) 2,468
Gurvinder Singh (Independent) 1,463
Matthew Scott (Conservative) 7,067
Steve Uncles (Eng Democrats) 407
Turnout 20.1%

Shepway
Henry Bolton (Ukip) 6,641
David Naghi (Liberal Democrat) 926
Tristan Osborne (Labour) 2,576
Gurvinder Singh (Independent) 1,696
Matthew Scott (Conservative) 5,038
Steve Uncles (Eng Democrats) 619
Turnout 22.5%

Swale
Henry Bolton (Ukip) 6,194
David Naghi (Liberal Democrat) 838
Tristan Osborne (Labour) 3,672
Gurvinder Singh (Independent) 1,486
Matthew Scott (Conservative) 5,172
Steve Uncles (Eng Democrats) 624
Turnout 18.3%

Thanet
Henry Bolton (Ukip) 5,555
David Naghi (Liberal Democrat) 750
Tristan Osborne (Labour) 3,641
Gurvinder Singh (Independent) 1,341
Matthew Scott (Conservative) 4,950
Steve Uncles (Eng Democrats) 617
Turnout 17.6%

Tonbridge and Malling
Henry Bolton (Ukip) 4,239
David Naghi (Liberal Democrat) 1,234
Tristan Osborne (Labour) 2,817
Gurvinder Singh (Independent) 1,803
Matthew Scott (Conservative) 8,214
Steve Uncles (Eng Democrats) 449
Turnout 20.9%

Tunbridge Wells
Henry Bolton (Ukip) 4,522
David Naghi (Liberal Democrat) 2,837
Tristan Osborne (Labour) 3,909
Gurvinder Singh (Independent) 2,444

Matthew Scott (Conservative) 10,569
Steve Uncles (Eng Democrats) 596
Turnout 32.2%

Second preference results

Ashford
Henry Bolton 980
Matthew Scott 1,023

Dartford
Henry Bolton 831
Matthew Scott 993

Dover
Henry Bolton 1,271
Matthew Scott 919

Gravesham
Henry Bolton 828
Matthew Scott 1,016

Shepway
Henry Bolton 986
Matthew Scott 834

Tonbridge and Malling
Henry Bolton 836
Matthew Scott 1,051

Thanet
Henry Bolton 1,003
Matthew Scott 816

Sevenoaks
Swale
Canterbury
Bolton 993
Scott 1,110

Bolton 673
Scott 875

Bolton 1,165
Scott 972

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