The role of Staffordshire’s elected police and crime commissioner is set to be scrapped, as part of government plans to replace all PCCs across England and Wales by 2028
The move, announced in Parliament this week, is expected to save around £100 million over the course of this parliament, with ministers saying the money will be redirected towards front-line policing.
Under the changes, the responsibilities of police and crime commissioners will move to either directly elected mayors or local council leaders once the current terms end.
There are 41 commissioners nationally, including Staffordshire’s Conservative PCC Ben Adams, who was re-elected last year after defeating Labour’s Alastair Watson.
Mr Adams’ second term is due to run until 2028, after which the post would be abolished under the new plans.
Policing minister Sarah Jones told MPs the current model had “failed to live up to expectations” and “not delivered what it was set up to achieve”. She said public understanding of the role “remains low despite efforts to raise profiles”.
Commissioners were introduced in 2012 under former prime minister David Cameron, with the aim of making policing more accountable to local communities. Each PCC is responsible for setting force budgets, appointing chief constables, and publishing a five-year policing plan.
Ministers say fewer than one in five people can name their local commissioner, and that the role has in some cases “weakened local accountability” within police forces.
In Staffordshire, the commissioner oversees policing across the county and the city of Stoke-on-Trent.
With the role abolished, future accountability for Staffordshire Police could fall under the county council or a newly created regional mayoral role.
The government says the changes will allow an extra £20 million a year to be invested into policing nationwide.
