On Thursday 13th November 2025, the Government announced that Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) roles are to be abolished across England and Wales in 2028.
There are 37 elected commissioners under the current system, introduced 12 years ago to improve police accountability. Their main responsibilities include setting an annual budget, appointing chief constables and producing a policing plan.
When the commissioners’ terms end in 2028 the role will move to an elected mayor or to council leaders.
In response to the ministerial announcement, Police and Crime Commissioner for Cleveland Matt Storey said: “It is clear that the decision to abolish the role of Police and Crime Commissioners has been cooked up in back rooms by civil servants without any consultation with PCCs, their teams or the services we fund.
“It is disgraceful that my team had to find out about this decision only minutes before the Policing Minister made the announcement in the House of Commons. There was no prior knowledge shared or consultations conducted, so when they started their working day yesterday, my team had no idea that that their jobs would be on the line by lunchtime.
“I would love the Policing Minister to look my staff in the eye and tell them that the PCC model has been a ‘failed experiment’. They are dedicated and talented public servants, many of whom have been working for years on projects to keep the people of Cleveland safe. They’ve designed initiatives to reduce crime, improve support for victims, enhance the criminal justice system, engage with communities and hold Cleveland Police to account.
“The Government has been more than happy to use PCCs to spearhead the delivery of their Safer Streets mission, including ambitious goals to improve neighbourhood policing, halve knife crime and halve violence against women and girls. It is not clear who will lead this work after 2028.
“In my opinion, the reasons for abolishing the role just don’t stack up. Voter turnout is low across the country and across all elections – this is not an issue exclusive to PCC elections and needs far wider action to improve democratic participation more generally.
“To replace PCCs with a Mayor or a Police Board does not increase accountability at all, it dilutes it. Elected representatives with wide-ranging portfolios won’t give police governance more than a cursory glance, in comparison to the dedicated scrutiny and accountability provided by the PCC role.
“And I am sceptical of the financial savings of £100m suggested by the Minister. Most of these savings come from scrapping the PCC elections, which could easily be absorbed if PCC elections were held on the same day as other elections – as we do in the Tees Valley. The new models suggested will also need financing, so I am not confident any efficiencies will be realised or invested in frontline policing.
“I may only have two years left in my role, but I can assure the people of Cleveland that I will not stop or slow down. My team and I will continue to deliver against my Police and Crime Plan, working to secure the future of our brilliant commissioned services and continuing to hold Cleveland Police to account for keeping the people of Cleveland safe.”