David Bick, the Norfolk County Council leader, says his party "would expect to win" a by-election to find a successor to Sarah Taylor's as the police and crime commissioner (PCC).

She quit with immediate effect on Thursday, citing family reasons.

The county-wide by-election is expected to cost around £2m and will raise questions as previous votes have been characterised by turnouts as low as 14pc and the post itself is due to be abolished in less than two years.

The by-election has not yet been confirmed with some figures, such as Terry Jermy, the Labour MP for South West Norfolk, and Steffan Aquarone, North Norfolk's Liberal Democrat MP, questioning whether it should go-ahead, given the role is due to be scrapped.

The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner itself is waiting for guidance from the Home Office about the by-election, in what it says are "unprecedented circumstances", although it has suggested a possible date of July 16.

David Bick, the Reform leader of the county council, is confident his party would win if a by-election is held for the PCC post (Image: Reform UK)

Mr Bick acknowledged that a by-election would be an "expensive exercise", but said that it was necessary.

He said a Reform PCC would set a new "zero tolerance" approach to policing in the county. 

"Even if you can't get concrete things done, you can set a tone. You can set out what you'd expect from your police force," he said. 

"I'll make no bones of it. I hope we get a policy of zero tolerance."

In a lengthy LinkedIn post late on Thursday night, Ms Taylor said she had suffered "multiple bereavements and ill health" within her family and the recent diagnosis of a close relative with a "life-changing" condition.

Sarah Taylor announced her resignation on Thursday........

© Norwich Evening News