The West Midlands mayor should be handed the powers and responsibilities held by the police and crime commissioner, the current mayor, Andy Street, has told the home secretary.
Street, a Conservative, said crime in the region had “more than doubled” in the year to June 2023 and he had concluded “that enough is enough and crime in the West Midlands has now reached a point where something has to change”. He proposed that the transition should take place after the next mayoral election.
The region’s Labour PCC, Simon Foster, described the move as “profoundly undemocratic” and a “cynical and divisive power grab”.
Street, in his letter to Suella Braverman, said: “Judging by the worrying increase in crime levels since the West Midlands has had a police and crime commissioner in place, it is clear that the current PCC model is not holding the West Midlands police well enough to account to drive down crime and ensure people across the region feel safe.
“Indeed, just last week the current PCC announced ‘at least’ 30 police stations are to close, further exacerbating citizens’ safety concerns.”
He referred to new powers that the government holds under the Levelling up and Regeneration Act, allowing it to transfer the powers of PCCs to elected mayors. Such a move would also help coordinate working on projects such as regeneration, he said.
He denied it was undemocratic as he proposed it would not come into force until after next year’s mayoral elections.
Foster, who was elected in May 2021, said in a statement on X, formerly Twitter: “Firstly, he is abolishing people’s right to vote, so that he can appoint one of his friends to the role instead; secondly, preventing, tackling and reducing crime will not be his top priority, and thirdly, this is a cynical and divisive power grab that is in no one’s interests save that of the mayor.”
He added: “The mayor has made this decision because his party have stood for election to the role of police and crime commissioner four times and been defeated every time.”
Foster said the mayor was attempting to achieve through the back door what his party had been incapable of achieving through the ballot box.
“Here is my challenge. Have the courage, the integrity and the principles to put it to the people. Let the people decide who they want to represent them as their police and crime commissioner at the election in May 2024.”
