CHESHIRE'S current Police and Crime Commissioner says he is 'delighted' to be reselected by the Tories to fight for the position.

John Dwyer was elected to this term of office in 2021, and the Conservatives have announced that he has been chosen to be the party's candidate at the next election.

The next election for the position of Cheshire's Police and Crime Commissioner will take place in May 2024.

Former Warrington Borough Councillor has already been selected to stand for Labour.

Mr Dwyer said: "When I came back in 2021 it was clear that improvement was needed. After a period of instability under Labour’s Commissioner that had seen two chief constables forced out of the job, the police had lost focus.

"They were too slow at picking up the phone. Too slow at getting to emergencies and weren’t doing enough about it when they got there. It wasn’t good enough.

“Working with the current Chief Constable, we have provided the police with much-needed stability, experience, and a relentless focus on improving performance.

"This has paid dividends."

He added: “Cheshire now has more police officers than at any point in its history. The time taken to answer the phone has more than halved since 2021 (now less than 5 minutes for 101 and under 10 seconds for 999).

"The police are getting to emergencies faster, and they’re doing more about it when they get there. Arrests are up by 30 per cent, and Cheshire has the highest charge rate for crime of any police force in the country.

“This is what’s at stake at this election.

"I am confident that the chief constable and I can, in partnership, build on the improvements we’ve already delivered and make Cheshire the best police force in the country. But I need your support to do it.”

Cheshire is one of only two areas nationally to have seen a reduction in crime over the last year.