Beds PCC tight-lipped over future to Police and Crime Panel amid rumours Conservatives plan to replace her

It is understood that the local Conservative Party has discreetly sounded out alternative candidates to replace Kathryn Holloway.

But the PCC is not prepared to reveal her future plans just yet, with her role up for re-election next year.

The Conservative politician and former presenter on breakfast television show TV-am was voted into the post in 2016.

Asked whether she would be standing for re-election, the PCC said: “I am saying exactly what I said before. The Conservatives haven’t had their selection process.

“I don’t intend to announce my professional plans or predict what might happen in advance.

“They will have their selection process and then announce who’s going to go forward.”

At Tuesday’s (Oct 15th) meeting, the closest the PCC came to indicating whether she might be leaving was a reference to recent improvements at a rest area in Luton Police Station.

She told the panel that one officer, grateful for the new facilities, had shouted after her down a corridor: “Thank you for your loveliness in there, commissioner.”

The PCC said: “It’s one of the memories, the happiest memories, I will take away from Bedfordshire Police, a nice moment.”

Her office had said previously: “We understand that the party is currently concentrating on recruiting candidates for the local parliamentary seats.”

Opposing views in Parliament over the UK exiting the European Union could trigger a General Election at any time, while the PCC elections are not due to take place until next May.

Kathryn Holloway replaced Labour’s Olly Martins in the role, after his success in the first PCC elections in 2012.

The PCC role was devised by David Cameron's government as a way of making police forces answerable to the communities they serve. Among other duties, the PCC is responsible for holding the force and its chief constable to account.

Originally there were plans to ensure commissioners served a maximum of two terms in office.

But that limit was scrapped while the legislation to introduce the PCCs was progressing through Parliament.

Less than a quarter of the electorate, 23.7 per cent, voted in 2016.