Police and Crime Commissioners in the East Midlands 'not surprised' by decision to cut role
The government says it will save them at least £100 million
Police and crime commissioners in England and Wales will be scrapped by the Government, it has been announced.
The elected officials were first introduced in 2012 and their responsibilities include setting budgets for their police forces and appointing the most senior officer - the chief constable - for their area.
But ministers plan to abolish the role in 2028 when the next elections are set to be held to save at least £100 million and help fund neighbourhood policing.
Instead, mayors and council leaders will take up the responsibilities of policing arrangements.
Policing minister Sarah Jones announced the move in the Commons on Thursday, telling MPs that the model has shown little sign of improving confidence in policing.
She said less than a quarter of voters turned out to vote for them in the 2024 elections, and two in five people are "unaware PCCs even exist".
The minister added: "The reality is that the PCC model has weakened local police accountability and has had perverse impacts on the recruitment of chief constables.
"They have failed to inspire confidence in local people, in stark contrast to the mayoral model, which has clearly been ultimately more successful."
Ms Jones told the Commons that measures including ending elections for PCCs and abolishing police and crime panels will save £100 million this Parliament.
The changes are expected to make savings of £20 million a year, which could fund an extra 320 extra police constables, she said.
In a statement, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said: "The introduction of Police and Crime Commissioners by the last government was a failed experiment.
"I will introduce new reforms so police are accountable to their local mayoralties or local councils.
"The savings will fund more neighbourhood police on the beat across the country, fighting crime and protecting our communities."
Labour Derbyshire Police and Crime Commissioner, Nicolle Ndiweni-Roberts said: “Today’s announcement was no big surprise. In Derbyshire we have long been aware that in 2028, the public will have an appointed Deputy Mayor to undertake the functions currently carried out by the PCC.
“My focus remains on ensuring that process is as smooth as possible for both our staff and our communities.
“It’s important that residents and businesses are aware that I will continue to work tirelessly on their behalf, delivering their priorities through my Police and Crime Plan and setting a budget in line with the mandate set.
"My office will continue to work with the Force to run an effective and efficient service, whilst holding the Chief Constable to account on behalf of the public.”
Reform Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland PCC, Rupert Matthews said: “This is a dark day for the concept of policing by consent.
“We are seeing yet another proposal from a Government in free-fall. There has been no consultation, there is no clarity in today’s announcement, just a last minute dot com idea produced on the back of the proverbial cigarette packet.
“It is a retrograde step that will see policing becoming increasingly detached from the public it is there to serve and will merely encourage the two-tier policing that is so destructive to cohesive communities.
“However, I’m sure that it will be a very popular move with Chief Constables who have never liked the level of public scrutiny provided by Police and Crime Commissioners. They would much rather run their police forces and spend taxpayers’ money without any oversight.
“I wait to hear how the public’s priorities will be taken into account, and indeed, how the force’s performance will be measured.”
Labour Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner, Gary Godden, has released a joint statement with Mayor of the East Midlands, Claire Ward:
“Today’s announcement does not come as a surprise, and we have been preparing for the possibility of this change for some time.
“The Mayor and PCCs already work together closely and will continue to do so to ensure a smooth transition.
“Making the region a great place to live and work is about creating communities where people feel safe and supported, and we all remain committed to that goal.
“The public can be certain that the police will still be held accountable, victim services will be maintained and the incredible partnership working across the region will continue on behalf of the public.”