New Avon and Somerset Police authority chair elected
Members of the Avon and Somerset Police Authority have elected a new chairman for the coming year.
Peter Heffer, who has been an independent member of the body for four years, replaces Dr Moira Hamlin, who retired at the annual general meeting earlier.
Somerset county councillor Claire Gordon was elected as deputy chair.
Mr Heffer will have to stand down as a magistrate to avoid any perceived conflict of interest.
He said that following Tuesday's budget all public bodies were facing financial uncertainty and "there is no point wishing this away."
Mr Heffer has sat on the Northavon bench since 1987 and been deputy chairman of the bench since 2006.
He has also worked as a research nuclear scientist and a technical advisor to the government.