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UK Government to Scrap Police and Crime Commissioners by 2028 in £100m Policing Overhaul

Ministers cite low turnout alongside poor public awareness as evidence the model failed to build confidence.

Overview

  • Responsibilities would shift to regional mayors where possible, with elected council leaders taking on the role in areas without mayors.
  • Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood branded PCCs a “failed experiment,” with savings pledged for more neighbourhood officers.
  • The Home Office says £20 million a year will be reinvested before the next election to fund around 320 police posts, with overall savings of about £100 million.
  • Incumbent PCCs such as Thames Valley’s Matthew Barber and Gloucestershire’s Chris Nelson expressed disappointment and warned of a potential gap in accountability and staff uncertainty.
  • Liberal Democrat figures and police panel chairs welcomed the change as a money-saver, citing earlier FOI work estimating PCC costs near £102 million, as Nottinghamshire officials began planning the 2028 transfer to the East Midlands mayor.