INDEPENDENT candidate Simon Hayes has been elected as Hampshire's first police and crime commissioner.

After the first count, Mr Hayes, 53, and veteran Michael Mates, 78, who described the election as the "dirtiest and nastiest" he had ever fought, were the leading candidates and their four rivals were eliminated.

At the second-preference count which, under supplementary-voting rules, had to be used because none of the candidates got more than 50 per cent of the votes, more people elected for Mr Hayes.

In his new role, which replaces county police authorities and comes with an £85,000 salary, Mr Hayes will not only be responsible for holding the chief constable to account on behalf of the public, and for producing a police and crime plan setting out policing priorities, but he will hold the purse strings.

For full story, see this week's Bordon Herald.