Impact for Greater Manchester - Michael Winstanley as PCC

Michael Winstanley, Conservative Police & Crime Commissioner Candidate, Greater Manchester

The role of Police and Crime Commissioner is a new and exciting role that can transform policing and crime. For the first time ever one person will be responsible for policing and crime. The people of Greater Manchester will know who that person is and they will be democratically accountable to the people.

As Police & Crime Commissioner my main aim will be to cut crime across Greater Manchester. I am sick and tired of the thugs and criminals who make the lives of innocent people a misery. That is why I want to crack down on anti social behaviour and so called low level crime. Having been a Councillor in Wigan I know how devastating this type of behaviour can be for communities and it needs to be taken seriously with tough action. That is why criminals must face up to their responsibilities to society. I believe in tough sentences and proper deterrents. I also want to see tougher community sentencing so that justice is also seen to be done.

At times the criminal justice system has put the needs of the criminal above those of the victim and that can’t be right. I want to see victims of crime in receiving a fair deal with their needs put first and the criminals needs last. That is why I have signed the commitments produced by Victim Support which aim to give 5 priorities to the victims of crimes and witnesses.

I will also protect frontline and community policing as best I can. This means that ensuring that as many resources are moved to the frontline by efficiency savings and removing pointless targets and burecracy. That is why when elected I will undertake an audit of red tape to make sure that as many obstacles are removed as possible. All the police officers I have spoken to want to spend their time catching criminals and deterring crime. I want to help them achieve that goal.

The people of Greater Manchester also need a greater say in policing priorities. A recent survey found that only 39% of residents felt that they could influence policing priorities. This is not good enough and I want to see this figure increase dramatically. I will be a high profile and accessible Police & Crime Commissioner speaking to residents and listening to their concerns not stuck in an ivory tower.

As Police & Crime Commissioner I will focus on achieving value for money. Earlier this month it was revealed that the current Police Authority is going to hold a slap up meal at the 5 star Lowry Hotel in Salford. This is to celebrate the end of the Police Authority at taxpayer’s expense. This is unacceptable and I will make sure that tax payer’s money is spent wisely.

I will be a strong local independent voice not a professional politician with an axe to grind scoring party political points. As someone who is born and bred in Greater Manchester I can relate to the issues that face our local communities and affect people’s lives. If people want a Police and Crime Commissioner that feels the way they do about law & order then they should support me in this election. I won’t make excuses for criminals I want the full force of the law to be brought upon them. I want to make Greater Manchester safer for law abiding citizens and a place that criminals fear.

Michael Winstanley
Conservative Police & Crime Commissioner Candidate, Greater Manchester