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An amazing number of candidates saw threats to the peace and security of their towns: asking residents whether they would fear "rowdy squadies making trouble", the dangers of the Army "practicing with firearms in an urban area" and the danger of bringing into the area bombs and big guns which would be terrorist targets. Several candidates were concerned that moving 1,000 soldiers ("many with skills") into their town would increase unemployment among the locals whose jobs they'd take!

Many did see the possibility of increased prosperity to their areas and a boost to the local economy. A surprising number showed concern that local council tax payers would have to meet the cost of the move, of housing families and, in more than one case, building any new barracks, sports grounds etc.!

Question 4 called on candidates to follow up a letter from their local police superintendent who had been provoked by a leader in their paper's current edition. Amazingly there were two candidates who said in their answers to this question they would seek to interview the leader!!

Anyone who regularly conducted police calls and who talked to officers and had gained any insight into urban policing should have found this question a gift. Indeed, it did result in some good answers though there were the inevitable lapses. The superintendent needed to be interviewed to expand on his ideas which were quite controversial: to charge night clubs for the extra officers needed to police that area of the town where they were situated and there were regular disturbances.

Most saw the need to interview the Chief Constable to see if he supported the proposal and would forward it to his police authority. Few saw the possibility that the Chief Constable might not support his superintendent and how that might change their whole line of inquiry.

Question 5 called for some knowledge of the polling experiments introduced by the Representation of the People Act in an effort to improve voting figures and increase interest in local government.

Response was mixed. It was not a question favoured by many candidates. Several of those that did select it treated examiners to a discourse on the changes in local government that would have earned a good mark in last April's NCE. (One could not help wondering if they had been delegates on a pre-NCE refresher course and had gone through the April paper, perhaps as a mock exam early in September?)

For a full list of successful Autumn NCE candidates, click here.