UK Government to Scrap Police and Crime Commissioners

In a major overhaul of the policing system, the UK government has announced that Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) in England and Wales will be abolished by the end of their current term in 2028. Designed to save £100m by the close of the next parliamentary term, the change aims to make police forces more accountable and redirect funds towards frontline policing.

Introduced in 2012 by the Conservative-Lib Dem coalition government, the role of PCCs was meant to provide greater oversight and accountability for local police forces. However, the government has acknowledged that the model has largely "failed to live up to expectations", with less than 20% of voters able to name their local PCC. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood called the system a "failed experiment" and emphasized that it had not achieved its intended goals. "Public understanding remains low despite efforts to raise their profiles," said Policing Minister Sarah Jones.

Under the new plan, the powers of PCCs will be transferred to elected mayors or local council leaders wherever possible, bringing the system more in line with the model already used in London, where the mayor oversees the Metropolitan Police. This shift aims to provide more integrated and community-focused leadership.

While the government projects that the move will save £100 million annually, a sum that will be reinvested into front-line policing, some have criticized the decision. Emily Spurrell, PCC for Merseyside, described the announcement as "deeply disappointing", arguing that the role had improved "scrutiny and transparency" in policing. She warned that scrapping PCCs without proper consultation could create an "accountability vacuum" at a time when trust in the police is already under pressure.

Supporters of the move, including former Dorset PCC Martyn Underhill, have said that a more centralized model under mayors could offer stronger leadership and a more effective approach to local policing. However, Underhill also expressed concern about regions without directly elected mayors, which could result in less effective oversight.

In the political arena, the announcement has sparked criticism. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp labeled the reforms as "tinkering around the edges" of the broader issues facing policing, claiming the government is failing to address the root causes of rising crime. Ben Maguire, shadow attorney general for the Liberal Democrats, agreed, calling the PCC system a "failed Tory experiment" but expressing concern that transferring these powers to mayors could give “even more power to single individuals” without sufficient oversight.

Despite the controversy, the government has defended the move as a necessary step to improve accountability and direct resources to areas that need them most. Shabana Mahmood assured that the reforms would include "new measures to make sure police are accountable to their local mayoralties or councils" and would not leave a gap in victim and witness support, which was previously handled by PCCs.

The change comes as part of a broader push to streamline local government and provide stronger community-level leadership. Whether the new model will address the growing concerns over policing and public trust remains to be seen, but it’s clear the government sees it as a fresh opportunity to improve the way policing is organized and funded.