Northumberland awaiting outcome of review into Police and Crime Commissioners

PCCs were introduced in 2012 to be the voice of the people and deliver an effective and efficient police force in their area, holding responsibility for the budget and performance of their force.

Announced by the Home Secretary in July, the review is part of a manifesto commitment to strengthen and expand the role of PCCs.

The two-part process will not consider scrapping the PCC model nor will it review the 43 police force model, with the first stage, to be conducted over the summer, looking at ‘raising standards and improving accountability’.

It will also consider ways ‘to strengthen the accountability of fire and rescue services in line with the Government’s long-term ambitions on fire governance reform’.

The Policing and Crime Act 2017 enabled PCCs to take on responsibility for governance of fire services and there are currently four Police, Fire and Crime Commissioners in England and Wales.

If this were to become the Government’s preferred system, Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service would in theory be one of two services under the Northumbria PCC along with Tyne & Wear.

In addition, Northumberland’s fire service is currently run and budgeted for as part of the county council, rather than by a separate fire authority as is the case in Tyne & Wear, which covers several local-authority areas.

Northumberland County Council was approached for comment and Cllr John Riddle, the cabinet member responsible for the fire service, said: “The Government’s review of PCCs is at an early stage and we will be monitoring it as it progresses.”

The review’s second stage will take place following the PCC elections in May 2021 – which were delayed by 12 months due to Covid-19 – and will focus on longer-term reform, including looking at what extra powers PCCs need to better fight crime in their areas.

Longer-term plans, including increasing the number of mayors with responsibility for policing, will be detailed in the Local Recovery and Devolution White Paper, which the Government intends to publish in the autumn.

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