Police and crime commissioners (PCCs) are to be scrapped in England and Wales to save £20m annually for front-line policing, the government has said.
The role will transfer to either an elected mayor or council leaders at the end of the commissioners’ terms in 2028, policing minister Sarah Jones told the House of Commons on Thursday.
The model had “failed to live up to expectations” and “not delivered what it was set up to achieve”, said Jones.
She added that the public understanding of PCCs’ roles “remains low despite efforts to raise their profile”.
According to Home Office research, less than 20% of voters can name their PCC, while 40% are unaware the role exists,
There are currently 41 commissioners under the system, introduced 12 years ago by former Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron.
The government said £100m will be saved this parliament as a result of these new measures. Once delivered, it is estimated to reduce costs for the Home Office by £20m a year, enough to fund 320 additional police constables, said Jones.
The policing minister described the abolishment as one of the “first reforms” aimed at driving “quality, consistency and efficiency” in policing.
“The PCC model has weakened local police accountability and has had perverse impacts on the recruitment of chief constables,” added Jones. ”They have failed to inspire confidence in local people in stark contrast to the mayor model, which has clearly been ultimately more successful.”
The government will no longer run separate policing elections and it will also abolish police and crime panels.
Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC) Chair Emily Spurrell, PCC for Merseryside, said PCCs were “deeply disappointed by this decision and the lack of engagement”.
“For more than a decade, directly elected Police and Crime Commissioners have transformed policing accountability and delivered essential support services for victims of crime. Having a single, visible local leader – answerable to the public – has improved scrutiny and transparency, ensuring policing delivers on the issues that matter most to local communities,” said Spurrell.
“Abolishing PCCs now, without any consultation, as policing faces a crisis of public trust and confidence and as it is about to be handed a much stronger national centre, risks creating a dangerous accountability vacuum.”
Responding to the announcement, chief constable Gavin Stephens, chair of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, said: “We recognise and are grateful to the contribution so many Police and Crime Commissioners have made, and will continue to make during this transition period.
“Democratic accountability of operationally independent policing is essential. Bringing strong, integrated local leadership and the voice of communities into our service is a vitally important part of policing by consent.
“Chief officers will always support strong local scrutiny – and the most effective methods through which to deliver that. Strong governance of policing is a key part of the overall vision for wider police reform, to ensure that the service can respond quickly and consistently to criminal threats at the local, regional and national level.
“The government has now set out proposals to move responsibility for police governance directly to elected mayors and policing and crime boards. As these proposals are developed, our focus remains on the same fundamentals; fighting crime; bringing offenders to justice; supporting victims; listening to our communities and working with local and national partners to prevent crime and protect the vulnerable, so people are safe and feel safe.”
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