Hertfordshire's police and crime commissioner has been forced to defend his choice of a deputy who lives in the same village.

David Gibson, 50, a former senior BBC journalist and Flamstead resident was named as the commissioner's preferred deputy for the £50,000-a-year role.

They have also served together as school governors in Flamstead and Mr Gibson supported Mr Lloyd’s 2005 Hertfordshire County Council election campaign.

On Thursday night (July 25) commissioner David Lloyd and Mr Gibson were asked by the police and crime panel about the "coziness of the closeness of your homes” and the appropriateness of “choosing someone from your community”.

Mr Lloyd revealed he knew the majority of the 14 applicants in some capacity and knew the two men and one woman who were interviewed for the role.

He said: "I take the point but first and foremost the role is that of my deputy and I need someone I know I can work with, knowing someone is a real positive to that.

"I can think of nobody better than a journalist to hold me to account and ask me questions about what I am doing.

"We are all in a relatively small community in Hertfordshire and it would seem odd to appoint someone from outside Hertfordshire."

He added: "He lives quite a long way away from me, it's not like he's my next-door neighbour."

Belfast-born Mr Gibson's reporting career spans almost three decades with the BBC and includes spells in the corporation's Washington bureau and at Radio Ulster where he reported on the troubles.

He has also worked on a number of the broadcaster's flagship Radio 4 news programmes including Today, the World at One and PM.

One of Mr Gibson's final roles before quitting his role in April was to coordinate nationwide coverage of the PCC elections in November for the BBC’s local radio stations.

He said: "I can understand the interest in where we both live but it is difficult to see why I can be barred from applying just because I live near David.

"I got involved in the police and crime commissioner elections last year when I was organising coverage for the BBC.

"Knowing David and having seen what he has proposed is what encouraged me to apply for it."

Mr Lloyd was also questioned about whether he needs a full-time deputy having left the position vacant since Dr Rachel Frosh left the two-day-a-week role in February.

He said: "Most days I start at about 8am and most evenings I get home at about 10.30pm but I could be doing more with a deputy.

"It is fairly lonely on your own if you are meant to be bringing new policies in.

"The thing I learned from my last deputy was that a two-day-a-week appointment didn't really work.

"It is a full-time role and needs a full-time person."

The appointment of Mr Gibson was approved by eight votes to three and is now expected to be formalised.