16/11/12…..Record low turnout brings first Police Commissioner

ANTHONY Stansfeld, a Conservative Party candidate, has been elected as the Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner, despite securing the vote of less than 5% of the electorate.

Mr Stansfield’s victory came after second preference votes had to be counted because he failed to secure the required 50% of votes. His nearest rival was Labour?s Tim Starkey.

Less than 13% of electors in the South Oxfordshire area, which includes Thame, voted. Mr Stansfield is reported to have blamed the time of year, the dark mornings and evenings, and the fact that there were ‘things’ on the TV, for the poor turn-out.

Thames Valley PCC election statistics:

Anthony Stansfeld (C) 76,011 (34.70%)

Tim Starkey (Lab) 56,631 (25.85%)

Geoff Howard (Ind) 31,716 (14.48%)

John Howson (LD) 20,511 (9.36%)

Barry Cooper (Ukip) 19,324 (8.82%)

Patience Tayo Awe (Ind) 14,878 (6.79%)

Eliminated: Patience Tayo Awe, Barry Cooper, Geoff Howard, John Howson

(Second Count)

Distribution of Awe’s, Cooper’s, Howard’s and Howson’s votes

Anthony Stansfeld (C) 94,238

Tim Starkey (Lab) 70,403

Elected: Anthony Stansfeld

Electorate 1,700,994; Turnout 219,071 (12.88%)

The national election cost