Bishop Derek Webley is to stand down as West Midlands Police Authority chairman in an attempt to become the region’s first elected Police and Crime Commissioner.

Bishop Webley said he would campaign as an Independent candidate and intended to resign from the authority on October 8 when nominations for the £100,000-a-year post officially open.

His decision to resign is likely to put pressure on two other police authority members – Labour councillors Bob Jones and Yvonne Mosquito.

Coun Jones is to stand in the PCC election on November 15 and will appoint Coun Mosquito as deputy commissioner if he wins. Neither have made clear whether they will stand down in order to contest the election.

Bishop Webley became the first independent chairman of the police authority in 2009, and the first African-Caribbean chairman of any UK police authority.

On his website, Bishop Webley describes his close work with senior faith leaders across the West Midlands, which he says has provided an invaluable link between  the police authority and local communities.

Bishop Webley is one of the District Bishops of the New Testament Church of God with responsibility for parts of Birmingham and Solihull, he was appointed in 1996 and has pastoral responsibility for one of the largest congregations in the New Testament Church of God situated in Lozells.

He will be the third Independent candidate to enter the PCC race, alongside former police officers Cath Hannon and Ray Egan.

Coun Jones is Labour’s candidate, alongside former Birmingham city councillor Matt Bennet, who is standing for the Conservatives.

UKIP, the United Kingdom Independence Party, has announced that its candidate will be Bill Etheridge, a former Tory who quit the party after being pictured on Facebook holding a golliwog doll.