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Thursday, November 15, 2012

EDITOR'S COMMENT: Why we must use our votes

BRISTOLIANS are warm-hearted, generous and funny. But we do love to complain. In fact, we often prefer to complain about a problem than to do anything about it. We must not do that today.

Today's election for a police and crime commissioner (PCC) and elected mayor gives us all a real say in the future of our city, a real role in choosing the two most powerful people in the Greater Bristol area. And it is the day that every Bristolian needs to stop complaining and get involved.

For both new roles, electors have a fairly straight choice – between the established approach of political- party candidates or the unknown territory of independents.

In the two new positions, however, the real question is one of leadership. As voters, we need to think carefully about which candidates can most effectively lead the police and this great city.

For a PCC, that means the candidate who will be able to work with the chief constable and frontline officers to improve policing. The timing of yesterday's 85 Operation Relentless arrests may not have been a coincidence. On the eve of the election, they seemed to send a thinly veiled show of strength to any potential commissioner.

For the mayor, great leadership will be needed to deal with the inevitable cuts to services that will plague the city's budgets for the next few years. Furthermore, Bristol needs a leader who can unite and excite the city – and thump tables in Whitehall to ensure we get the attention we deserve.

So we must all make our mark today.

Or never complain again.

EDITOR'S COMMENT: Why we  must use our votes

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