The transfer of Police and Crime Commissioner functions will mean
that the mayors in the West Midlands and South Yorkshire will
have oversight over their respective local police forces to
improve collaboration across public services. The Police and
Crime Commissioner role will be assumed by the newly elected
mayors across those local areas following the upcoming elections
in May.
This follows two six-week public consultations which gave the
public the opportunity to share their opinions on the proposals.
The responses were then carefully considered by the Home
Secretary, amongst other information, before the decision was
made to proceed with the legislation.
These changes will come into effect from the next mayoral
elections in May 2024, protecting the democratic accountability
of the Police and Crime Commissioner role. With additional
responsibility for their respective local forces, the newly
elected mayors will be well placed to align police and crime
priorities with other public services such as transport and
regeneration.
Subject to parliamentary approval, these changes are a
continuation of the government’s plan set out in the Levelling Up
white paper to see all combined authority mayors exercise Police
and Crime Commissioner functions, where feasible. This has
already been successfully implemented in Greater Manchester, West
Yorkshire and in London where the mayor has responsibilities
equivalent to that of a Police and Crime Commissioner.
Parliamentary debates to discuss the legislation are expected to
commence shortly.
The term of office for the current mayor of South Yorkshire will
be brought forward and end in May 2024 rather than 2026.
