The race to be Wiltshire’s first police and crime commissioner is hotting up as the Conservative Party has named Angus Macpherson as its candidate for the November election.

Mr Macpherson, an accountant, was chosen in a selection process which engaged hundreds of Conservative party members from across Swindon and Wiltshire. His previous experience includes serving as a councillor in Swindon and as a member of Wiltshire Police Authority.

He is also chairman of both the Breakfast Club, at Broadgreen, and The Filling Station, both of which aid the homeless. He lives in Wroughton and has lived in the Swindon area all his life.

He will go up against Labour’s Clare Moody, a senior official at Unite, who was the first candidate announced in May. The Lib Dems have yet to announce a candidate. Mr Macpherson said: “This is a new and vitally important job which will make a real positive difference to the lives of all of us living in Swindon and Wiltshire.

“It is a great opportunity to build on the improvements made by Wiltshire police in recent years in tackling crime and community safety to the next level. “I will work closely with the local authorities and others who can help reduce crime, reduce re-offending, improve efficiency and make the criminal justice system better for victims, in a transparent and accountable way.”

Directly-elected police and crime commissioners are being brought in by the Coalition Government to replace police authorities in England and Wales from November. The commissioners will have the power to hire and fire chief constables and set the force’s budget and strategy, but opposition groups have slated the move.

The election takes place on November 15 and will involve up to 500,000 voters, 85,000 postal votes, and more than 450 polling stations. However, the campaign has not properly got under way until now.

Mr Macpherson said: “Over the next four months I will devote my time to meeting people, listening to their views and concerns for improving policing locally.”

The South Swindon Labour Party held an open public meeting at the Art Centre, in Devizes Road, last Wednesday to introduce Ms Moody. She is a senior official for the union Unite which, among other people, represents police staff. Ms Moody has worked closely with police staff on the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act, which brought in the commissioners.