The Green party’s candidate for the Swindon & Wiltshire Police & Crime Commissioner office promises to do away with the role if elected.

Brig Oubridge said he will work with his colleagues in parliament to push for a Wiltshire referendum on whether or not to abolish the office of PCC and revert to the previous Police Authority System.

Mr Oubridge added that if elected he would not take a single penny of the £85,000 salary – with the exception of expenses – and will instead use the cash to fund a new advisory panel.

Brig Oubridge the Green Party candidate for the Police & Crime Commissioner role

Brig Oubridge the Green Party candidate for the Police & Crime Commissioner role

This panel would comprise members from across Swindon and Wiltshire from all political parties and independents.

Mr Oubridge promises that at least half of the members will be women and will include people of colour “so that everyone is properly represented”.

He said: "Overseeing policing is too important to be left in the hands of any one individual.

“It is wrong in principle that any police force should be answerable to just one person, representing only their own personal point of view, or that of a single political party.

“The role was brought in by the Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government in 2012, and was imposed without consultation and with no electoral mandate.

“The first elections to the post produced a turnout of less than 10 per cent of the electorate. It replaced the previous system of police authorities, which were composed of a range of local councillors from all parties, together with independent members.”