A DEADLINE to vote for a new commissioner to oversee the police force in your area is looming. 

Anyone wanting to vote in the Police and Crime Commissioner elections that are taking place across Wales, who hasn’t yet registered, must do so by 11.59pm today. 

The elections take place on Thursday, May 2 and county councils have already started sending polling cards to those registered, letting people know where they can vote. 

Postal votes are also being sent out from Monday, April 15, and the deadline to apply for a postal vote is 5pm on Wednesday, April 17. 

Each police force area in Wales elects a police and crime commissioner who is responsible for holding their local force to account and helping agree the policing priorities for the area but they do not have day to day control of operational policing, which is the responsibility of the chief constable. 

The Police and Crime Commissioner also sets the police precept the charge included with the council tax that helps fund the police. 

Due to a change in the law, anyone voting in person will have to bring a photo ID, such as a passport or driving licence, but arrangements for applying to vote by post are unchanged. 

As these are Wales and England elections the minimum age to be eligible to vote is 18. 

There are four candidates standing in Gwent where Labour’s Jeff Cuthbert is standing down they are Jane Mudd (Labour), Hannah Jarvis (Conservative), Donna Cushing (Plaid Cymru) and Mike Hamilton (Liberal Democrats). 

You can register to vote at https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote and further information is also available from your county council.