NOW that the dust has settled it appears that the recent ‘by-election’ for a new West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner, following the death of the incumbent, may have cost more than £3 million. Now a second commissioner has resigned and presumably the election of his replacement will cost just as much.

This is money that we can ill afford and with a turn-out of just over 10 per cent in the West Midlands, it’s quite obvious that there is little interest in the post.

To save the ridiculous amount of work and expenditure involved, could we not have a system similar to that used in the United States where the vice-president automatically gets the job if the president dies in office?

All PCCs have deputies who will have experience of the job and can hopefully be left to serve out the remaining term of office. Then they can make their own case at the next proper election.

If something should happen to our own commissioner for West Mercia would Herefordshire’s council tax payers really want to subsidise an election just to see us through to the end of his scheduled term?

I suppose the powers-that-be will say that rules are rules and after all, there’s plenty of public money available. The trouble is, rules are made by man and can be unmade by man and we really don’t have that much money to spare.

It’s time for a rethink.

MARTIN FIELD Burley Gate