Home Secretary agrees to transfer PCC powers to West Midlands Mayor

Simon Foster described it as a “hostile takeover” after the Home Secretary agreed to proceed with plans for the powers of the PCC to be transferred to the West Midlands Mayor after the May election.

Mayor Andy Street, who is in office until May 2024, had written to the Home Secretary last month asking to take on the powers and responsibilities of the PCC.

He argued it was necessary because West Midlands Police is currently in special measures and has seen crime rise.

However, in a statement, Mr Foster said: “I deeply disagree with the mayor’s hostile takeover, because 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.

“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. That is because his party is not trusted by the people of the West Midlands to prevent, tackle and reduce crime.

“The mayor represents a government that has inflicted immense damage on policing, essential preventative public services and our criminal justice system for the past 13 years. That has contributed to a rise in crime. The last thing the people I represent need is an apologist for this government’s appalling record on policing, taking on responsibility for policing governance.”

Mr Foster added: “There is no local democratic support for this cynical and divisive power grab. The mayor is attempting to achieve through the back door what his party has been incapable of achieving through the ballot box.

“I say to Mayor Street: You still have an opportunity to put it to the people. 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 PCC at the election in May 2024.

“Let it be the people’s vote: the people’s choice and the people’s decision.”

His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary confirmed last month that West Midlands Police had been moved into enhanced monitoring following concerns over how it manages investigations and the risk posed by registered sex offenders and online child abuse offenders – a decision that Chief Constable Craig Guildford “completely disagreed” with (see https://www.policeprofessional.com/news/chief-constable-completely-disagrees-with-decision-to-move-force-into-enhanced-monitoring/).

Mr Guildford said at the time: “Although I remain respectful of His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services, I completely disagree with their decision-making to move West Midlands Police into ‘Engage’ now despite providing them with recent evidence that should inform a much more comprehensive and fair assessment of the force.”

He said many of the issues identified developed as a result of the previous operating model, and statistical findings are largely drawn from datasets that pre-date the launch of West Midlands Police’s new operating model in April 2023.

Mr Guildford also wrote to His Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary Wendy Williams stressing that the actions he has taken since being appointed chief constable “negates the necessity to formally engage the force”, which he says will “significantly undermine public and workforce confidence”.

His view was shared by Mr Foster, who described the final decision-making process by the inspectorate as “seriously unsatisfactory”.