Labour councillor joins police chief race (From Daily Echo)

Labour councillor Jacqui Rayment applies to be new police boss

4:40pm Thursday 1st March 2012 in Southampton

Councillor Jacqui Rayment.

A SOUTHAMPTON councillor has become the latest person to apply to be the new boss of Hampshire police – despite publicly opposing the introduction of the post.

Jacqui Rayment is the hot favourite to be the Labour candidate in the race to become police and crime commissioner – and it is looking like a contest between rival councillors for the £85,000-a-year job.

She is already chairman of Hampshire Police Association, the body that will be scrapped to make way for the post of police and crime commissioner.

She said: “I am on the record not agreeing with proposals for police and crime commissioners... but we are where we are, and need to make sure we make the best of a bad job.”

But Councillor Rayment, who represents Bevois ward, admitted she would be the underdog in the battle because Hampshire is a “blue county”.

Voters will go to the polls across the country in November to elect the new commissioners.

Although independent candidates are expected to put themselves forward for the post, the winner is likely to come from one of the two largest parties, which can throw large budgets at the campaign.

Cllr Rayment is likely to face a Tory councillor, with front-runners including Fareham leader Sean Woodward, Portsmouth deputy leader Donna Jones and Mel Kendal, county councillor for New Milton.