“Police and Crime Commissioners to be scrapped” states Home Office

Removing PCCs will cut the cost of unnecessary bureaucracy: money that can be better spent on restoring neighbourhood policing. At least £20 million will be reinvested every year as a result of efficiencies in police governance, which the Government observes is enough for 320 constables.

Since 2012, PCCs have been elected to hold forces to account, but turnout at the polls and the public’s knowledge of who their local PCC is has been incredibly low. Public understanding of – and engagement with – PCCs also remains low despite efforts to raise their profile. Two in every five people are said to be unaware PCCs even exist.

Their roles will now be absorbed by regional Mayors wherever possible, meaning that measures to cut crime will be considered as part of wider public services such as education and healthcare.

In areas not covered by a Mayor, this role will be taken on by elected council leaders. The unique circumstances of devolved local Government arrangements in Wales will be taken into consideration. The Government will ensure there is continuity of the support services for victims and witnesses that are currently provided by PCCs.

The transition to the new model will happen at the end of the next electoral cycle in 2028.

Failed experiment

The move comes as part of a major series of reforms to policing designed to raise national standards within the police service, strengthen performance management and end the ‘postcode lottery’ in terms of crime outcomes. The upcoming Police Reform White Paper will set out further powers to improve standards, while restoring local neighbourhood policing.  

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 that police services 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.  

I would like to recognise the efforts of all current and former Police and Crime Commissioners and thank them. These individuals served their communities and will continue to do so until they’ve completed their current terms in office.”

The announcement comes ahead of the Autumn Budget, which will focus on cutting National Health Service waiting lists, cutting the national debt and cutting the cost of living, while also driving more productive and efficient use of taxpayers’ money by rooting out waste in public services.

Other key measures already announced by the Government that will be evident in the White Paper include a new National Centre of Policing, which will make the best use of money from taxpayers by bringing together crucial support services such as IT and forensics, and a Police Performance Unit designed to drive up standards.

Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee

The ambitious police reform programme will run alongside the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, which has seen the introduction of named and contactable officers for every community and guaranteed police patrols in busy areas at peak times. It’s also scheduled to deliver circa 3,000 neighbourhood officers on the streets of the nation by the spring of next year.

Graeme Stewart, head of public sector projects at Check Point Software, noted: “This is a bold move by a Government fully aware that the nature of policing has fundamentally changed since the creation of these roles 12 years ago. The rise of Artificial Intelligence, sophisticated cyber attacks and challenges around online safety mean that accountability now seldom sits with one individual. The public knows that. These savings can now be ploughed into front line policing and digital transformation, in turn equipping officers with the skills they need to meet the challenges of tomorrow.”