CONSERVATIVE John Dwyer is ready to get straight to work as Cheshire’s new police and crime commissioner (PCC) after winning the top job back from Labour’s David Keane.

Mr Dwyer, who held the post between 2012-16, suffered a shock defeat to Mr Keane back in 2016.

But the 71-year-old has won it back for the Tories after coming out on top in Cheshire's PCC election.

The result was declared at the DCBL Stadium in Widnes on Saturday evening.

Mr Dwyer won 111,962 votes and Mr Keane secured 99,463 votes after the first and second preferences were declared.

Liberal Democrat Jo Conchie and Reform UK’s Nick Goulding also battled for the post.

Turnout was up across Cheshire at 27 per cent in total compared to 23.85 per cent at the last PCC elections in 2016.

Mr Dwyer will officially begin in the job on Thursday.

The role of the PCC is to hold the chief constable to account on behalf of Cheshire residents, set the police budget and commission services for victims of crime.

Mr Dwyer retired as assistant chief constable in Cheshire after a 30-year career which started in Nottinghamshire, followed by a transfer to the West Midlands as a chief inspector and finally to Cheshire.

As he prepares to begin his term, he has vowed to leave politics out of it.

He said: “The public without a shadow of a doubt have been telling me throughout the campaign, and indeed they were telling me this when I ran the campaign in 2012 as well, so it’s a common theme this, the public don’t seem to understand the relationship between the PCC and the police service.

“They are forever telling me they don’t agree with politics mixing with policing and I actually agree with that.

Chester and District Standard:

John Dwyer

“I was a 30-year serving police officer and for 30 years I wasn’t allowed to get involved in politics in any way, shape or form and that’s exactly how it should be.

“I have a view that this post should be neutral, so the elections by their very nature will be run along political lines because that’s the way elections operate in this country.

“But having got into post then I think the PCC should be neutral and not bring politics into it.”

There were big gains for the Conservatives in the elections across the country.

Mr Dwyer puts that down to a range of factors including the way Covid-19 has managed.

He believes people are really pleased with the effectiveness of the vaccination programme and says Prime Minister Boris Johnson, as a character, is ‘loved by many people’.

Furthermore, Mr Dwyer says Labour don’t seem to be producing many policies and are just ‘being critical of those who are trying to do a good job’.

Step three of the Government’s roadmap out of lockdown will proceed on May 17.

Indoor hospitality will reopen and a group of six people, or two households, will be able to meet indoors.

Most legal restrictions on meeting others outdoors will be lifted – although gatherings of more than 30 people will remain illegal.

Asked on how tough he wants the force to be on those who break the rules that remain in place, Mr Dwyer said: “I think it’s a case for me to be talking to the chief constable and saying, look, we need to be hard on them, in the sense that we need to be protecting the public of Cheshire.”

However, he emphasised that he does not want to be ‘unnecessarily restrictive’ as he highlighted the need for some flexibility and being sensible.

But Mr Dwyer insists he has no issue with people who have flagrantly flouted the rules being ‘dealt with properly’.

He confirmed he will be pushing ministers for more funding for Cheshire as he bids to deliver an increase in police officers in the county to a total of 2,320.

Warrington South Conservative MP Andy Carter was on hand to congratulate Mr Dwyer after the result was declared on Saturday.

Mr Dwyer said the Mr Carter is a ‘breath of fresh air’ and thanked the MP for his immense support during his campaign.

Labour retained control of Warrington Borough Council in the town’s all-out elections but the Tories made big gains.

They now have 11 councillors at the Town Hall – an increase of 10.

“There is no doubt at all that the success that you’ve seen in Warrington is due in no small part to him and his activity because he’s a real dynamo full of energy and has made things happen. I’m delighted to call Andy a friend.”

But Mr Dwyer reaffirmed his role is neutral and insists he will be working with every MP – regardless of their party.

He confirmed he will be calling Labour Warrington North MP Charlotte Nichols in due course to arrange a meeting to hear about the issues that need to be addressed.