Every police and crime commissioner set to lose their job under government's plan
Policing minister Sarah Jones confirms the plans to scrap role
The government's plan to scrap police and crime commissioners (PCC) is set to put 37 elected officials out of work across England and Wales.
Home secretary Shabana Mahmood has pressed through a plan to scrap the role, which came into existence under the Conservative-led coalition government in 2012.
Police secretary Sarah Jones told the Commons on Wednesday that the job would be abolished, a decision that has drawn the ire of the Tory benches - whose members accused the government of a lack of consultation.
Here is all you need to know.
What did police and crime commissioners (PCCs) actually do?
It is the responsibility of the PCC to:
- Set budgets for their police forces,
- Appointing the most senior officer – the chief constable – for their area,
- Work with partners on strategies to better fight crime,
- Be a spokesman for the local force and a point of contact for issues around policing.
They are party political and elections were first held to decide them in 2012.
Every English and Welsh police force has a PCC, although some areas have the policing work overseen by the area's metro mayor - such as in London, where mayor Sir Sadiq Khan oversees the Metropolitan Police.
Why is the government getting rid of PCCs?
Ms Mahmood said the introduction was a "failed experiment," by the previous government, with voter turnout having been traditionally low for the elections.
The home secretary added that the move could cut £100 million.
Tory shadow secretary Chris Philp clapped back: “Now, today’s statement about police and crime commissioners represents, in my view, a tinkering around the edges from a Government which is failing on crime and policing."
To this, Ms Jones said: "Saving £100 million, I think, is quite substantial and not ‘tinkering around the edges’ as he suggests.
“But what I would say to him is, if he waits a few more weeks, he will see the reform agenda that the Home Secretary is designing in its totality.
“And it will put policing on a much better footing than he left it.”
What will the government do instead to replace PCCs?
The role of policing is set to come under greater accountability from local authorities, under plans.
It has not been said when the PCCs will be out of work, but it is thought they will finish their terms and not be re-elected.
Ms Mahmood said: “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.”
The full list of PCCs for England and Wales
England:
- Avon and Somerset – Clare Moody (Labour)
- Bedfordshire – John Tizard (Labour)
- Cambridgeshire – Darryl Preston (Conservative)
- Cheshire – Dan Price (Labour)
- Cleveland – Matthew Storey (Labour)
- Cumbria – David Allen (Labour) – Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner
- Derbyshire – Nicolle Ndiweni (Labour)
- Devon and Cornwall – Alison Hernandez (Conservative)
- Dorset – David Sidwick (Conservative)
- Durham – Joy Allen (Labour)
- Essex – Roger Hirst (Conservative) – Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner
- Gloucestershire – Chris Nelson (Conservative)
- Hampshire – Donna Jones (Conservative)
- Hertfordshire – Jonathan Ash-Edwards (Conservative)
- Humberside – Jonathan Evison (Conservative)
- Kent – Matthew Scott (Conservative)
- Lancashire – Clive Grunshaw (Labour)
- Leicestershire – Rupert Matthews (Conservative)
- Lincolnshire – Marc Jones (Conservative)
- Merseyside – Emily Spurrell (Labour)
- Norfolk – Sarah Taylor (Labour)
- Northumbria – Susan Dungworth (Labour)
- Northamptonshire - Danielle Stone (Labour)
- Nottinghamshire – Gary Godden (Labour)
- Staffordshire – Ben Adams (Conservative) – Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner
- Suffolk – Tim Passmore (Conservative)
- Surrey – Lisa Townsend (Conservative)
- Sussex – Katy Bourne (Conservative)
- Thames Valley – Matthew Barber (Conservative)
- Warwickshire – Philip Seccombe (Conservative)
- West Mercia – John-Paul Campion (Conservative)
- West Midlands – Simon Foster (Labour)
- Wiltshire – Philip Wilkinson (Conservative)
Wales:
- Dyfed-Powys – Dafydd Llywelyn (Plaid Cymru)
- Gwent – Jane Mudd (Labour)
- North Wales – Andy Dunbobbin (Labour)
- South Wales – Emma Wools (Labour)
Areas where mayors hold PCC responsibilities:
- Greater London – Sadiq Khan (Mayor)
- Greater Manchester – Andy Burnham (Mayor)
- West Yorkshire – Tracy Brabin (Mayor)
- York and North Yorkshire – (Mayor)
- South Yorkshire – Oliver Coppard (Mayor)