VOTERS go the polls today (Thursday August 21) to elect a new West Midlands police and crime commissioner to run the region’s police force.

Today’s by-election follows the sudden death of the first elected police chief Bob Jones, who passed away on July 1.

The candidates are: David Jamieson from Solihull (Labour Party), Les Jones from Pedmore in Stourbridge (Conservative Party), Ayoub Khan Ladywood in Birmingham (Liberal Democrats) and Keith Rowe from Edgbaston in Birmingham (UKIP).

Police and Crime Commissioner elections are administered by the Police Area Returing Officer.

The next Police and Crime Commissioner elections after this are scheduled for 2016, and will provisionally take place on 5 May.