Labour candidate steps forward for Lincolnshire PCC elections

Assistant headteacher Lucinda Preston will be vying for the role of Labour’s candidate for the Police and Crime Commissioner election in May.

Lucinda has lived in Lincoln all of her life and is the Head of English and Associate Assistant Headteacher at a school in Sleaford.

She has been a Labour Party member for over five and a half years and was recently elected to the party’s East Midlands Regional Board.

Lucinda will also be acting as the agent for a city councillor in the upcoming local elections in Lincoln.

She is currently the only candidate on Labour’s shortlist for the elections.

Officially selection will take place on February 14.

She said: “I have worked as a teacher for nearly 14 years and in school management for just over eight years of my career; this has included working as a head of department as well as latterly, a member of the senior leadership team of my school.

“I have substantial experience in all key everyday management areas and have financial oversight of three different budgets.

“Born and brought up in Lincoln, I have lived in the city all my life and have a clear understanding of the challenges it faces.

“Equally, having worked in Sleaford for over eight years, I know the issues facing smaller towns and rural communities in our county.

“I see the role of Police and Crime Commissioner as two-fold: firstly, to hold Lincolnshire’s Chief Constable to account on behalf of the people of Lincolnshire to ensure that police services are effectively and efficiently delivered for the benefit of this large and diverse county; secondly to engage with those who live and work in Lincolnshire, including those people who are most vulnerable in our society, to further identify their needs and the best ways to support them.

“The Conservative candidate is one of the county councillors who are about to initiate unprecedented cuts to services.

“I would use my campaign as a very public platform to highlight to the people of Lincolnshire the severity and impact of Conservative ideological cuts. Our county deserves better.”

Mike Hudson, chair of the Sleaford and North Hykeham Labour Party, said: “Lucinda understands the problems we face and has priorities, with one of the main ones being protecting vulnerable children.

“The lack of focus on child protection is one of the factors contributing to the stream of child abuse scandals.

“Another priority is to resist privatisation. Traffic wardens, once part of the police are no more. We now have civil parking enforcement officers employed by APCOA Parking (UK) Limited.

“Privatisation must have a limit or one day police constables will work for companies like G4S or Serco operating under a contract.

“Lucinda’s approach is a rational one to Lincolnshire’s problems, not the irrational, hang-em, flog-em and throw-away-the-key of other parties.”

Lincolnshire Police and Crime Commissioner Alan Hardwick. Photo Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

Lucinda joins county councillors Marc Jones (Conservative) and Victoria Ayling (UKIP) as being the only candidates announced so far for the elections, taking place on Thursday, May 5.

Alan Hardwick, a former TV and radio presenter, and also former Police and Crime Panel spokesperson, became Lincolnshire’s first ever PCC in 2012, a position he has held since then.

He has now decided not to seek re-election.