TRIBUTES have been paid to Staffordshire's outgoing Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner a month before he is due to stand down from the role.

Matthew Ellis, who was voted in as the area's first Police and Crime Commissioner in 2012, announced he would not be standing for election again before polls were due to take place in 2020.

The coronavirus pandemic led to the postponement of the 2020 elections, meaning Mr Ellis remained in post for an extra year.

Now he is set to stand down in May when residents go to the polls to elect the next commissioner, who will also oversee the work of Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service after that responsibility was added to the role in 2018.

At this month's Stafford Borough Council cabinet meeting Councillor Jeremy Pert thanked Mr Ellis for his service to the area.

He said: "No matter what people might think of the role of the Police and Crime Commissioners across the country I would like to pay tribute to Staffordshire's first Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Ellis, who has held that post since November 2012."

Five people are battling to become Staffordshire's next Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner in May and succeed Mr Ellis, who ran as a Conservative candidate.

The candidates are Ben Adams (Conservative), Deneice Florence-Jukes (Independent), Tony Kearon (Labour and Co-operative Party), Michael Riley (Reform UK) and Richard Whelan (Liberal Democrats).