In a sweeping move that has sent ripples through the policing and political landscape of England and Wales, the UK government has announced the abolition of police and crime commissioners (PCCs), a role established just over a decade ago to enhance police accountability. The decision, made public on November 13, 2025, is expected to save at least £100 million by the end of the current parliament in 2029—funds that ministers say will be redirected to bolster neighbourhood policing.
The 41 elected PCCs, whose annual salaries range from £73,300 to £101,900, will remain in their posts until the end of their current terms in 2028. After that, their powers and responsibilities will be transferred to elected mayors wherever possible, or to council leaders who will head new policing and crime boards. This move will bring regions across England and Wales more in line with London, where the mayor already oversees the Metropolitan Police and holds its operational head to account.
Policing minister Sarah Jones, addressing the House of Commons, was unequivocal in her assessment: "The model has failed to live up to expectations." She thanked PCCs and their staff for their service, but argued that the system had weakened local police accountability and had "perverse impacts on the recruitment of chief constables." According to Jones, less than a quarter of voters participated in the most recent PCC elections, and a staggering two in five people are unaware that PCCs even exist. "Saving £100m, I think, is quite substantial and not ‘tinkering around the edges’ as some suggest," she added, referencing opposition criticism.
The government’s rationale is clear: cutting the cost of what it sees as unnecessary bureaucracy and reinvesting at least £20 million annually—enough, they claim, to fund around 320 additional police constables every year. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood echoed this sentiment, describing the introduction of PCCs by the previous government as a "failed experiment." She pledged, "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 role of PCCs, first introduced in 2012 under then-Home Secretary Theresa May, was to oversee non-operational aspects of policing, such as managing budgets and appointing chief constables. The idea was to create a single, visible figure responsible for holding police forces to account. However, the model has faced persistent criticism for low public engagement and limited visibility, with the Home Office reporting that fewer than 20% of voters could name their PCC.
Not everyone is convinced by the government’s arguments—or its process. PCCs themselves have responded with a mix of outrage and disappointment, particularly over what they see as a lack of consultation. Philip Seccombe, the Conservative PCC for Warwickshire, said he and colleagues were given just 90 minutes’ notice before the announcement. "I think it is outrageous that a decision of this magnitude has been imposed with no consultation or public engagement," he told BBC News. Seccombe, who was first elected in 2016 and re-elected for a third term in May 2024, warned that abolishing PCCs "can only make policing less accountable and more remote from the communities it serves." He also expressed concern for the future of staff in his office and questioned the government’s claims about cost savings and low mandates, noting that turnout for PCC elections is "broadly comparable to local authority and mayoral elections."
Simon Foster, Labour PCC for the West Midlands, was equally scathing. "The government has chosen to announce its decision without any prior consultation or engagement with PCCs. That is inexcusable, inexplicable and unacceptable," he said. Foster argued that PCCs provide crucial oversight and scrutiny, and abolishing the public’s right to vote for the position would "significantly weaken democratic accountability." He pointed out that more than 327,000 people had voted for him—more than either of the region’s two leading mayoral candidates. Foster also challenged the government’s math, stating that the promised extra £20 million would only fund 16 more officers in the West Midlands, a region that has "about 700 fewer police officers than we did in 2010."
The Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC) also voiced its dismay, with chair Emily Spurrell calling the decision "deeply disappointing" and warning that abolishing PCCs "without any consultation, as policing faces a crisis of public trust and confidence, risks creating a dangerous accountability vacuum." Spurrell, who is also the PCC for Merseyside, insisted that directly elected PCCs have "transformed policing accountability."
From the political opposition, reactions have been mixed and sometimes contradictory. Conservative shadow home secretary Chris Philp accused the government of "tinkering around the edges," asserting in the House of Commons that the move was merely "rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic." Philp argued that police numbers have fallen under Labour’s watch and questioned whether transferring PCC powers to mayors would actually save any money or improve outcomes. The Liberal Democrats, for their part, welcomed the scrapping of PCCs—calling the roles a "failed Tory experiment which cost taxpayers dearly"—but cautioned against concentrating too much power in the hands of mayors, which they said could result in "even more power to single individuals with dubious democratic mandates and little scrutiny or accountability."
Former Dorset PCC Martyn Underhill, who stepped down in 2021 after two terms, told Sky News he welcomed the change, calling the mayoral model a "better version" because it can bring in outside experts. However, he voiced concern for areas without mayors, arguing that policing should not be overseen by elected individuals because "it becomes too political." Underhill also dismissed the idea that PCCs have control over budgets, saying, "I was dictated to by the central government."
The government insists that the transition will be orderly, with continuity of support services for victims and witnesses currently provided by PCCs. The unique circumstances of devolved local government in Wales will be taken into account, although there are no plans to create mayors there for the purpose of transferring PCC powers. The Home Office has promised that the upcoming Police Reform White Paper will set out further powers to improve standards, while restoring local neighbourhood policing. Among the measures already announced are a new National Centre of Policing to unify support services such as IT and forensics, and a police performance unit to drive up standards nationwide. The Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, another flagship policy, aims to ensure every community has named and contactable officers, guaranteed patrols in busy areas, and 3,000 new neighbourhood officers on the streets by spring 2026.
As the dust settles, the debate over the future of police accountability in England and Wales is far from over. Supporters of the reform argue that it will cut bureaucracy and put more officers on the beat, while critics warn of weakened accountability and a loss of public engagement. For now, all eyes are on the government’s promised white paper—and on the communities who will feel the impact of these changes most directly.
