Labour’s contender for the local police and crime commissioner says he has challenged the other party candidates to come to Fenland and tell the public how they would deal with fear of crime in the community in the face of Tory cuts.

Former firefighter and uniformed services academic Dave Baigent said: “This week we’ve heard in the budget that cuts to public services are going to go deeper.

“It’s ordinary people on low incomes who’ll feel the brunt of that, the same people who are most at risk from crime.

“Unlike the present Tory police and crime commissioner for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough who does the job part-time and the other parties’ candidates for the job I have a plan for bringing senior police officers together with the communities they serve to introduce genuine community policing that’s professional and properly regulated.

“I’m keen to pit my plan against what the other candidates have to offer and get a proper debate going here in Wisbech.

“I’m going to do just that against the Tory candidate at a south of the county hustings and would welcome the opportunity to do the same here.

“There’s no substitute for fully trained police officers and PCSOs protecting the public in a professional manner.”

Wisbech Labour Party chairman Roger Ward said: “The PCC election is the only local election on May 5 this year and we feel it’s vital for our community to get out and vote.