Conservative councillor elected as new police, fire and crime commissioner

A Conservative councillor has been elected as North Yorkshire’s new police, fire and crime commissioner.

Zoë Metcalfe has been announced as the winner after yesterday’s by-election.

Ms Metcalfe received 34.385 first choice votes and 7,375 second choice votes, giving her 41,760 votes in total

Labour candidate Emma Scott-Spivey came second with 26,895 votes in total.

Turnout was less than 14 per cent.

Second preferences were counted as no candidate had more than 50 per cent of the vote.

Ms Metcalfe is a project manager for a property company in addition to being a member of Harrogate Borough Council and North Yorkshire County Council.

Her parents ran a coal merchants business in Leyburn’s railway yard for many years.

Simon Dennis, chief executive of the office of the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner said: “I am delighted to welcome Zoë to the role of Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner.

“Together with the Chief Constable and the Interim Chief Fire Officer, I look forward to working with her in the years ahead.

“I also want to thank Jenni Newberry for serving as Acting Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for the past few weeks and all the team at the Office of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner who have worked so hard to ensure our work continued without interruption ahead of this by-election.”