Just noticed here that a former council chief executive came close to winning in Lincolnshire. Was wondering if anyone knew of any former council chief executives who ended up winning elected office, like say becoming an MP? I expect it’s very rare, but curious nonetheless.

Labour unexpectedly gained the Leicestershire PCC today, despite only winning in two of the nine local authorities in the county.

Willy Bach won by about 20,000 county-wide, but by 30,000 in Leicester and by 82 votes in North West Leicestershire. Turnout elsewhere must have been appalling.

Having campaigned in Leicester, while it is easy now for me to say it wasn’t surprising, Councillors and Willy himself said it was looking good. I was out a bit in Beaumont Leys despite living in Leicester East, after one canvass one of the Councillors gave me a lift home and he said he reckoned if turnout was 30% in city we’d take it. Not quite sure if it was 30% but that seems to what happened.

Generally on the doorstep it was mostly disinterest about the PCC but I think Willy was generally popular on the doorstep. Very good candidate, all the credentials you want for a PCC having been in the Cabinet and currently adviser since Labour have been in opposition. Also a Barrister by trade. From Leicester I believe, a Councillor in Leicester and Market Harbrough, also Mayor. Manage to wrangle a visit from Shadow Home Sec Andy Burnham.

Seems there has been a vote more along party lines in a lot of the PCC elections this time, with most of the independents losing. IMO this is a bad thing. I’m queasy about party politicians undertaking the role and had there been a suitable independent on the ballot paper I’d have voted for them, but here in Sussex and in many other places there wasn’t.

I think a higher turnout also hurt Independents. Personally, I understand the need for democratic accountability but I agree that this politicizing of the police force is just wrong.

Incumbent Independents were defeated in Hampshire, Norfolk and Surrey

In Kent, Lincolnshire, Warwickshire and West Mercia, the incumbent Independents didn’t stand for re-election.

All those were gained by the Tories.

Indies held on in Dorset, Gloucestershire and Avon/Somerset.

Conservatives gained Bedfordshire from Labour but as Labour gained Leicestershire and also Humbershide and Ceshire from Con.

As there were some retirements in the areas successfully defended by Lab or Con, the PCCs doing a second term are

Avon and Somerset (Sue Mountstevens, Ind)
Cleveland (Barry Coppinger, Lab)
Dorset (Martyn Underhill, Ind)
Durham (Ron Hogg, Lab)
Gloucestershire (Martin Surl, Ind)
Hertfordshire (David Llody, Con)
Lancashire (Clive Grunshaw, Lab)
Merseyside (Jane Kennedy, Lab)
North Yorkshire (Julia Mulligan, Con)
Northumbria (Vera Baird, Lab)
Nottinghamshire (Paddy Tipping, Lab)
Staffordshire (Matthew Ellis, Con)
Suffolk (Tim Passmore, Con)
Sussex (Katy Bourne, Con)
Thames Valley (Anthony Stansfeld, Con)
West Yorkshire (Mark Burns Williamson, Lab)
Wiltshire (Angus Macpherson)
+ 2 elected in by-election halfway the first PCC terms
South Yorkshire (Alan Billings, Lab)
West Midlands (David Jamieson, Lab)

Labour held Derbyshire with a new candidate and Conservatives held Cambridgeshire, Cumbria, Devon/Cornwall, Essex, Northamptonshire with a new candidate.

Wales count today. In 2012 their 4 PCCs were 1 Lab 1 Con 2 Ind.

Extremely narrow victory for Labour in the Derbyshire PCC election. Majority of just over one per cent on the second count. A similar performance in the county outside Derby next year could well see them lose control of the county council.