The race to find the Conservative candidate who believes they have what it takes to be West Yorkshire’s first police and crime commissioner is under way.

The controversial commissioners will have the power to hire and fire chief constables and will also set the force’s budget and “strategic direction”.

The elections for the post were due to take place on May 3 to coincide with the local elections, but were delayed by the coalition until November 15 at a cost of £100 million to the taxpayer.

Keighley MP Kris Hopkins will sit on the selection panel tasked with choosing the Conservative candidate in West Yorkshire.

He said: “I am a very committed supporter of the police and believe we need to do all we can to assist them in their incredibly professional efforts to tackle criminal activity in our community. However, I do feel there is a perceived lack of accountability under present arrangements.

“The election of police and crime commissioners is intended to change this to allow for a single individual – supported by a qualified team – to be given a powerful mandate to make executive decisions aimed at cutting crime and addressing the particular concerns of local residents.”

Voters in each of the 41 police force areas in England and Wales will elect commissioners to replace existing police authorities. The new commissioner would also make decisions on policing strategy, setting the council tax precept and the budget of the local force.

Mr Hopkins added: “To ensure we find the best potential candidates, I believe we should look beyond individuals who have previously served on police authorities – and that is what the Conservative Party is seeking to do.

“For example, I would be delighted if high-calibre people from business, from the military or from policing itself would consider the possibility of taking on the role, but this list is far from exhaustive.

“Most importantly, the chosen individual must be able to demonstrate leadership, engage with the public and respond to concerns on the ground.”

It comes as the head of a leading charity warns putting directly-elected police chiefs in charge of funding for victims’ services could prove to be a “villain’s charter”.

At present, £60 million is allocated each year to the charity and other organisations supporting victims of crime and witnesses. But now charities will have to apply to the 41 police commissioners for cash.

Chief executive of Victim Support, Javed Khan said: “The Government says it wants to put victims and witnesses first, but under these proposals victims of crime risk being abandoned. In future, more public money will be wasted in a massive new bureaucracy, fewer witnesses may come forward and there could be a drop in prosecutions. These proposals could be a villain's charter.”