Former Hertfordshire Police Authority Chairman and deputy leader of the county council David Lloyd is widely regarded as the favourite for the role.

The Flamstead-based Conservative candidate stepped down from his role at the police authority two weeks ago to compete for this role.

It was while he was heading up the police authority that consultations began over the G4S deal, but he stresses the contract will only be handed to G4S if the public are happy for them to take the contract.

He said: “I certainly think we should look to outsource because I think the most important thing for people in South West Hertfordshire is that we get front line police out on the streets.

“The way we will do that is by making a more effective and efficient back office, the way we will do that is to look into outsourcing.

“Who that is with is very much still a question that is up in the air but I think we have got to look very seriously about that because that is the way to protect front line officers.

“We (the police authority) started a process where we looked at the business case of G4S, you have got to do that so you have something to compare all the other companies to.

“One of the things we have got to do is see whether the public is willing to accept G4S.”

Mr Lloyd also defended the £130,000 per year salary which he agreed with Hertfordshire Constabulary’s chief constable Andy Bliss.

He said: “The salary that he is earning is the one I put him on, It’s a big role and he gets a salary appropriate to that.