Lincolnshire PCC candidates to take part in cross-media debate in Lincoln

All four candidates running for the Lincolnshire Police and Crime Commissioner role will face the hot seat in a cross-local media public debate next month.

Following the success of the county’s first debate simulcast for the 2015 General Election, The Lincolnite and BBC Radio Lincolnshire have teamed up once again to invite county residents to quiz their potential PCC on May 2.

The 60-minute-long programme will take place at Lincoln Drill Hall from 8pm and will be broadcast live on FM and DAB radio on BBC Radio Lincolnshire, as well as video streamed live on The Lincolnite.

The event will reach an unparalleled number of people from across the county with one programme and will also be available on demand immediately afterwards.

The four candidates taking part are:

• Marc Jones – Conservative
• Victoria Ayling – UKIP
• Lucinda Preston – Labour
• Daniel Simpson – Lincs Independents

Lincolnshire’s current PCC Alan Hardwick will not be standing for re-election.

Chairing the debate on the night will be BBC Radio Lincolnshire presenter Nicola Gilroy, assisted by Alex Rhodes.

Candidates will, in town-hall-style, address and take questions from a balanced audience of just over 100 people.

To apply for a place in the audience, please fill in the online form here.

[su_button url=”http://tinyurl.com/lincspcc” target=”blank” style=”3d” background=”#ef3b2d” size=”7″ wide=”yes” center=”yes” icon=”icon: ticket”]Apply to join the live audience[/su_button]

Those who are successful in acquiring a ticket will be contacted by April 26.

You’ll also be able to follow the action from the debate on social media using the #LincsPCC hashtag, and on partner websites.

Daniel Ionescu, Managing Editor of The Lincolnite, said: “I’m glad we could follow-up from the success of our first cross-media debate simulcast last year and work again with BBC Radio Lincolnshire.

“Although not a very popular one, the PCC role is very important to the county and is deserving of a wider debate on the future of policing in Lincolnshire.

“By video streaming the debate online and on FM and DAB radio, we ensure we reach as many people as possible, in one important evening, just days before the Lincolnshire PCC election and City of Lincoln Council elections.”

Charlie Partridge, Managing Editor of BBC Radio Lincolnshire, said: “We are very pleased to be working once again with The Lincolnite to bring a debate between the candidates to voters across the county.”

“We had a great reaction from our audience to the election debates we had last year and we are pleased we can now turn our attention to co-hosting a debate of the PCC candidates.”