PCC slams plan by Government to scrap position

A LABOUR police and crime commissioner (PCC) has reacted angrily after the Government announced the role was to be scrapped.

- By DANIEL HOLLAND Local Democracy Reporter

Ministers announced on Thursday that the controversial roles will be abolished at the end of their current term in 2028, saying they had not inspired public confidence, in the hope of saving £20m a year that could be reinvested back into frontline policing.

The elected officials were introduced in 2012 and are responsible for setting police budgets, appointing chief constables, and scrutinising forces’ performance against the PCC’s plan.

But policing minister Sarah Jones told the House of Commons that two in five people are “unaware PCCs even exist” and that the model had “weakened local police accountability and has had perverse impacts on the recruitment of chief constables”.

PCCs’ responsibilities are now expected to transfer either to elected mayors or local council leaders.

It is widely expected that the Northumbria PCC's role, currently occupied by Labour's Susan Dungworth, will shift to the North East mayor.

Ex-PCC Kim McGuinness was elected the region's mayor in 2024 and her term of office also runs until 2028.