NORTH YORKSHIRE'S police commissioner has called for democratic changes ahead of her re-election fight next year.

Julia Mulligan has asked the Government to support all candidates in next year's Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) elections - to make sure the public are "fully engaged" in the election process.

At the 2012 PCC elections, the Government's decision not to give candidates free-post leaflets to contact voters led to controversy and claims that public awareness was far too low.

Ms Mulligan has also called for police accountability to be considered in any devolution plans.

She said: "When considering devolution and police restructuring plans, it is vitally important to keep policing local. Keep accountability local. Keep the conversations with the public local. Undermine this and you will undermine trust in the police."

The PCC was speaking after the publication of a report on police ethics by the Committee on Standards in Public Life (CSPL).

She had already publicly criticised the possibility of a "metro mayor" for the whole of Yorkshire controlling North Yorkshire Police saying it is the "greatest threat" to local policing.

The new paper, “Tone from the Top – Leadership, Ethics and Accountability in Policing”, asks for an "ethical checklist" which all PCC candidates should commit to to show their commitment to high standards.

It has also called for PCCs to take responsibility for holding Chief Constables to account for their ethical standards and for their work to promoting ethics in the force.

Ms Mulligan chairs the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners' transparency group.

She welcomed the CPSL report, saying: "This report is timely, as we are now less than 12 months away from the next PCC elections. I broadly welcome the majority of the recommendations and shall be working with colleagues to implement them. The APCC will also be developing a more detailed response to the CSPL on this report.

"It is reassuring that the report confirms that PCCs are harnessing the voice of the public and doing what we were elected to do – help the public get the police service they want and need. The report is clear that PCCs are out in their communities using a wide variety of methods to understand local priorities, concerns and needs."