Tories Choose Lisa Townsend to Stand on May 6 PCC Vote

Published on: 20 Feb, 2021
Updated on: 23 Feb, 2021

Lisa Townsend

By Martin Giles

The Conservatives have selected Lisa Townsend as their candidate for Police and Crime Commissioner, to share election with the county council’s on May 6.

She was voted in at an online meeting attended by about 300 party members. Fears that her Remain campaigning in 2016 might damage her chances proved unfounded. The number of votes cast for the short-listed candidates was not given.

Previous candidate Charlie Chirico had suddenly withdrawn, saying she felt she was being undermined by some individuals on her campaign team.

Ms Chirico’s nominated deputy candidate, former policeman Kevin Deanus, did not make the shortlist, perhaps damaged by her claims. The choice left to party members was between Robin Gwynn and Ms Townsend.

Robert Gwynn

Mr Gwynn is a former diplomat who served in Africa, at the UN and the EU. He stood unsuccessfully for parliament in Jarrow (2017) and Newcastle East (2019). He has lived in Surrey most of his adult life and runs a consultancy.

Ms Townsend has lived in Surrey for more than 10 years and worked as lead for media and communications at the Institute of Directors and for the Conservative Party. In 2015, she was their parliamentary candidate for Norwich South.

She told the meeting her three priorities are:

1) More visible policing;

2) Driving up performance; and

3) Tackling serious crime.

She said of the “longstanding Surrey issue” about Travellers: “Surrey police have got to up their game.”

Pavement parking, she said, is “… a really big issue. At best, it is thoughtless, at worst, incredibly dangerous for our most vulnerable residents”.

Asked what she expected to achieve in the first 100 days of taking office, Ms Townsend said: “Talking to residents in continued dialogue, writing the police plan and establishing good relationships with neighbouring counties.”

After the result was announced, she told members: “Thank you so much for the trust you’ve placed in me tonight. I hope to talk to as many of you as possible as soon as possible.”

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