At the Elections last year of the Police and Crime Commissioners, two Independent PCC’s stepped down following 9 years of their work as PCCs. In Avon and Somerset Sue Mountstevens was the PCC and in Dorset Martyn Underhill was the PCC. Sadly there was only one other Independent PCC who had been on site for 9 years and who was standing again and tragically Martin Surl was unsuccessful. In the case of Sue and Martyn who stepped down, the independent candidates who stood in their elections were not successful either. In Gloucestershire sadly there was a second Independent and although he received only 7% of the votes, that was sufficient to prevent Martin from coming second which may have been sufficient for him to have won. Sadly Martin Surl did not receive a New Year Honour but Sue and Martyn did both receive an Honour and let us hope that in due course that Martin Surl will receive one. There were other Independent PCCs in 2012 who sadly did not get re-elected in 2016 which included Simon Hayes in Hampshire, Stephen Bett in Norfolk